Gardening for enjoyment, good food, and stress reduction

It has been awhile since I had the time to sit down and write something to post. Life seems to keep me busy and I am always behind. This year I am way behind on my garden, but slowing catching up. Last year it froze out on June 15th. We lost almost everything. Some could be started over, but much could not.

My big stress relief is when I am able to get outside and work on projects. I garden a very large area which keeps me grounded, having my hands in the earth. This year not only has my work schedule impacted getting the garden going but it has rained a lot more than normal.

I do some indoor gardening which in my introduction post I showed a couple of pictures of some hydroponic units for my winter growing under lights. Here are a couple more (kale Bok Choy, and a geranium I wintered over:

In the spring I have a small greenhouse that I use to start all my seedlings myself. I also get a head start on some vegetables for fresh eating. Cucumbers and Zucchini taste wonderful when it is just time to start the garden in the main garden:

I never get tired of cucumbers. I found variety specifically developed for cooler greenhouses, called Manny Hybrid from Territorial Seed Company. I grow them in 2 gallon pots, placed in a tray to hold water, and then set on a shelf in the back of the greenhouse. I add a little organic fertilizer/compost to toward the bottom of the pot. The tray for water allows them to keep plenty of fluids during the day when the sun overheats the greenhouse. As you can see there are plenty of fruit. We have been eating them for almost every meal for a couple of weeks now. The zucchini need a little larger container and they too are in a tray to hold extra water.

Every year I push ahead several tomato plants in grow buckets. Do a search on http://Youtube.com for “grow buckets”. There lots of wonderful videos to show how to inexpensively make your own, instead of buying ready-made ones. Most years I am eating tomatoes in May, but this year it will be a little longer. I am just planting my main crop outside and in a hoop house, and some in the garden:

For those who have limited space, or want to get a head start, you can grow cucumbers in containers outside. This one I put in a grow bucket, which has a reservoir at the bottom of the container for water. Someone gave me some plastic tomato cages, so I thought I would try one as a trellis. I have done the same with "ice box" watermelon and cantaloupe:

I also plant some veggies in containers to push them ahead. Again this technique will work well for someone with limited space. Here are different heirloom lettuce plants, mustard greens, and cauliflower in 2 gallon pots. Not only do I have earlier produce, but there are less bugs and the deer seldom come this close to my shop. I will be starting some broccoli and more cauliflower soon and they too will be in containers:

I also enjoy flowers and other non-vegetables. I found an old galvanized bucket in the hills behind my house and found my Chicks n’ Hens love it. Irises did very well this year. I did not get any pictures of our Siberian Irises, which are finished by the time the regular irises bloom:

We had just had a heavy rain when I took this picture. I still can enjoy them...

That is it for now. I am now getting heavily into planting all my regular vegetables in the garden, and I am working on a mushroom garden (a first for me). Many flowers have yet to bloom, so I am hoping I can good plenty of pictures.

Hope you enjoy what I have shown today. Growing helps keep my stress level under control. And, as you can see you do not need a lot of space to grow yourself some fresh vegetables.

Have a great day everyone. I appreciate this opportunity to show you part of my life...Steem on!