First, the giveaway winners for the Welcome vinyls are: Lethea Benson and my longtime friend and reader, Kathy. Congrats ladies, you’ll both be getting a Welcome for your front doors. I’ve already emailed you and will put you in touch with Jodi. Those of you who would like to order one for yourselves, we have a 10% off code which will be good for one week from today: VINYL10. I hope you’ll take advantage and get one for yourselves. The Welcome and As for Me and My House vinyls will be added to the shop in the next couple of days in case you want those too, in time to use the coupon code. Thanks so much for signing up!
Really, I don’t mind all that much that my hubby is growing beans in the front yard. I mean, isn’t that what people expect from those of us living in this great state of Alabama. 🙂 I’m sure it won’t surprise a lot of folks at all and really, that’s where the best sun is in our yard. So, we do what we gotta do.It worked so well last year, that he’s doing it again. Now, just a disclaimer. After those pole bean vines climb the fence, he will remove the wood and cover the plastic weed block with some mulch, so that will make it look a little better at least. 🙂Just for me, he planted some Blue Lake beans. My favorite and what I grew up on from my daddy’s garden.Our 6 blueberry bushes in the front yard are coming along and we’ll have a few berries this year.
He made sure he planted LOTS of tomatoes this year and they are looking good, since he bought more mature plants to start with on these.
Our Kiowa variety of blackberries that we planted last year are really taking off on a growth spurt and are loaded with berries. They’re just beginning to get ripe. Yippee!! I have such fond memories of growing up and picking blackberries in the woods. Lot of chiggers later, we would have plenty to bring home. With this method of growing, chiggers should not be a problem. It’s like having our own blackberry patch trained on posts and wire. And the fruit is hanging there, ready for the pickin’.
These are going to be SO good. Click over to this post for a look at how they grow them at Petals from the Past, which is where we got our plants. They are HUGE, as big as a thimble.
More tomatoes in another area. These have further to grow. Hubby plants wherever he can find a spot that gets enough sun. We don’t have the best backyard for growing veggies, but he is making do.This year, the hubs got really industrious and added some concrete blocks to the lower part of our backyard to catch even more sun. These beans should climb the fence just right back here too.
He planted all these from seeds and they’re all really growing towards the sun.
More pole beans under a tree and going up the fencing. At this rate, we’ll be covered in beans in a very short while. Beans and cornbread, it’s a great combo down South. I’ll keep you posted on our veggie harvesting this year. I’m really glad that my hubby has taken such an interest in gardening. It goes way back for him and he enjoyed growing things when he was little, following his Pappy around looking at all the things that were growing at his house here in Birmingham.
And it sure is nice to get home-grown food right from the backyard.
How about you? Are ya’ll growing things this year? I think more and more people are getting interested in growing food at home, to save money and to grow organically too.
Tell me what YOU are growing, I’d love to hear!
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Sharing an email I got from Glidden (and nope, I’m not getting paid for this, just passing on some good info):
With a brush attached to the lid and enough paint to cover 3 square feet, Glidden ready-to-go paint testers make it easy to get going on your next paint project. And we’re now giving you the chance to paint it forward with our Get Color Give Color giveaway. Starting June 1, log on to Glidden.com for your chance to get 2 free testers for yourself and give 2 free testers to a friend. June 1 – 7 while supplies last.
Now, that’s a great way to promote paint!
homesteader says
Beautiful pictures, thanks for sharing your garden!
Kim @ Beautiful Living says
Oh how I envy your vegetables Rhoda. Every time I’ve tried, I’ve failed. I just can’t seem to find the time to weed and water, and I’m always left with the saddest little plot of dirt. I keep the farmer’s market in business!
But, I do grow herbs – lots and lots of lemon thyme (great for iced tea, chicken and fish), English thyme, sage, rosemary, mint and chives.
Lindsay says
Rhoda –
Your plants look uh-ma-zing! I guess it helps when you can probably plant your veggies sometime in early spring! We just planted about a month ago and we’ve got broccoli, tons of herbs, tomatoes, and jalapenos. We’ve got a *really* small yard so we had such a small space to work with. One of these days….
Good work!
Lindsay
Bonnie says
As a transplanted southerner, I love finding “southern” blogs! I’d like to have some time in your garden, reaping some tomatoes and berries! I have that same metal bird hovering around my garden.
Best,
Bonnie
Christine says
The cinder block planters–brilliant! I may try it with beans and/or cucumbers. I’m afraid it may be to late to start them, though. The weather here in Northern California has been unusually wet and rainy. I couldn’t put in my tomatoes until last weekend due to our very strange weather. Your garden looks fabulous!
Kimberly @ Attempting Creative says
I’m in a small, two-bedroom apartment, and my patio has barely any room to move. But never fear – I’ve still managed to plant a zucchini and some herbs. I’m just totally jealous of all the wonderful planting you’ve been able to do.
Sherry @ No Minimalist Here says
We were spoiled when we lived near my MIL. She always has a large garden and generously shares the bounty. We still get her fabulous homemade jams mailed to us. We planted two tomato plants and one pepper in pots this year . We have to keep them on the deck to keep the deer away.
xoxo,
Sherry
Reynie @ SouthernGirlRambling says
Rhoda, Oh my I love this time of year bc I can actually grow some tomatoes that don’t taste like store-bought-cardboard! I do a garden every year and once again, have it planted. I should start to get some good crops in the next week or so. It’s very exciting to me! I’m a garden nerd!! Yours looks great! And only in the South would you see a garden in somebody’s front yard.
