how does your garden grow...

 
The sun was beating down HOT this afternoon, so I was out at the coop refreshing the water containers for the chickens, and the duck (kiddie) swimming pool. In the background, you can see the duck pool. The fabric on the fence is shade cloth, to help keep the afternoon/evening sun off of the chicken yard. What you can't see in the photo are the mammoth sunflowers I have planted along the fence line, behind the container plants. As they grow, they will provide even more shade, and will be beautiful too!

 
While I was there, I thought I would snap some photos to document how the veggies are coming along. This year I decided to grow some veggies in containers, rather than directly in the ground. The soil here leaves much to be desired, and is very VERY shallow. We don't have to dig very deep before we hit rock.

 
Container planting seems to be working out great! This is one of two containers of cucumbers (for pickling), coming along nicely. The containers allow me to easily use better soil, and allow me to organize the containers as necessary for the size of the plants. When the plants were small, it was easy to set the containers side by side. As the have plants have grown in size, I have spread them out a bit, providing each plant with plenty of "elbow room", and lots of space for good ventilation.

The containers I'm using are wooden apple baskets I picked up at the local farm supply store for only a few dollars each. Many of them were nest boxes at one point, before I installed the antique side by side nest boxes for the girls. When compared to containers of similar size at a garden shop, the apple baskets are much more affordable and so far they work just fine for me. They probably won't last more than a couple of seasons, but at least they're made of something that I can compost back into soil.

 
I'm growing several variety of tomato. Some of them are growing gangbusters, and others are just doing so-so. The variety I am least impressed with so far are the "container" specific variety.

 
I might change my mind about them though, when we start to harvest fruit off of them.

 
The zucchini are doing really well. I have three large plants, and all of them have already started showing fruit, and big colorful flowers.

 
Ever wonder what it looks like under the umbrella of zucchini plant leaves?

 
I'm excited for our first fresh from the farm zucchini! Soon, I think, soon!!

 
We also have a couple of very tall volunteer (seeded themselves) sunflowers near the chicken yard. One of them is MUCH taller than me, and has started showing small yellow flower faces near the top. The other plant isn't quite as tall, and is starting to show signs of a big bloom yet to come. I think it's amazing how they grow.

 
And speaking of growing, my mint plant is doing well, too! ...If I could keep the caterpillars from eating it, I'd be even happier!

Comments

[DK Wight]

The secret to gardening in pots and baskets has got to be telephoto lenses, and small pots. Mom has some tiny little plastic animals that would make your zucchini look like the Goodyear Blimp! We still have ice floating in the stock tank in Washington, bummer......Love, Dad

[Sonya Appel]

Your garden looks great. I am envious, the squash vine borers havn't gotten your squash plants. They have already killed mine again for the 3rd year in a row despite all my effort to keep them from it. I have a small garden in my backyard in Houston but would love to have one on the farm like you!!! Love the all the animals and birds, so cute!!!

[Oz Girl]

I like the idea of putting some of the garden plants in containers. We finally got a small garden started this year... yippee-kye-aye! A few tomato and pepper plants, radish, cukes, beans and corn. We'll see how it all does, and hopefully expand next year. I also want to put in a strawberry patch next year and hope to dig the plot later this fall.

Your plants look awesome!

[Diane McNickle]

Your pictures make me wish I had a garden this year. We just moved to a new (for us) home and haven't had time to plant a garden. Besides, the weather here in Seattle has been less than stellar for gardening. Send us some of that sun! PLEASE!

[Carole]

Please, keep showing pictures of your container garden. I have used pots with tomatoes without much success. I am interested in the cucumbers in the apple baskets.

[rose kerry]

Your photos are beautiful, love those tomatoes. Makes me want to try my hand at veggie growing! Thanks for sharing.

[Tiya-B]

love your blog, i get to be close to cows, chickens and grow a garden and not get my hands dirty.
Your pictures set us so close to all the things im not newr in the city.. love your blog even with out cards which is why i even visited your blog the first time.

[Marti]

Oooh, I am so jealous! I'm trying veggie gardening this year, but I'm afraid the Vegas heat may do them in before we get a chance to harvest. I'm going to live vicariously through your photos.

[Ida]

Oh I bet those veggies are going to taste delicious! Our poor tomato plants look so sad but we've had some nice strawberries!
Our weather...not so nice (rain, rain & more rain)...Next week maybe 82!!!

[Jennifer K.]

Love the photos!! I'm planting my garden today - I think the snow is done for the season :)

What is a mind plant? Never heard of it.

[Carol Dee]

Show Off ... LOL. You garden looks great. I took photos of out garden to brag about since it is EARLY this year and we have managed to stay ahead of the weeds! That is a miracle. I love the baskets and containers for some things like zucchini. (We have poor soil too.) Thanks for more great fun photos. Big Hugs& stay as cool as possible.

[Mel]

WOW Anna! Your garden is beautiful. I get all excited if the leaves in my garden stay green. : )

[Shellie Daniel]

Everything is so green and advanced there! Our plants are small, in their growing phase, certainly nowhere near a harvest like yours.

[Robb_eeie]

You're making me ~drool~ seeing all the fresh veggies you have cultivating in your garden ---> YUM YUM