Wednesday, June 25, 2014

my pathetic excuse for a garden



Granted, we got our garden in late. Stuff didn't get planted til April 9th after we finally had time to make the drive out to the nursery in the Hill Country where Frank Of The Bountiful Garden always got his plants. But even so...

This has been the most unproductive and pitiful garden we have planted in the years since we have been here and planting a garden.

The six pack of cucumbers barely grew, produced male flowers only, then died.


The tomatoes, most of which were heritage, didn't grow or bloom for the longest and once they finally did, they grew sparsely, bloomed but failed to set fruit. We picked two very small tomatoes so far and there are three currently on all those plants.


The peppers also failed to grow until late and they are blooming but the baby bell peppers turn yellow and fall off. We have gotten a few, and by few I mean three, banana peppers though there are two more on one of the plants and looks like there might be a jalapeno.


The six pack of japanese eggplant has three fruits growing, the only ones they have, so far, produced.


The six pack of watermelon finally put on two little melons.


Never got the zucchini planted, they expired in the little plastic 6-pack. Never got the okra.

I haven't bothered with keeping the weeds out. Seems pointless.

I have heard other people say their gardens didn't do diddly squat either and then there are those at the farmer's market (was extended for two more weeks because everyone's gardens started producing late this year) who have an abundance.

I don't get it. I am so frustrated that I'm ready to just yank everything out and start planting some of the shrubs and flowers I have in pots waiting for the weather to be more amenable to heavy gardening. We aren't going to use this garden for vegetables any more anyway as it is usually in shade by 3 PM.

New raised bed gardens are going to go in over at the new shop where we have space and sun galore.


Another rainy day today tho it isn't raining yet, it is rumbly out there and the prediction for rain is 80% chance for today so third day in a row and no driving to the city to bring back a truck load. I am, however, trying to move some of the stuff out of the garage or barn over there. Something has to be moved every day! I also hooked up the hose to the cold working station in the garage so I might work on the botanicas when it actually does start raining. I decided to go ahead and finish the ones already cast and get them framed and ready before I do any more model making or casting.



13 comments:

  1. Misery truly does love company. Your post comforted me in some twisted way.
    If you plant before Memorial Day here in Massachusetts, friendly men in white coats come and check on you. As a result, when I finally, finally get tomatoes it's a race into fall to harvest them before the frost hits.

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  2. we just had a GREAT downpour here. 3rd day in a row to get some rain. yippee!

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  3. Later here, but got a first tomatoe yesterday. Lots of beans and peas to eat every day.

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  4. My garden is freaking pathetic this year. The stinkbugs are feasting on the green tomatoes, the cukes look like yours. The peppers are okay but falling over. The squash are done. Maybe we'll get two eggplant.
    The basil's good though!

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  5. Haha. Sounds like my brother in law's veggie patch. However, given opportunity to move to to a dryer, sunnier patch he would not, because he knows how to plant a garden.

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  6. As you read in my garden post....I'm not a happy gardener this year either. I have decided to quit watering the straw bales and just go to the farmers market and call it good. I'm not in a position to argue when the truth is staring me in the face. Sorry that you've had it bad too.
    But you're lucky in that you have another locale to try next year. Yay for the new shop property.

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  7. What's a garden?

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  8. I wonder if your garden spot is just too shady? I have no idea. I am not a vegetable gardening person. I can grow a mean horseradish, though!

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  9. That’s sad after all the work you put in, even though it was late.

    About the rain: aren’t you glad? Didn’t I hear that you’ve had a drought for years?

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  10. I'm really getting it - gardening is like cooking. The mojo comes and goes.

    Your garden looks lovely to my eye, though not as lush as in years past, perhaps.

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  11. So sorry your garden is a bust! It probably is getting too much shade - but I'm certainly no expert. And apparently you've planted there in the past with good results, right? Gardening is so hit or miss!

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  12. I always feel defeated when I can't harvest my veggies!

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  13. It seems like the weather has been against you from the start. Raised beds at the new place next year will be such a treat!

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I opened my big mouth, now it's your turn.