May 27th Update (with Okra & Garlic info)

Everything is finally planted in the garden!  This is the best time of year to get a little break and enjoy the warm weather.  Over Memorial Day weekend we were able to put the finishing touch on the garden by laying down weed block and adding mulch between the beds. (Pictured below)

Before mulch & weed block

After mulch & weed block

Its amazing how much better it looks! We have also enjoyed relaxing and sitting out on the deck with the little one playing in the baby pool. 

The Deck with flowers, tomatoes & raspberry bush

(2) Tomatoes, Petunias & Gerbera Daisy

(3) Tomatoes & Raspberry (new addition this year)

Official 2014 Garden Layout as Planted 

RAISED BED #1 UPDATE

The first pest of the gardening season has been spotted!  I hand-picked off about 35 Asparagus larvae on the plants today.  I was hoping that by putting the row cover on the bed early this year it would eliminate the Asparagus beetles.  However, I did find a hole in the cover so they may have entered that way. 

RAISED BED #2 UPDATE

Okra- Clemson Spineless

This is our first year growing Okra.  We started our plants from seed indoors on April 11th and planted them on May 4th.  Clemson Spineless is known as the best open pollinated green okra that is available.  It was an all-American selections winner in 1939 and is a prolific, uniform variety.  Soon it will be loaded with deep green ribbed pods that will need to be harvested when they are less than 3 inches long.  This plant will be 4 to 5 feet tall when it is mature and takes about 60-70 days until you harvest.

RAISED BED #3 UPDATE

RAISED BED #4 UPDATE

Scapes on garlic

I cut the scapes (which turns into a woody flower stalk if left on the plant) off the tops of the garlic. This tells the plant that it needs to put all its energy into making bulbs. You can then use the scapes to cook with almost like a green onion.  I chopped them up and cooked them with some summer squash.

 

From what I have researched it seems that we will be harvesting the garlic sometime around June or July.  You wait until some of the lower leaves turn brown but 5 or 6 on the top are still green.  So we are getting close!  

Last of all the flowers are starting to grow in the beneficial beds!  This year we will have Sunflowers, Zinnias, Cosmos, Marigolds and Bells of Ireland.  I can't wait to see the colors in another month or so!