The Garden Was First Planted In October
We we anxious to try it out and sure enough we had cauliflower, peas, lettuce, broccoli, radishes, kale and several other veggies including a mess of strawberries. We just randomly planted them to see what would happen.
We mulched the ground with straw and had fun picking the results. The soil was OK but needed amendments and we have to rethink the watering system.
Mary loves her strawberries and they like the straw mulch we put in
Did You Know? - Straw is coarse and good at trapping air, making it an effective soil insulator in the both the winter and summer months. The insulation layer it provides between the air and the ground protects the soil from temperature fluctuations, and the plants or bulbs from extreme cold or heat.
The mulch will protect the crops from the cold and the whirligigs keep the birds away!
Did You Know? - The word whirligig derives from two Middle English words: whirlen (to whirl) and gigg (top), or literally "to whirl a top". The Oxford English Dictionary cites the Promptorium parvulorum (c. 1440), the first English-Latin dictionary, which contains the definition "Whyrlegyge, chyldys game, Latin: giracu-lum. It is therefore likely the 1440 version of whirligig referred to a spinning toy or toys.
We moved the gardening sheds around to be closer to the content garden!
Cauliflowers are coming!
Mary was hurt every-time we had to pick these guys!
Our first real crop; cheddar cheese soup, here I come!
Did You Know? - Cauliflower is rich in vitamin C which is good for skin, healing, and gum health. It is a cruciferous vegetable which helps prevent colon cancer. Cauliflower means "cabbage flower" because it is a flower that has not fully developed. Cauliflower is related to broccoli, Brussel sprouts, and cabbage.
The word cauliflower derives from the Latin words caulis (cabbage) and flōs (flower), reflecting its membership of the cabbage family. In the 18th century, both broccoli and cauliflower were introduced to Northern Europe, particularly England and France.
In the yard, we wanted fruit trees so we quadrupled up!
One single tree has nectarines, plums, peaches and an apricot! We planted it near the patio and will keep it trimmed to 6-7 feet so we can walk over the pick the results in a few years.
We also planted an apple tree with four types of apples on it. Saving space!
Mary plants and I dig; seems like a fair trade.
Now the real work begins; amending the soil for the summer garden.
Our first is born!
The cabbages are coming along
Robin visits the mini-garden
Our morning coffee is not complete unless we visit the babies
I told Mary the whirligigs could be dangerous!
She put this sign in our front year!
Mary's potting bench gets assembled! Thank you Carlos!!
...and we have running water to wash our crops before going inside
A trip to H&H every month is required
Did You Know? - H & H Nursery was established in 1976, to indulge our family's passion for plants and gardening. Our nursery and garden center is located on five and a half acres of land located in the heart of sunny Lakewood, California, and we strive to satisfy every gardener's needs. Our family-run business is proud to carry a large variety of everything you are likely to want and need to satisfy your green thumb. We specialize in everything from vegetables, color, perennials, roses, fruit trees, citrus trees, landscape shrubs, aquatic plants, palms, succulents, cacti, and specimen trees in 15 gal and 24″ box sizes.
We came home with a few different berries!
It's December and they are ready to go into the ground
Mary requires that I wear gloves
Mary gives Donna the cooks tour
The peas are coming along, must remember they like potassium, not nitrogen!
Did You Know? - One serving of peas contains as much as Vitamin C as two large apples, more fiber than a slice of wholemeal bread, and more thiamine than a pint of whole meal.
The night light works well and the camera can spot anything moving in the garden
A harvest cometh inside only to be boiled and savored with a good steak!
The table and sink are protected from the weather
The new radishes are absolutely terrific! Daikon or mooli, Raphanus sativus var. longipinnatus, is a mild-flavored winter radish usually characterized by fast-growing leaves and a long, white, napiform root.
Oh dear! Colleen assist us in selection new fruit trees
A quick trip to H&H, Mary cannot control her self!
We enjoyed the winter garden and are still harvesting in March but the real fun comes when winter is gone and Spring/Summer arrives. Lots of work and lots of veggies and fruits to pick, use, and share with friends.