Manang Kim says
I can’t wait to see the produce. You will have a lot this year for sure everything is doing good and healthy. Happy Wednesday!
Red Slides
Amanda says
I am attempting my first food garden. I read a book over the winter on growing food in marine climates so theoretically I am prepared for anything. I planted radishes, cherry tomatoe, sun gold tomates, scallions, cascade peas, lettuce, and strawberries. So far, I have harvested lettuce and radishes.
I also made a pea trellis that the peas seem to really like. Here is the link the the trellis (http://uffdaprojects.blogspot.com/2010/05/project-pea-trellis-part-2.html)
I get so excited everyday to see the growth. The spring has been cold in Seattle so far, but the peas and radishes are loving it. Plus the rain barrel keeps full with the rain.
I hope your harvest is huge and yummy!
Shelia says
Hi Rhoda! Oh, your plants all look so wonderful but you had me at the Blackberries! These are just my favorites. As a little girl growing up in Alabama I would just walk across the street and pick the wild blackberries. I probably ate as many as I brought back to my mother to make blackberry cobbler with! 🙂
Thanks so much for popping in and your advice about the hydrangea blooms.
Be a sweetie,
Shelia 😉
Lana Austin says
I don’t have a new blog post yet…but of course I want to stop by to see you anyway! Your hubby’s garden looks GREAT! I think it’s AWESOME that he’s growing the beans in the front yard where the sun is best!!!! Seriously!!! More power to him!!! Besides, it all looks pretty and green and full of LIFE and if someone has something nasty to say about that, send ’em to me and I’ll SWAT THEIR BEHIND and tell them that they are THE SOUTH END OF A NORTH BOUND MULE for being judgmental. To have food is wonderful. To be able to grow your OWN food is MORE wonderful! You have a beautiful home and growing something to nourish yourselves are two fantastic things!!! There are people , a GAZILLION people, who are dying of hunger right this second around the world and they’d gladly plant every single spec of ground around, near, on, up, down, inside, out, etc. of where they live (heck, I’d bet some would even live AMONGST the rows of food or let a bean or tomato plant or two snake up around their legs and bodies if it meant they could FEED THEIR CHILDREN) just to be able to eat.
I can’t help but think that God smiles down upon those folks who have farms and who have gardens. I know, I know, being Miss Farm Girl from the No Stoplight Town In Kentucky makes me quite subjective….but that’s okay, right?
My husband and I are growing lots right now….still not as much as we want, but we just moved into the “mini mansion” (we got the deal of the century/didn’t use realtors to be able to afford this house) and started the garden last year. We have tomatoes, carrots, corn (the corn didn’t turn out for squat last year…BUT….I used up the dried up little cornettes–that’s what I had to call those tiny little ears in fall decorating)…lots of lettuce types/winter greens including kale and spinach, squash, sweet potatoes, onions, garlic and we’ve planted peach trees, blueberries and blackberries, though they have yet to yield fruit. Oh, and strawberries this year.
Soon I’ll post more about the garden with more pictures.
I love trying new recipes with adding garden stuff….like putting kale on homemade pizzas (along with sweet potatoes sliced thin, too, and goat cheese and onions…..YUM!)
I will say a prayer that your yield is wonderful this year! Growing a garden always makes me appreciate Thanksgiving more. Seriously. It can be hard and so many things can ruin a crop. It’s perspective giving!!!
Love in Christ,
Lana
Nanci says
I just went through about $30 worth of paint test samples. Sherwin Williams has the best. For the same price they give you nearly a quart of paint! Love SW!!!
Yes, I’m growing tomatoes and lots of herbs and arugula. Love having my own herbs.
Carmen says
Yum! Blackberries! They look delicious already. My mom wants to come over and plant some veggies in my yard. I’m not sure what we’re planting yet. This makes me excited to think about the yummy veggies we could get.
Jojo says
What a beautiful garden!!
Shelle says
WOW. I wanna be your neighbor and BFF so you’ll share all that yummy homegrown goodness with me. Beautiful and so delightful!!
Marie says
We are growing our very first vegetable garden ever! We live in the Wasatch Mountains in Utah, near Park City. Our growing season is short, so we don’t get to plant til about now! We have a few things in right now and they are doing well despite the fact that it has snowed on them three times the past week! We built 6 4×4’s w/ 2×8’s – according to the directions in the book All New Square Foot Gardening, by Mel Barthololmew. We bought Vermiculite, compost (6 varieties), and Peat Moss. We mixed a 1/3 of each on a tarp and filled each garden box. Then we divided up each garden into 16 12 inch squares and planted our vegetables! We are very excited to see what kind of harvest we will have!
Your garden looks beautiful! It’s
Marie Anne says
Congrats to the winners!
Your garden looks amazing! We skipped our this year. Hopefully next year. I have a hard time with the birds and squirrels eating everything :/
Connie says
Your berries look delicious…we planted our first garden this year using the square foot garden method and have had lettuce for a month now. We also planted tomatoes, green/yellow bell peppers, celery, peas, beans, strawberries, cucumbers, corn, watermelon and cantaloupe. Oh and scallions. We have just been entranced by it all and marvel at the growth each morning! 🙂
Can’t wait to eat more of it as it ripens. Connie
Theresa says
That was fun touring your garden! Everything is looking delicious! No veggies here….YET….:)