Moon and Stars

Probably gonna need to get out the netting for this little heavyweight. It's quickly stretching the knee highs to their limit. Lol

In all, I have 4 melons slung already.

Towering cucumbers

The cucumbers have already grown to the top of their makeshift trellis - reaching around 6 feet tall, I guess. As can be expected, the vines are really producing fruit now, too. I'm making pickles tomorrow.  :)

More harvests

This is what's being harvested from the garden every other day, and I guess we'll just have to break down and make a few pickles this year...

Two ears per stalk

Most of the corn planted in the largest raised bed has at least 2 ears per stalk - which is non-existent on the crop being grown in the self watering containers......It makes a person stop and wonder why? Hmm......

Anyway,  all I can say is that it is welcomed!

Fourth harvest of squash

Yep, this is the fourth one of this size already,  and all four have been given away to friends and family. But, this one has cucumbers included * which is a new addition. Anyway,  just wanted to let everyone know that stuff was getting harvested, and I know that Granny is salivating right now.......

*Please disregard the anatomically correct yellow squash!!!! Haha.....

Critters

Most of the garden is critter proof, but of course the 4x8 raised bed is wide open to possible damage from animals in the area. It's hardly ever a problem,  but just look at this corn plant that has been eaten......My guess is a rabbit. All I know, is that Jude better get to work,  or I'm gonna move her water and food bowls out to the center of the garden. Lol.

The 4x8 raised bed

It's used for growing watermelons each year, and as you can see in the picture - the vines are climbing the wire mesh already. I've also tucked a few corn into the same bed, and hope the inter-planting will work out okay.

A short video

 Watch "First yellow squash ready to pick" on YouTube 

Fruitset on squash

I must be pretty good at hand pollination, because there's several squash almost ready to pick now. Yum!

Butternut squash in May 4th

I haven't talked about these in a while, so decided to do a post on the current progress. There's 4 plants in this 4x9 raised bed - all growing toward the center, and the plan is to let all four vines grow the full length of the box. This will be a first, but I just know it'll work.....I'm hoping for at least 10 butternut squash harvested later in the season.

BTW, I wanted to point something out.....most of you know that my twin brother has a gardening blog now, but you should really check out his other one sometime. It's http://mayaruinsonly.blogspot.com  . He just started it a while back too, and I know it would interest you.

Squash flowers

An abundance of female flowers have shown up on both yellow crookneck and zucchini, but very few male - and no sign of a bee anywhere....... So, I did a little bit of hand pollinating this morning, and tomorrow will do the same. Anyway, these two were done, and I hope they turn out OK.

The squash

The main squash section is doing pretty good, and tomato baskets have already been put in place to keep them in check. No bugs yet thankfully, and it'll be quite some time before any show up.

Cucumbers

They've began running finally,  and I've started helping the tendrils make their way to the wire baskets so that vertical growth can take place.

The onions to the left are also beginning to flower, and will be harvested very soon. Sadly, no nice bulbs have formed - despite the fact that heavy applications of nitrogen have taken place over the past month.

Beating the elements

The temperature read 31 this morning when I awoke, but thankfully The protection provided last night for the garden kept everything alive and well. Here are the cucumbers.......

Cold snap on the way

Just as I figured, mother nature isn't finished with cold nights yet. It's gonna be 36 degrees tomorrow night, and most of the cucurbits such as the squash in the photo above will likely perish, I figure. Backup seeds have been planted beside them, and III new way or another things will get back on track again.

In other news, my brother has started a gardening blog and I hope that you will check it out. The link is http://southcarolinahumuinic.blogspot.com .

The main squash section

With upside down tomato baskets in place - ready to keep the unruly plants in their 2ft x 2ft alotted space, this section of squash will be engulfed with growth in a few weeks.Watermelon seedlings at each end should beginning attaching themselves to their respective trellises in upcoming weeks too.....

True leaves on butternut squash

Butternut squash are being grown in the 4x9 raised bed next to the woods, and have begun to get their true leaves already. In all, there are 4 plants growing,  and I hope to get around 8-10 squash from them later....

Crimson sweet watermelons

A total of four are evenly spaced in the 4x8 raised bed, and can be seen by the little seedlings protruding from the soil. They'll be allowed to climb the trellis attached to it of course.......

Cucumbers germinated

Direct sown into the garden, and will be allowed to climb inverted tomato cages for maximum yield. I might make pickles this year, but we'll just have to wait and see.

Planting some things in the garden

Although it's 4 weeks early for it, I succumbed to the pressure of planting some things into the garden. Seeds are cheap, and I have tons at my disposal anyway( since I save nine from the previous year), so went ahead and took a gamble with planting squash, cucumbers, and watermelons. As indicated in the picture above, a couple of Early Girl tomato seedlings were even transplanted. There are plenty of those to go around, too.......