A little tour of what's growing now in my backyard garden.

"Focus on the positive."

 

It's so easy for me to look at the pictures above and tell you everything that's wrong. I'm trying really hard to go outside everyday and focus on something good, something that's growing and flowers that are blooming.

It can be a challenge sometimes. 

Gardens are constantly changing. 

 

All of my tomatoes are finally planted in the raised beds, containers and hanging basket. They all made it through the unusual cold snap we had.

I was dealing with some unsightly purple leaves and a few stressed tomatoes. With a little bit of trimming and some extra love, they bouced back!

Micro Tomatoes in hanging baskets

 

This is my first year growing micro tomatoes in hanging baskets and small pots. They are doing really great!

I made sure to use premium potting mix with perlite and other helpful ingredients like peat moss.

 

I also added worm castings and made sure to feed a week after planting. Since then, I've also added some magnesium (epsom salt) and cow manure from a local farm. 

 

Harvesting the first cherry tomato of the season.

 

 

Roses on the garden gate

 

I've been dealing with two major problems this year with my roses. 

Number 1 - aphids. Those little suckers drive me crazy. I released ladybugs as a natural method to control these pests.

Number 2 - sawfly. Ugh, these bugs do major cosmetic damage to the leaves of the plants. I've been trimming back any areas that are affected. 

 

The arbor isn't in bloom this week, but the aphids and the sawflies are finally under control.

Can you spot the chicken? (Dot says hello!) 

 

Herbs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tiny pond

I absolutely love water gardens. Floating plants, snails and water lilies make me so happy.

I put this together on a rainy day and started out with just the bucket and a water lily plant.

Then, I added some giant floating duckweed, red rotala, a water hyacinth (that came with some pond snails), driftwood and some fancy grasses.

The picture above was taken one week in! 

 

 

Maximizing space with containers

I have many different flowers and herbs growing in containers.

They include Tuscan blue rosemary, pineapple sage, rue, parsley, basil, lantana, daisies, dahlias, nasturtiums, scabiosa, poppies and many more.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm trying to utilize every bit of space I have in the veggie garden this year. You can grow so much more in such a little amount of space when you grow vertically. I'm really enjoying all of the extra flowers and herbs.

 

 

 

Other edibles

 

 

The pea tunnel is doing exceptionally well right now. Last year was a major fail with peas, so this is very encouraging!

 

 

The chipmunks and squirrels wouldn't leave my small seedlings alone last year. That, combined with some bad weather, made for a sad amount of plants that actually made it to June. 

This year, the critters have moved on to my corn and squash, making it nearly impossible for me to grow any seedlings without some sort of disruption. I'm used to it though, and I'm making the best of what I have.

Every year there is a stand out crop and a crop that doesn't do so well. 

I'm working on focusing my sights on what IS growing and not what ISN'T growing. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm using the thyme in this bed as a companion plant to repell cabbage worms. So far, it's working great!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Perennial flower garden

 

 

 

 

 

So that's whats growing in my backyard garden this June. How's your garden doing? What's blooming in your yard right now? Let me know in the comment section below. Happy gardening!