Just Be There Blog

Gardening-Bust and Bonanza

Okay, the garden is going gang busters given I'm in a different, cooler growing zone (6) than last year (8), and warmer zone than 3 years ago (5).

The main crops are the onions and potatoes, I have a smattering of peas and if the zucchini survive the sporadic hot/frost late spring weather of this growing zone 6, I will be up to my ears in zucchini by August.

I have planted butternut squash, both seed and transplants. So far, the seed never sprouted and all but 1 hot house plant has given in to the too cold nights. I look forward to having three to four decent squash by late August early September. No volume but a decent treat when they are ready. (My optimism in this case is that one plant will produce the 3 to 4 butternuts I'm predicting...hmmm.) All this week the moon is waxing, and the low temps are going to be in the mid-50's and low 60's degree F. If I replant another hill of Butternut squash, these seeds may like the weather conditions and sprout.

I have tomatoes, sweet peppers, hot peppers, radishes (of which we are appreciating now) carrots, beans, a watermelon, two cantaloupe, two pumpkin, lots of strawberries (three different varieties), maybe some beets, six cauliflower and six broccoli. 8 Sunflowers appear to be doing great, though the corn is spindly at best. Two blueberry bushes, a cherry and an apple tree all of which won't be fruiting this year. The April frosts pretty much wiped that option. Next year, I will be better prepared. Oh and last but not least, 1 grape vine. The grape was purchased from the hot house and survived transplanting and is leafing beautifully.

I will try to replant cucumbers.

For the most part, I started my garden about 8-6 weeks too soon for this growing zone. Next year, I will have a hot house set up to start the plants with longer growing times, and will transplant later.