Garden Update - May 5, 2013

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It's May 5th and this is my first garden update for the whole year.  This year is going to be a rebuilding year and my garden will be smaller than previous years.  Moving to a new house and having to get a garden going on top of all my other projects has been a bit overwhelming.

I will try and give the reader's digest version on what I have been doing since January.  I said I wasn't going to start plants from seeds this year because of time.  Well, that went out the window and I started tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants from seed.  I decided to set my beds up in "L" configurations to conserve space.  I filled the six beds with a garden soil mix from a sand and gravel yard.  I didn't take time to amend the soil, I just went with their mix so I hope it works.  After filling the beds, I have been planting for the past three weeks.  I hope to post regular garden updates now that I am off and running.

Here is an overall picture of the new garden, you can see the three "L" shapes I created.  You can the layout of these same beds at my old house here.  I kind of like this new configuration, it saves space and I still have plenty of room to reach into beds.


Bed Number 1 - Nothing but tomatoes here.  I have a total of 12 tomatoes this year which is double the amount I planted last year.  I have the same combination of Better Boys, Best Boys, and Roma tomatoes. I have the bed all covered in plastic and caged up.  This should be a tomato forest in a few month months.


Bed Number 2 - Eight yellow squash plants in the background, and four zucchini in the foreground.  I plan to harvest these hard until the borers get them in a few months and then plant something else in July, corn maybe.


Bed Number 3 - This bed contains peppers, eggplants, and lettuce.  I have planted 4 jalapenos, 3 Hungarian wax peppers, 2 habanero peppers, 2 yellow bell peppers.  They haven't sprouted yet, but I have planted lettuce and romaine as well.  I still have two slots in the top right corner that need to be planted with something.  Ideas anyone?


Close up of tomato plant.  They have started to take off and the stems are getting thick.


Close up of squash plant, something eating the leaves.

Garden Harvests - July 25, 2012

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The garden is still holding on despite the record breaking drought and heat.  The zipper cream and purple hull peas are loving it, and I should have some harvests to show for it in a few more weeks.  Everything else is struggling despite my best efforts to keep things watered.  There is only so much time in the evenings and the heat is so draining I don't go out for long. 

I had a big harvest of eggplant this week

The tomatoes are still producing, they have even started to flower again.

More harvests of eggplant, bell peppers, and tomatoes

I harvested my first red jalapeno, I bet it is hot.  Giving this to someone at work.

Speaking of heat, my two potted habaneros are finally producing fruit.

These things just look wicked.  I can't wait to pass these bad boys out.

Coca Cola Cooler Pepper Planter Box

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Last July I posted about a Coca Cola cooler box that I picked up at a neighbor's yard sale.  For the last nine months it has sat on my back porch.  I did not have the energy to fool with setting it up in the heat of summer.

I have known for a few months that I was going to plant hot peppers in it this year, specifically jalapeno and habanero peppers.  I started both from seed this year and they were ready for their new home.  I can't wait to see them grow in the cooler, and I think it is going to be an awesome addition to my gravel patio.

I decided to put the cooler on my gravel patio directly between two tiki torches.  I built the gravel patio last year after building my garden area.  I have never blogged about it, but we really like it.  It contains a swing, firepit with chairs, cedar logs used for end tables around the firepit, and a picnic table.  It has a pea gravel base with concrete stepping stones.  We love to sit out in the swing that faces the garden and the tiki torches.  This cooler is going to look so cool there.

Here is the cooler after I positioned it in place.

The interior is stainless steel and will never rust.  

It also has a drain so the dirt should drain well.

Here is what it looked like after I filled it with good garden soil

I planted 10 plants, five jalapenos and five habaneros.  They are spaced about a foot apart which is a little closer than recommended, but should be ok.

Here is everything all planted and ready to go.

Another angle, I like that one rusty corner, it makes it authentic looking to me.

One of the habanero plants is already forming flowers.