If there was a vegetable I would recommend for first-time gardeners, it would be anything from the cucurbit family. My squash, zucchini and pumpkin are out of control! If you walk out in the garden, you can actually hear them laughing at my raised bed frames, trellis and fencing. I'm pretty sure I will need to weave my pumpkin back in through the fence to keep it from crossing the driveway. Plus, it's grown right over the little lantana I planted outside the fence to invite some beneficial insects.
I have some climbing zucchini, the rampicante, and it is fantastic. It is very interesting because it is so unusually shaped, and it's delicious! Very appropriately named too, because they are prolific. Between the pumpkin and rampicante, I won't be able to get through either side of my garden soon. I let one get away from me on the vine because it's so densely vined and it is umm, quite large.
We had a yard/garage sale last weekend, and I had several people comment on the garden. *insert proud grin* One guy said he's been gardening for years and his squash have never gotten as large as mine. I think I may have talked him into raised beds and heirloom seeds. (Not that I have more than one year's experience here, but so far so good.) Isaac had one couple ask what the okra were because they were from the north and had never seen it. Haha. Now in all fairness, my okra is quite mammoth. My dad's are about half as tall but already producing. So, I can't really be too prideful about how big mine are if there's no okra yet! I'll just keep waiting.
My cucumbers are producing heavily already, and I hope to make pickles in the next week or two. Very exciting! I have 2 varieties, poona kheera and delikatesse. The poona kheeras turn this wonderful russet color when very ripe - I thought there was something wrong at first, haha.
So that's the update on our garden for the week. I've been wanting to blog for awhile now, but every time I thought about it, my pictures were outdated because of the fast growth. Oh, and this saturday will be my first week at the Midland Avenue Produce Jam in Monroe. I'll be selling some of my artisan breads, baked goods, and whatever surplus produce I have this week. Come see me!
