You just never know what you will find at a thrift store. Here is our find of the week!
When I saw this adorable little rain gauge, I had to take it home and add it to our front shade garden. Already, overnight, it registered one whole inch! (Yes, we've been getting a ton of rain, lately.)
If you'd like to see more Show & Tell entries, please seeMary, our hostess.
With only 37 more days until spring's arrival, and the unusually warm temperatures of yesterday, my thoughts naturally turn to spring. I long for its color, warmth, newness, and refreshment. Come spring! Do not tarry.
Good night, sweet garden boxes. We had fun putting our boxes to bed for the winter. We covered them with leaves and moved the compost pile on top of the bigger one. Now it is time to dream about the spring. I plan to make some changes for the better, I hope.
I am thinking this will be the last garden update, at least with growing things in it. I am soon going to pull everything up and get the beds ready for a long winter's nap.
The Morning Glories are so lovely. I hate for the frost to come and kill them. Next year I will try to plant them earlier, even if I have to build a little greenhouse for them.
One last look at the tomatoes. There are still lots of little green ones. The weather is not cooperating for them to ripen.
Bell Peppers will be harvested this week, despite their small size.
Here's a look at one of our trees that lost most of its leaves this past week. Many of the trees are still full of leaves. We have lots of raking before us.
Things have slowed way down since the temperatures took a dive at night. We've still been getting some warmer days, but it must not be warm enough for the pepper plants. Since the last update, we pulled up all the carrots, pulled out the cucumber vines, and have been thinking about how to improve our planting selection next spring. As soon as I get the basil harvested and the tomatoes stop coming, I plan to clear out the box and put the compost pile on top. The compost pile has been cooking all summer long.
The Morning Glory is finally blooming, one bloom at a time! I love its rich color. Of course, I long for more blooms, too.
Here is a side-dish in the making, perhaps tomorrow evening?
Cool slices on my next salad perhaps? Now I am starting to feel like a predatory gardener.
The big picture.
The lilies are still going. Last blooms are getting ready for their swan song.
I feel like the garden has been on auto pilot for quite some time. There are few if any weeds that ever need pulled in a Square Foot Garden. There has been abundant rain and sunshine, too. If only I had more space in that sunshine for more boxes. Oh well, the lovely trees keep our house somewhat cooler, so it is a give an take I suppose. Here are some update photos.
The wild "main" box. We are getting a dozen or so cherry tomatoes daily. Yum!
The "Green Bean, Basil, and Strawberry" box. I need to make some pesto soon.
Ryan's box with lots of Zennia's about to bloom in the back.
Here's an up close of the Zennia.
Here are some photos of our plants from mid-July. These lilies are going strong. I could not water them enough last year to get the same results as all the rain we've had this year. It's amazing.
Here is Ryan's (ds, 10) box. Things are growing well here too with minimal attention.
Another lily.
The Hosta I got at Walmart last year. So lovely!
Here is a view of both garden boxes.
I have decided not to replant anything in the spaces left from the lettuce. The cucumbers are going crazy and need the room to roam. See that one hanging down in front? It started in the back corner.
Does anyone know how long it take for Morning Glories to bloom? I planted them in early May. My dad says they might not be getting enough sun. That could be. Sun is hard to find in my backyard!
Finally I have a picture of my hummingbird friend. It was at the suggestion of my smart husband that I set up the tripod to try to capture a photo of our illusive hummingbirds. Unfortunately, I could not use flash because of the window and had to use digital zoom, so the pictures were not the greatest, but I finally have them nonetheless.
It's been great fun, having these garden boxes. So far we have eaten some strawberries, green beans, lettuce and a couple cherry tomatoes, not to mention the herbs we use frequently. The carrots are almost ready. We each sampled one yesterday. They had great flavor. They just need to mature a bit longer. My husband is convinced that these raised boxes are the way to go and is planning to build another one on the other side of the stairs next spring. Yippee! I will have great fun this winter planning the two boxes. Here is an updated picture.
The Mornging Glories...
Be sure to check out the entry below this one. I took some pictures today on our nature walk.
Jun. 12, 2008~ Garden Update: The Longest One Yet! ~
OK, if anyone is wondering, it is not normal for a garden to look like mine does in June in Indiana. This is what a normal garden looks like this time of the year. (It's my neighbor's.)
