🌺 Unusual Veggies Rule! Welcome To My July Garden!
How's your garden doing? Here's an update on my pretty unusual veggies, as an entry for the July edition of the 🌺 SteemIt Community Garden Journal Challenge. You can still join by posting your own garden update.
The Challenge
This is the third time I'm hosting this 🌺 SteemIt Community Garden Journal Challenge, in which I invite participants to share what's going on in their garden.
This was the basic idea behind sharing a monthly update:
If we keep this up until the end of the season, you’ll have a great journal that tells the story of your garden. You’ll be able to see how your empty containers or beds turn into beautiful jungles of plants and flowers, and see your garden flourish with every month that goes by.
From past experiences, I’ve learned that such a journal feeds the feeling of accomplishment when you’re finally able to pick that first ripe tomato, or the first large zucchini.
And who doesn’t like to share his garden stories with like-minded people?
You can read all about this month's edition here
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My Own Garden Update For July 2018
If I'm honest, I need to admit my vegetable garden is suffering. We haven't had a decent splash of rain in weeks, and temperatures are way higher than normal for our Belgian climate.
We can hardly keep up with watering all plants.
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Since the last decent rain fell more than a month ago, the soil is completely dried out. It is going to be a real challenge to keep everything alive.
Maybe I should have chosen to plant those tropical fruits I want so badly after all, lol.
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Harvest
When going through my previous update, I can see a lot has already changed.
We've picked and eaten all our raspberries and our one and only plum.
Believe me when I say it was the most delicious plum I ever had :0)
We've also harvested most of our cabbages, our potatoes and a lot of our carrots, radishes and beetroots. Oh, how I love the feeling of going out in the garden to pick whatever you want to have for dinner that evening.
![harvest.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmTxsG3Dk2zgeKjow5SQRXzTMrt19GctGeosmBCV8oJFch/harvest.jpg)
We also enjoyed our watermelon from hell, and although I thought this huge piece of fruit had used up everything the plant had in it, two new ones are growing already. On the opposite side, on another plant, I had to come up with an idea to support the plant for carrying another giant watermelon.
Note to self: watermelons are not the ideal fruit to grow vertically.
![watermelons.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmWPLPJRcwT6JhffFUfQsPkF1kmQ2HrBWy6kZXhftyF1ng/watermelons.jpg)
Growing Veggies
Squash / Gourd
We have different kinds of squash plants, of which most are doing pretty good. But again, just like last year, I didn't always think through where to plant them. As a result, some of the squashes are growing on the 'wrong' side of the trellis, where I can barely see them, let alone reach them.
![squashes.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmUdc4oo5sDFbccqVcbnugAqAyYXDgdkcE18ZqLdmDwpKA/squashes.jpg)
I am a little worried about the fig leaf gourd, though. According to my information, this plant is supposed to become a real giant, and that it can grow up to 50 gourds. So far, I have only one. And although the vines keep growing very rapidly, the bottom of the stem doesn't look very healthy to me. This is the first time I am growing this kind, so I am very curious to see where it will go from here.
![fig leaf gourd.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmPsXYy1o4ydpGK2EpgwEh9BhvHtebbhdtNcKRCM5mcVbm/fig%20leaf%20gourd.jpg)
Root Vegetables
All root vegetables are doing fine.
Both Yacon (or Peruvian Groundapple) plants are doing good, although they aren't as big as last year's.
The Jerusalem Artichokes are related to the Yacon plant and they are a first-timer in my garden. They've already grown to be over 2 meters in height, and it won't take too long anymore before they will start growing flowers. I can't wait to see how they will look.
This year, I have two containers in which I'm growing the funny, crispy Crosne (AKA Chinese Artichoke) tubers. Just like the other root vegetables, they will not be ready to harvest until frost comes, but I can see they are going wild underground.
I planted the Skirret last year. It was not such a revelation like Yacon and Crosne were, but since it is a perennial I decided to leave it where it was and let it grow again this year. It's not really a big plant above ground, but at least it grows flowers...
Lemon Apple Cucumber
Since I sowed my lemon apple cucumber seeds too late, I wasn't expecting them to grow any fruits.
The plants are still way smaller than they should be, so you can imagine how surprised I was to see that there were actually growing a couple of those yummy, round, yellow cucumbers.
They are still only babies, but they are really there...
Melon Pear
It is going to be a good year for the melon pears. I'm very happy about that, because it is one of the most delicious fruits I have ever tasted. Last year, it took the plant until August to grow fruit, but this year I didn't have to wait that long. There are already plenty of fruits hanging from the bush. It's a bit of a shame that they take so very long to ripe...
