Veggie Garden Update

The vegetable garden is growing great this year. Pictures below courtesy of GD/GM who were visiting last weekend.

Beans! Note for next year, do not make poles so tall as you can't reach the beans on the top.


Pumpkins!


Zucchini! Ladybug is getting her fill :)

Monarch

We have seen more monarchs this year than any other year. We have added lots of coneflowers, zinnia, hydrangea, and rudabeckia for them to enjoy. Inch Worm enjoys watching them flutter through the air.

Morning Glory Arbor

Potatoes

These look like a weedy mess but Dakota Pearl variety we dug up the other day were delicious!

Bee Balm

We added several types of bee balm to the garden last year -- red, white, and a short red variety purchased at plant sales. A purple variety also showed up in the North garden. It seems to be a "weed" around here as I have seen it on the edge of the woods in several spots along the road. I have seen hummingbirds around them, so they are keepers in my garden. Almost all though have developed a little powdery mildew in the fall.

Brussel Sprouts

Brussel Sproats are going strong. I have a lot of weeding to do.

Zinnia 'Green Envy'

These are a fun color zinnia. They do turn brown as they dry which is not attractive, but I am trying to save seed and not deadhead. The butterflies are also enjoying them.

Seed collecting

I can not believe it is time to start collecting seeds already. The poppy seed heads have dried and turned brown, ready to be picked. The seeds I planted from this plant last year reverted back to a smaller simpler poppy than the hybrid, but I really like the simple look of them and will do it again next year. A couple of the columbine a red variety and the william guiness produced their black shiny seeds. What seeds are you collecting for next year?

Mystery Blue Iris

Visited the UMore Garden today. The master gardeners were busy digging up and dividing irises and I got their extras! He gave me a bag of a pale blue variety. I did some searching on their Iris Garden and there is a variety called Crystal Blue that is light blue, or maybe Honkey Tonk Blues. I love a good mystery plant. Something to look forward to seeing bloom next year.