I made a decision to shake issues up with this yr’s summer time raised mattress backyard design! I all the time used to place my tomatoes at the back of my 4×8′ mattress however since my unbelievable Peggy Martin rose has actually taken off on the fence behind my vegetable backyard, I wished to do issues otherwise so the tomatoes don’t cowl the rose in a month.
Tomatoes
This yr I planted two rows of three on the 2 quick sides to bookend the backyard. On the left, from entrance to again, I planted Watermelon Cherry (may this be a cuter cherry tomato!?), Cherokee Purple – my favourite!, and Outdated German, an enormous yellow and orange striped heirloom tomato.
Learn my article about how one can develop tomatoes right here!
On the suitable facet from entrance to again, I planted Tomato Rapunzel, Yellow Pear, and Husky Crimson Cherry – all cherry tomatoes. I do choose to develop cherry tomatoes since you simply get such a excessive yield! Plus I purchase and use cherry tomatoes essentially the most typically in my kitchen.
Basil
I all the time plant basil close to my tomatoes. I purchased 4 customary candy basil vegetation to plant im the 4 areas between my six tomato vegetation. I additionally couldn’t resist a basil selection referred to as Spicy Globe. Once I smelled it on the nursery, I simply needed to have it. It smells intoxicating! What enjoyable that jar of pesto will probably be.
Squash
I used to be so hoping to seek out Golden Griller Squash once more however sadly I didn’t. I grabbed and Aristocrat Zucchini and what was marked as “Culinary assortment Zucchini.” I’ve grown Aristocrat earlier than and it did fairly properly in my backyard. We’ve a horrendous squash vine borer downside right here in Texas with not one, not two, however three rounds of the pests however I can normally get a unbelievable quantity of squash blossoms and two harvests of zucchini earlier than the SVB take them out mid-summer. Since you actually can’t purchase squash blossoms wherever right here, it’s nonetheless value it to me to plant squash!
Okra
The perfect factor I grew final yr was okra and I didn’t even write about it. Loopy, I do know! I’m vowing to jot down about rising okra this yr. It’s so extremely simple and satisfying to develop. I truly froze most of my okra final yr to make use of in gumbo all winter lengthy and it was completely scrumptious.
Eggplant
Behind the squash and okra, I planted Black Magnificence Eggplant and Fairytale Eggplant. Eggplant is certainly one of my favourite issues to develop. Sadly, final yr the bastards – I imply squirrels – that reside in my tree determined that the vegetation have been a delicacy. They ate all of my eggplant vegetation right down to the grime I believe 5 – 6 occasions. It saved rising again however we had an insanely scorching summer time final yr and it didn’t actually recuperate after the final assault. This yr, I’ve rigged a short lived fortress across the cages utilizing rooster wire and a backyard cowl. I’m going to have my dad construct one thing to guard them from the squirrels. I’ll preserve y’all posted!
Peppers
I like rising peppers as a result of peppers are so rattling costly on the grocery retailer. When you get a single pepper from a plant, you’ve already gotten your cash’s value! I planted 4 peppers this yr: Higher Belle, Pepper Snacks Belle, Valencia Orange, and Crimson Magnificence. I’ll connect them to stake after they get greater to assist stabilize them.
Pickles
For the primary time ever, I made a decision to develop little cucumbers for pickles! I planted a Bush Pickle number of cucumber that’s particularly for pickling. I believed that may be a enjoyable new experiment for us all!
Marigolds
As all the time, I additionally planted half a dozen marigolds across the backyard. Marigolds are unbelievable for any vegetable backyard as a result of they thrust back pests. Plus, they appear so cute!
Fertilizer & Extra
I’ll sprinkle some vegetable backyard fertilizer (I’ve been utilizing Miracle Gro Shake n Feed the previous couple of years and it’s labored nice!) later this week and once more midway by the summer time. I discuss this in each backyard article, however I additionally feed Sea Magic seaweed fertilizer each month. It makes greens sweeter and extra scrumptious. I extremely advocate it! You’ll discover it in my Amazon retailer. A $10 packet diluted per directions final me all season.
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Pleased planting,
