Monday, July 16, 2012

How Does Your Summer Garden Grow

Happy Monday everyone!
I hope you had a fantastic weekend! We didn't work on any projects this past weekend and I really need to get to it because the list is just getting longer by the day. How's your list going?

I am so excited today because I am feeling better- and actually feeling really GREAT today. Many of ya'll probably didn't know I wasn't feeling well because I hate to mention that kind of thing because I don't want to sound like the crazy aunt in the movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding. You probably have one of those in your family, or at least in your extended family and hopefully it's not YOU! Well, I don't want to be like her. But, if I can help a couple of people by sharing what I've discovered, then it will be worth it. And NO, I am NOT selling anything! So, if you are having problems with low thyroid or thyroid symptoms or being REALLY tired all the time, please email me and I will share what I've learned. As Forrest Gump would say; "That's all I have to say about that".

Back to my post... I wanted to share how my vegetable garden is doing. Hope yours is growing and producing wonderfully. Couldn't resist sharing the view from my favorite backyard spot on our basement patio.

The fragrant basil plants are doing well and it's time to do some picking. Ya'll know that basil will grow really well only if you pick it, right? I don't mean a couple of leaves... you have to prune it wayyyyyy back. I'm mean hack it back! Dry the leaves  on a cookie sheet and put them in jars. That way you won't have to buy basil ever again. Basil is super easy to grow and you can even grow it in containers on your deck. 

This WAS my curly parsley plant. I am NOT mad at all, actually just the opposite. Do you see what's on the center stem. Sorry it's a little fuzzy.

No, that's not a tomato worm. That's what I thought last year. It's a caterpillar that will become a Black Swallowtail butterfly.


These caterpillars parsley, dill, carrots and Queen Anne's lace. Last year they were all over my carrots.
Note to self: plant a second group of carrots in  May just for the caterpillars. They only eat the tops, but don't do nearly as much damage as they did to my parsley plant.

I planted a second grouping of tomato plants and they are starting to produce.


I also planted another Pattypan squash. The really hot weather we had a week or so ago killed my other plant.

The marigolds are doing well and are suppose to keep some bugs away.



My bush beans were planted late and are just now starting to bud.


The zucchini plants have taken a beating from the hot and humid weather. They have fallen over and are now growing in the raised bed below.

I also planted another two zucchini plants(in the back) and more bush beans in the North garden.


I'll leave you with a photo I took last year of one of the Black Swallowtail butterflies that emerged from our garden. You can read about it HERE.

Hope you have a wonderful day! Remember, those of you who would like, feel free to email me and I will get back to you as soon as I can.
Would love to know how your garden is doing with all the heat we've been having.

Pam

11 comments:

  1. Hi Pam,

    I, too, have thyroid troubles and had one lobe removed years ago due to a benign nodule. If you haven't tried the natural thyroid, Armour, you should. The synthetic drugs didn't relieve my symptoms but the natural supplement does that really well. Sometimes newer is not better!

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  2. glad you are feeling better, love your basement patio, looks like a really cool spot to spend a hot summer day.

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  3. Sorry to hear your Thyroid is giving you problems.. I have had some over the past few years and along with my heart prob's I'm tired all the time but do the best I can to ignore it all.
    As for my summer garden, it's fried and soggy. I live in the rainy season right now and were so hot.. winter is the time to plant in SoFla but I do have tons of Basel and like you I dry and freeze it all the time.
    Feel better!
    Good post
    Sandy

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  4. Your garden and yard is simply lovely. Deer came here last night and ate my tomatoes. They cannot be stopped.

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  5. So glad you are feeling better! I know you haven't felt well for a while so it is nice to hear you feel great! I am so impressed by your garden. I have a crazy urge to plant one, but I know I will kill it! I am determined next year to make a go at a few things! Your basil looks awesome!!! Surely I can't kill that... well, probably, but I am going to try!!! :-)

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  6. I am so glad to hear you are feeling better. I am tired all the time, but I know its not thyroids.
    Those butterflies make me nearly forgive the caterpillars the damage they are doing. I know that you can plant decoy plants, for example Wormwood attracts all the tiny spring bugs (like aphids and co) away from the rest of your plants. Maybe there is something these caterpillars would give up everything else for?

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  7. It is hard to get mad at those pesky caterpillars when you know that they will morph into a beautiful butterfly...Otherwise, your garden looks great and doing so well in this heat!...So glad you are feeling better!

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  8. Glad to hear you are feeling better! Your garden looks beautiful... you are sure to have a wonderful harvest!

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  9. Hi Pam...I am glad you are feeling better. You see I leave for a few days and I miss stuff. Your gardens look good. My marigolds are dead, but does that surprise you?

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  10. We have a few containers going this summer and trying to keep up with the heat and dry conditions has been tough.

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  11. My list has come to a screaching halt. Oh well, it's not going anywhere right. I'm glad you're feeling better!

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