I have to say with all the natural water and the superior soil mix (sand, peat moss,organic top soil) my garden is incredible. Even 2 neighbors have remarked about how healthy every thing looks compared to their sparse plots of improved clay soil, which in my humble opinion is an oxymoron because you cannot improve clay! The Square Foot Garden is the only way to go for me from now on. But enough of this, let's get to the proof.
Grace harvested some lettuce for lunch yesterday. She was very excited. She reminds me of a bunny when she eats whole leaves of plain lettuce.
Look at these tomatoes!
See this little guy peeking through? There are lots of little green cherry tomatoes now.
Look at the cilantro. I think the flowers are so pretty. Makes me want a box dedicated to herbs next year.
The greenbeans and strawberries are doing well, too. Oh, I almost forgot the lone basil in the bottom left corner. It is recovering from some frequent trimmings to make pasta sauce.
Here is one last look at the cucumbers. I found some scrap lattice hiding in the garage. I hope to get these cucumbers to vine on the lattice.
I found some for my Morning Glories as well. (Don't you just love free stuff!)
My precious lilies are going to bloom soon, too. What color do you think they are? I am thinking a dark orange red.
Here's another look at the Pictim. I think it is in heaven with all the rain. I've not seen it this lush before.
We started some Zennia seeds a couple weeks ago. Look at them grow!
One sad note, we had to have the apple tree cut down. It was leaning across the backyard and as it turns out it was hollow down the middle. Here is a view of the backyard without the tree.
So there you have it. I would encourage anyone to give the Square Foot Garden a try. It doesn't have to be big at all. I can be as small as one square foot like my friend Lynn has. I have very little previous gardening knowledge. I just got some books from the library and gave it a go. The most important thing to remember is to enjoy this process with your kids and let nature take its course!
I think I have figured out why my Clematis is not as robust as I would like. I have come to the conclusion that the soil where it is planted is probably very impoverished. So my new plan is to spread some of my compost there and see if that helps. Looking back, I probably should have thought of that before I fist planted there. Hindsight is always 20/20. I'll be posting a garden update tomorrow. You won't believe the changes.
UPDATE: Thanks to Michelle's insightful comment, I now know that my Clematis is doing just fine for it's second season. Here is the saying she included in her comment.
The first year they 'sleep,'
The second year they 'creep',
and the next year they "Leap!"
Sunday afternoon we planted 2 yellow bell pepper plants and 3 yellow squash. There is still one empty square. I am going to attempt broccoli from a seed since I have them on hand. That will complete this box of 24 squares!
I also planted my shade container.
I could not pass up these two half price trumpet lilies to go with the one I got for half price last year. I still do not know the colors of any of them! I don't really care. They were cheap!
My oldest son, 10 years old, planted his flower box, which is in partial shade, so it was a challenge to find just the right plants.
Welcome to my happy little place to learn about the study of nature and all things beautiful. This is my personal nature journal, where I hope to record my fledgling journey as a naturalist and my appreciation for the Master Gardener's creation. I will also display some of my favorite paintings and list some of my favorite living books and quotes. I hope you will enjoy your visit.
The Morning Glories are so lovely. I hate for the frost to come and kill them. Next year I will try to plant them earlier, even if I have to build a little greenhouse for them. 
These lilies are going strong. I could not water them enough last year to get the same results as all the rain we've had this year. It's amazing. 
It was at the suggestion of my smart husband that I set up the tripod to try to capture a photo of our illusive hummingbirds. Unfortunately, I could not use flash because of the window and had to use digital zoom, so the pictures were not the greatest, but I finally have them nonetheless.
Here we pulled out an old dead bush, transplanted hosta from the front yard and spread some mulch. This area was almost done for free! 
My new pitch-fork!
Look at these tomatoes! 
See this little guy peeking through? There are lots of little green cherry tomatoes now.
Look at the cilantro. I think the flowers are so pretty. Makes me want a box dedicated to herbs next year.
The greenbeans and strawberries are doing well, too. Oh, I almost forgot the lone basil in the bottom left corner. It is recovering from some frequent trimmings to make pasta sauce. 
My precious lilies are going to bloom soon, too. What color do you think they are? I am thinking a dark orange red. 
Here's another look at the Pictim. I think it is in heaven with all the rain. I've not seen it this lush before. 
We started some Zennia seeds a couple weeks ago. Look at them grow! 
Sunday afternoon we planted 2 yellow bell pepper plants and 3 yellow squash. There is still one empty square. I am going to attempt broccoli from a seed since I have them on hand. That will complete this box of 24 squares! 