![melonpear.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmU6Z5FK2q6Uaew5MJQkAQTCHZLbUnASPAZTusetvJFMhm/melonpear.jpg)
Next up, the greenhouse update, starring more melons, sweet peppers and a truckload of tomatoes. Top of the bill: the cucamelons are finally here!
I'll also let you in on all the flowers that are blooming in my garden. Stay tuned!!
![divider.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmZPoZd17fv7AQnRrLXrVgYnZqYDNwQaQvYDKPGUz4jHfT/divider.jpg)
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Images source:
Sun Image: Pixabay
All other images are my own.
![](https://steemitimages.com/DQmYhhQejEA2pV2iAoMDotLaAuxdvXgichD6ddXkbFJGfKy/steemitbloggers.gif)
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I'm Sure @insideoutlet would hove a garden like that.
Thanks a lot, guys. I feel honoured :0)
Your garden looks amazing, so much variety in there. I think you have given me plenty of ideas for next year.
Thanks. That was part of the idea of the challenge: to get inspired and learn from others.
Glad I could give you some ideas :0)
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When you grow something like this, it not only makes you happy, but also who look at your garden will be happy. You have definitely worked hard in the garden. Watermelons caught my attention. I like that.
You can be sure it makes me happy, lol. Sometimes I find myself strolling in the garden with this big smile on my face (while there's not really a lot to smile about in my day to day life).
It's like my stress-free zone, the only one I got :0)
Little things in life make us happy. When you are happy, that spreads to others. Thank you @simplymike for putting smile on my face :)
Keep doing what you do. Looking forward to reading your next update about gardening!
Thanks for the kind words.
It is always nice to hear one cluld make someone smile :0)
I love these weird fruits and veggies you are growing! And I laughed my head off when I saw your "growing watermelons vertically". so funny!! I'm surprised the fruit is hanging on :)
I'm sharing this post with c-squared; hope they pay you a visit!
Thanks, @lynncoyle1.
I hope I will remember nexr year not to let watermelons climb, lol. But for now it is safe, since I created a sort of basket out of rope to support the weight.
haha @simplymike, a bra for your melons 😎
I completly forgot I could use a bra to make a hammock, lol.
Thanks for reminding me, @lynncoyle1 ;0)
hahahaha Have I got a vision of your garden now @simplymike 😎
Lol. I did use bras last year, but I've got to get some of bigger sizes this year ;0)
hahaha that's hilarious @simplymike 😅
Nice update. I have never heard of or seen "Melon Pear". What does it taste like? Melon or pear or something else? It's a beautiful, compact plant it looks like.
Love seeing your garden update. I always find something new I have never heard of.
The taste is described as being a mix between honey-dew melon and very sweet cucumber (the fruit is also called 'sweet pepino'). Personally, I did notice a very light pear-like taste too.
It is indeed a pretty compact bush. I assume it would grow bigger if it would be in the ground, but I have to keep it in a container to be able to take it inside during winter.
That sounds wonderful! I will look into Melon Pear. Thank you for opening my eyes to this plant.
You're welcome :0)
Hope you will enjoy it as much as I do.
OMG! I cannot remember the last time I ate a plum! When I was little we had the hugest plum tree in our garden and there was a particular branch on it that had a bend in it and was a "free hanging" branch. I used to pretend it my horse haha! I miss those days, and all the delicious plums!
Awesome harvest hon!
Thanks, @jaynie.
We planted our plum tree last year, and it was a bit sad to see that lonely little plum hanging on the bottom branch. I hope it will get some more brothers and sisters next year.
With the amount of love you appear to give hon, it will be a tree of grand announcement in just a few years xxx
Aww, what a nice thing to say. Thanks.
I'm out to go give it another hug now ;0)
MWAH!
It rained and rained and rained for weeks here in my area. When it wasn't raining, I wasn't home. So we went a few weeks where we couldn't pull weeds. When I finally got around to pulling weeds out my garden, they were as tall as the vegetable plants.
Good post.
At least you got to pull the weeds.my back still isn't strong enough to do so, so I've got to live with them. They are everywhere - I'm a bit annoyed by the fact that the garden is so messy because of them, but there's little I can do about. I guess I'll have to learn to live with weeds that are taller than my plants.
But then again: a weed is just a useful plant which virtues haven't been discovered yet.
A lot of them are edible or can be useful to fertilize plants or fight pests and diseases - I just have to learn more about them. Who knows I'll start appreciating them one day :0)
Look at all that growth! You do have a green thumb and growing so many cool veggies and fruits. I have a plum tree but no fruits at all. Perhaps there were some but the squirrels keep coming around to steal them. My apple fruits are destroyed because of those critters.
Filthy thieves!!