Cosmo spring garden 2020

[Cosmo spring garden]

I am sad to announce that even with my best efforts my tomatoes are dying or dead. I bought one big tomato plant today that I planted in a pot and put it on the deck. At least I'll get some fresh tomatoes. I've learned and will make changes next year. I am having an awesome year for beans, sweet potatoes, squash and corn. And we must have eaten 15lbs of strawberries. The 2 blueberry bushes are providing lots of fresh berries. So overall I am blessed and happy that we get so much fresh produce to eat and share. I pulled all the peas and planted some pinto beans, kale (@seedcorn fave!), and collards. The pumpkins are getting so big! I hope you all are having a great week!

 

[baymule]

Your garden looks great! The plants look so pretty and so healthy!

 

[Cosmo spring garden]

I have been pulling all the onions and dead plants. The past 2 days. DH and FIL helped pulled the broccoli plants and the chickens enjoyed the treat. I planted some buckwheat and bok choy seeds in the empty beds for cover crop until the fall crops are ready to be transplanted. I am planning to grow boatload of brocolli this fall. I did harvest 2 tomatoes from the dying plants and they were so good on burgers! We have been eating corn everyday for the past 5 days and it's so good!

 

[baymule]

The best meals in the world are the ones from your own garden.

 

[Cosmo spring garden]

Before and after pictures of the tomato patch after I pulled all the dead plants. It looks like there were lots of tomatoes but over 95% were rotten. I got maybe 20lbs of green and some ripe tomatoes that might be good enough for eating. It's been a disappointed year for tomatoes but I've learned a lot. I'm planning to plan brassicas for fall harvest in that area. I have abundance of peppers! So I will buy tomatoes to make salsa.

 

[baymule]

Find a place your tomato plants are happy and plant them in the same spot every year. I put up cow panel tomato trellises, thanks to @Ridgerunner posting pictures of his, and I just leave them up. I amend the soil with sheep manure compost and chicken manure compost. They thrive there.

 

[Cosmo spring garden]

Find a place your tomato plants are happy and plant them in the same spot every year. I put up cow panel tomato trellises, thanks to @Ridgerunner posting pictures of his, and I just leave them up. I amend the soil with sheep manure compost and chicken manure compost. They thrive there.

I like this idea. Moving around the trellises is a pain!

 

[Cosmo spring garden]

This is my luffa gourd trellis and I love how it looks! I pulled out all the zucchini and yellow squash plants. I showed more seeds indoor for more zucchini later in the summer. The pumpkin vines are dying back and the pumpkins are turning orange! I'm so excited to make pies and waffles with pumpkin. Today we had a delicata squash roasted for dinner and it was yummy! I have okra but dont know how to prepare them so they arent slimy?

Edited to correct spelling. Crazy auto correct!

 

[seedcorn]

Okra has many delicious ways to prepare.
Easiest for me, fry bacon for grease, take bacon out, add okra cut in 1/4” slices. Fry one side till brown. Flip it, add green peppers (if just me eating, add hot peppers). Fry till 80% done, add onions and bacon. Let cool a bit before you eat, if you can.

 

[baymule]

Fried okra! Yum! Chop okra, stir in seasonings, i like garlic powder, salt and pepper. Add cornmeal and stir the okra in it. I use a slotted spoon (recipe book speak for spoon with holes in it) to lift the okra and sift out excess cornmeal. Put in hot grease and fry until golden brown.