Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Is it really summer? Might need to harvest something!



Earlier V and I watched from the living room picture window as a frog made its way into the straw mulch beneath the Broccoli plants. Checked it out later on and it is still living there happily. I can accept that arrangement. It eats all the creepy bugs that wish to do harm. We therefore can go without spraying anything. Sounds very organic to me!

Concerning the east garden pest posting. We never ended up bothering to do anything about it. Appears it has corrected its own self for the time being. Either it is too dry for them or perhaps the frog we saw for the broccoli has a counter part over there eating them. Fine by me. I prefer to think gardening is really about nature doing the bulk of the work while we merely guide aspects of it for our own will.

11 comments:

  1. I do so want a frog or toad in my garden! I had a big old toad when we lived in the country, and I didn't have nearly the insect problems I have here in town.

    Your garden beds are looking so neat and productive. Straw certainly makes a difference, doesn't it? I haven't bought any yet, and my first few strawberries were splattered with mud. I need to get on the ball!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. LOL. IDK. Would say that it appears your ball is already well under foot and no doubt about to run into the street with all the passing cars. Talk about happy work to be had, Granny!

      This year with the garden, it is interesting to see how slowly the wildlife realizes its there and fills it out accordingly. We are enjoying watching all the different birds, bees, squirrels, and now a lone frog.

      :)

      Delete
  2. Looks like your garden is in full swing and broccoli is ready to be picked :) Hope you'll like Black Prince taste - I have one as well and I liked it in the past, but black/purple varieties are very different in taste from regular reds. They tend to be much stronger in flavor. Hope your strawberry tastes good too once it's ripe :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh? Over time you find yourself getting used to the tastes of 'real' unadulterated food. I am sure that we will enjoy the black prince as well. Should have known you would have it in your garden! ;) Right next to the catnip and bearded irises of course.

      Lots of excitement over the yellow strawberries. Not much of an expectation of large yields. However, to see how much a plant grows from the tiniest of seeds.... These were a fifth the size of a regular strawberry seed and even those are small!

      Delete
    2. Sounds like you have Alpine variety which is very good in taste and strong smell - worth it in my book. And I'm addicted to any black/purple tomatoes so I try to cram as many varieties as possible into my garden.

      Delete
  3. I love when I find frogs in my garden or yard. I have gone so far as to make them a "house" out of a broken pot =) I also never tell the kids when I find a frog or toad because someone will want to become Mark Twain and have a frog jumping contest or something!

    Garden's looking good over there in A2! Here in L-town they are suffering a bit from rabbits & cutworms. =(

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, those pesky hares.... Surprisingly past the first time when it munched on the yellow and red chard it hasn't bothered us. Although the next time I was told there was a rabbit outside I chased it several houses down. Perhaps it took the hint??

      Cutworms sound rough. Maffia like.

      Delete
  4. Hey there, glad to see that you've harvested broccoli! As for "waiting to let them get as big as possible" or however you worded it, we do the same thing. Broccoli flowers are edible too! If you know what I mean.

    We have terrible leaf curl on some of our potatoes. Since we won't be selling ours to stores or restaurants, I won't worry about the spots. I'll just eat them! This year we're not cutting the leaf curl off. We don't have a clue about what's better, to cut or not to cut. We'll wait and see what happens.

    Your video covered so much stuff. I really just wanted to say, congrats on the broccoli harvest. We do truly love broccoli (and cauliflower)!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We truly are gardening doppelgangers. :)

      So far its the organic russets (all store bought taters) near the sidewalk that have been hit with the leaf curl. The reds behind them as so far alright. Perhaps it will spread. IDK. Those in the back however are doing perfectly fine. Actually the white variety in the backyard has been in around a hundred days or so. I'm thinking it is getting quite close to taking a peak!

      The potato flowers are blooming.

      Are your potatoes store bought as well? I was going to get certified seed. It's not overly expensive but then to ship a hundred pounds or whatnot of them is!

      This year I did not plant any cauliflower but we are quite elated by the broccoli as well. The firsts cooked up quite nicely with a meal of mashed potatos and tempe.

      Do you have a video channel as well???

      Delete
  5. It's all looking rather good!

    ReplyDelete