Thursday, July 16, 2009

Totally Busted!

I cold busted Jake in the vegetable garden today. Lesson learned don't let your dogs know how delicious sugar snap peas taste right off the vine. The little %^#$* had a field day eating peas...



He just casually strolled on out of the garden like nothing happened...


It's a good thing the peas are about done or I would have been really mad. I can now put in another crop of them.


Elsewhere in the veggie patch...

the Edamame is producing, I haven't picked any yet as I don't think they are quite ready. I've never grown this before so it's a new experience for me.




Finally! the peppers are starting to show signs of life...



The first cucumber...


the tomato and Zucchini plants are really getting big, I've already pulled a couple zucchini


another view of the veggie patch...


the bees just love this little flower area...


These were the easiest plants ever! just tossed in a packet of mixed seeds, water well and tada!


The Memorial garden has really filled out. The sunflowers are getting huge!






ooh you can see my fancy new clothes line in the background...



This year has been really dry, even I've had to water the plants a few times. My grass looks terrible. But so far, knock on wood, no Japanese beetles; last year they attacked the backyard and it was all out war all summer. This year the biggest problems have been lack of rain and little dogs eating whatever they can get into their mouths.

I'm starting to make plans for Fall already, need to decide if I'll put in some Fall veggies or just work on getting the soil prepared for next year. I want to expand the vegetable garden another three feet in each direction and build a cold frame so I'm leaning towards no Fall crops. I wonder what it would cost to have a truck load of cow manure delivered to the backyard? I can just see Jake and Lash if I drop a truck load of cow poop in the backyard, they'll think they died and went to heaven.

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

What's happening in the Backyard?

First Sunflower!



The beets are ready; the green beans are just starting to come in...


Green Beans


The Edamame (soy bean) plants are getting big but so far no beans



Zucchini is growing nicely


This one is ready to pick but I'm waiting for the weekend so I can put it on the grill


Cucumbers are finally starting to grow


View of the vegetable garden


I don't know who likes the sugar snap peas more, Jake, Lash or myself. I caught Jake swiping some this evening. He also likes to take the beets.

The tomatoes are growing big with lots of fruit on them. I'm thinking a couple more weeks of warm weather and they'll be ready to pick. The Italian tomato tree I planted is still looking pretty spindly but it has a couple tomatoes on it.

Thursday, July 2, 2009

It's Alive!

Who woulda thought that this Prickly Pear cactus would have survived...

April 11 survey of the backyard:




It looked so pathetic and old


But low and behold the magic of nature! June 26th...





dozens of flowers!



This plant amazes me, it survived the Minnesota winter and becomes the showcase of the backyard.

Knee high by the Fourth of July

Ok, so I don't have any corn in the garden but everything else is coming up! We had a burst of hot humid weather and the vegetables loved it!

June 26, 2009 I noticed the first tomatoes


Beans are growing big; the beans got off to a slow start this year, I may have planted them a little too early.


Beats and Green Beans



Roma tomatoes



Betty's best


Sugar Snap Peas! absolutely one of my favorites.



Jake, Lash and I have been eating these by the handfuls...


There is nothing tastier than Sugar Snap peas that have been warming in the sun all day, delicious!

This does not belong here!

Upon a recent stroll around the backyard I discovered a number of uninvited guests...

Green Tiger beetle in the dogs water bowl



Hmmm something is munching on my Birch trees and rose bushes



There's the little bastard...


I have no idea what these "weeds" are but they are popping up all over the yard



The birds must have planted this sunflower, think I'll let it grow


Mushrooms, mushrooms mushrooms, these have become a staple in the backyard ever since I lost the Maple tree