First Harvest!

I just got to take the first veggies out of my garden and I can't get over what a satisfying thrill it is!! Not only do I feel a sense of accomplishment that my hard work paid off to some degree, but I also love that it is all starting to help the pocket-book because those are less things I'll have to buy at the store this week!

I took out two small heads of broccoli because they were about to bolt, and pulled a few grape-sized radishes that went straight into my 12-year-old's belly! I have two Napa cabbage plants that are also bolting, but I've done my homework and others say the loose leaves I have that didn't form a head are just fine to eat. I see stir-fry in my future!

Here are some pics I just snapped. Excuse all the weeds (eek!), I'll be out there tomorrow laying siege to them since the weather is supposed to be near 80-degrees! Perfect weather to sit in the sun all day.

Had to include a picture of one of my rose buses that is budding out all over the place.

 

 This is that rhubarb I was fretting about several weeks ago when I put it in the ground, remember?! It has settled in and really taken off. I'm thrilled. Really looking forward to all I'll be able to make with these yummy stalks!

These are two of those celery plants I grew from the chopped off end of a celery I bought at the store!! I really thought they weren't going to last once I put them in the ground, but they are starting new growth from the middle and look great! Amazing!

My shelling peas already have pods that are several inches long! I actually didn't even know they were there until today. Pretty neat.

The sugar snap peas are now taller than the tee-pee supports we made for them!! I wish I would have chosen a different type of support. They aren't falling over (yet!), but I think they might before all is done. I don't think I'll do tee-pees again.

The potato towers are growing like crazy!!

Radishes!! I love growing radishes because they are so simple and not fussy and grow quickly - they can make anyone feel like a gardener.

My zucchini! WooHoo! (1 of 5)

Excuse the weeds about to choke out my pumpkins, but I'm still thrilled with how big they are already! These suckers grow FAST! I've planted sugar pumpkins for pies, and larger ones for carving.

 

Well, here is my tallest corn. ... Sigh. Ha-ha. I just don't know if it is good or not. Out of the 30 seeds I planted, only 20 have come up, so I'm hoping there is enough there to self-pollinate and actually get some ears of corn out of it. We'll see. This corn thing is new to me. (According to the kids I should pile up salmon guts around it like the Native Americans did... Hmmm.)

Here are the broccoli that are trying to bolt. Took a couple 3-inch heads off tonight, but the others look like they might be able to hang in there and grow more. I just planted them way too late. I'll try again in the fall so it will be nice and cool for them.

The two bright green plants on the top are the Napa cabbage that are coming down tomorrow.

Okay, these next two pictures are my "help-I-don't-know-what-I'm-doing" pictures... These are green beans, but they sure aren't very happy. Why? Do you know? I do not. Only 8 out of 30 seeds came up at all (heirloom seeds from Burpee. Hrmm..) and they are a little yellow... I'm hoping a few days of sun will improve their looks.

This is my other question... see how the onions are peeping through above the soil line?? Is that ok? Is it normal? Should I cover it with mulch or something?! It looks as though it is going to pop right out of the ground!

 

Well, that's all for now... I'll post again when something significant happens!
Thanks for walking through my garden with me again. I wish we could sit on the porch with some iced tea and enjoy the golden glow of the sunset together... I think I'll go do that for us. ;)