Tuesday, June 16, 2015

Our Yard & Garden 2015


In the summer of 2013, we moved into our house, and inherited some large raised garden beds. The previous owner had already planted some tomatoes and peppers, and we enjoyed the harvest. Last summer, the garden beds were out-of-control with weeds, and I decided to plant a garden for the first time. I had no idea what to expect, and as time went on, I was amazed! And it was so much fun to teach Nolan how vegetables grow!

Our harvest at the end of the summer was:

2581 raspberries!
5 pumpkins (including one large, 22 pounder)
950 green beans
9 spaghetti squash
66 tomatoes (although most had been affected by blight)
27 zucchini
47 cucumbers
11 carrots

This year, I planted the garden the last week of April, because we had a little heat wave. (Last year I don't believe I planted until the beginning of June.) 



Before I took these photos yesterday, I weeded through the sunshine and rain, and broke a major sweat! #gardeningismycardio  We have had so much rain that the beds were covered in a layer of green clovers. There are tons of ivy and morning glory to battle because a previous owner once wanted the fence to be covered in ivy. Hopefully once the vegetables start to get big and strong, I won't have to spend so much time weeding!

I planted: 


Several organic GREEN BEANS (Bush Blue Lake 47). Last year, I unknowingly bought pole beans, which ended up being fun, but they were out-of-control tall! This year, I went for the bush variety to keep it simple.


Three ZUCCHINI plants (Burpee's Best Hybrid). I have a feeling we are going to get another amazing crop, and I'll be baking zucchini bread for weeks.


SWEET CORN! (Chubby Checkers Hybrid). I've never grown corn before, but as a Midwest girl, I am super excited to watch every stage of its growth up close! If all goes well, I can't wait to butter and salt an ear of corn that I grew myself!



TOMATOES (Red Cherry, Large Fruited) We were disappointed last year in our tomato crop (blight), but didn't want to miss out on having some delicious cherry tomatoes in our salads this summer! The first seeds that I planted didn't grow, so I hurried up and planted from a new seed packet a couple of weeks ago. They have started growing, and hopefully they won't produce too late!

Meanwhile, the tomatoes that composted last year started growing a new crop next to the zucchini and corn! I'm hoping there is enough space for them to all grow together in the same bed (below photo).

Speaking of composting, the 22-pound PUMPKIN that I grew last year created a new pumpkin patch this year! It is so much fun to watch how one little seed turns into huge leaves, thick vines, and ultimately, beautiful orange pumpkins :)  


Our five RASPBERRY bushes bloom every year, and we get a huge crop in July, and then again in September! We harvest basically until it snows.


Because the raspberries do so well in this climate, we bought two blueberry bushes from Lowe's. One has been doing really well, but the other no longer has any flowers or berries on it. They are two different varieties so they can cross-pollinate. It has been fun to watch blueberries grow for the first time!


Steve found this bush in our side yard, and I've never noticed it before. I think it might be a wild blackberry bush? Does anyone know? It's different than the raspberry bush because the fruit are all facing up, and the branches are a light green color with thorns.


 Autumn Joy Sedum planted in a pot.


 The sunflowers (Fantasia Mix Hybrid) that Nolan planted.


Tiger lilies growing near the front porch.


And my indoor garden--including the calla lily that my mother-in-law gave me for Easter. I was worried that it wasn't going to get a flower, but I just noticed one open up! (It's still green, but should turn yellow.)

I'm linking up with Andrea today to "Show and Tell" our yard, but there isn't much else to show beyond the garden. We have quite a bit of space for the boys to run and play, we have a classic turtle sandbox, a blow-up pool, and lots of overgrown bushes that we can't find time to keep up with! ;)


 Since we enjoyed watching our robin's nest so much, I started a birdfeeder so that we could watch birds from the window. We mostly get small brown birds, but every so often, I see the cutest cardinal couple, who fly everywhere together and sometimes feed each other.


Our little wooden stairs that lead up to the back door were looking very shabby, so Steve sanded and painted them on Saturday. They look so much better, and now I can feel good about Ephraim climbing all over them with his hands and bare knees :)

Our wraparound front porch is next to be updated! We haven't used it yet this year because it's dirty from the winter, but here are a few throwback photos from a year ago!




And here was Nolan as the best garden helper in 2014! :)


Thanks for visiting today!  I love sharing pieces of our life with you :)

14 comments:

  1. I just clicked over from the link-up, I love your yard. I especially love your porch swing. :) I also like the raised garden beds. Have a great day.

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  2. This post makes me so happy! Totally feel you on the "gardening is my cardio" :) And how much fun it is to get the kids out there?? You put me to shame with your composting! Go, you! Maybe next year... Also, do you have any problems with critters? We have bunnies and chipmunks that use the garden as a snack shack, boo!

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  3. Your garden looks so great! :) And I'm pretty sure those are wild blackberries.....they look just like ours. There is something about the wild berries that makes them taste SO good. Just like summer, ya know?

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  4. Your garden is so beautiful! I am JEALOUS of all the raspberries!
    -Erin (No Bohns About It)

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  5. What a nice, big garden! I would love to have a wrap-around porch some day!

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  6. Joining you from the link-up :) We are doing our first garden this year, too. Ours is just a small container garden this year though. Figured we will trial and error a bit this year, and then do a raised bed next year. Love, love, love your wrap around porch - it is on my ultimate house wish list!

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  7. That's an incredible garden and I love your porch and swing! I would sit there all the time!

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  8. You always take such lovely pictures. I'm envious of all the stuff you already have sprouting!!!

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  9. Totally jealous of your harvest!!!
    Thanks so much for linking up! :)

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  10. My dream home has a front porch like yours! I hope your garden grows well for you. If you have a freezer there's no end to how much you can grow.

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  11. My dream home has a front porch like yours! I hope your garden grows well for you. If you have a freezer there's no end to how much you can grow.

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  12. I love the lilies! I had such beautiful lilies at my house last summer, but I moved and I miss them so much this summer!

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  13. i live in western pennsylvania, and every year we pick wild black raspberries on the edge of our woods. the berries you have pictured look the same as what we pick. hope that helps! plus, your garden looks amazing!

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Thank you so much for your comments! I enjoy reading each one!

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