First weekend at home in a month so you know I have to catch up on the big stuff and check out what is growing! If you are doing the same, make sure to hit @gardenhive/creative-garden-challenge-july with your entry as there is a fantastic rewarding gardening community here!
For those of you just starting to follow along...a few years ago, I began reclaiming lawn space building raised boxes, and blogging about my adventures in gardening. This might be year 7 of the ever-growing garden that officially launches May 2-4 Weekend every year. The community that @GardenHive has become is for us green thumbs and there are contests my gardening friends can play along with by following them.
This week, there has been almost too much rain which means plenty of work to contain the growth and maybe some veggies!
Herbs
The sunny then wet then sunny then wet pattern has made the parsley, basil, dill and cilantro go a little nuts. They are in boxes that sit upon the rail with no drainage so they are looking a little challenged. I poured the rain out and we have a couple days of sunshine so they should pop right back to new green. As they are, I have used them in different dishes this week including a cheesy dill pasta dish. Hopefully you will forgive the spoiler I made in the #sublimesunday post but we used to call them teasers or even foreshadowing.
Greens
The strawberries on the left have taken a break after a busy spring and the greens on the left have picked up the slack. Plenty of mixed lettuce varieties I can't name and the cucumbers are starting to make tracks. This is a new place for the cucumbers after challenging seasons in a different spot and they love the full sun so much more.
Trimming the lower leaves to allow air flow and encourage new growth up top, I found the first cucumber of the year! I picked it a little early as it was touching the ground and knocking it off will hopefully spur growth in the other little ones that are starting to pop.
Zero innuendos over the curious shape of this one confirms the highbrow nature of my followers.
Peppers
The peppers were doing so well in their new home where the tomatoes once grew. Over a half dozen varieties of hot pepper as well as 4 each of red and yellow sweet peppers. Turns out there is a visitor in the garden box and it may not be who you think.
This guy. Apparently he likes to scale the fences guarding the garden and run laps in the box. Why?
Because this guy lives on the other side of the fence...and also because doggo is a moron.
The casualties include at least one red and yellow pepper plant, and the beautiful red habanero that had a dozen little flowers on it. Urge to kill receding though as the rest of the plants have dozens of buds and the fence has been fortified.
Tomatoes
Speaking of tomatoes, they are happily climbing and spreading where the peppers used to live. They have popped out of the top of the tomato cages and I am about to tie them to tall poles and whack the bottom branches off. Usually before this, you are supposed to remove any branches and leaves below the bottom fruit sprouts. Otherwise, there is a lack of airflow which screws with the tomatoes, and too much green and not enough fruit will be the result. If you look closely, you can see the greek oregano growing on the soil beneath the tomatoes.
We should have plenty for salads and sandwiches within the next couple weeks for the rest of the season.
Squash!
This may be the first year we have grown spaghetti squash. They seem to grow very well and are so great to eat in late summer pasta alternative dishes.
Not to be outdone, we have the returning champion yellow Italian squash, AKA zucchini. I don't eat these filthy things but my ladies love them so I am happy to grow them!
Berries!
Since the strawberries have slowed up, the raspberries have taken up the slack. They have started ripening just this week and we have harvested about a pint so far. They are sweet, some as big as my thumb, and don't last too long before being snacked upon.
Pickle Update!
I came home from vacation to find the little pickle plants almost swallowed up by the big morning glory growth. between them and the wold morning glories/bindweed that grows natively, it is a wonder they can grow in this spot. I hacked back the lower leaves of the flower vines so that they would continue to grow along the top of the fence and leave the bottom with some sunlight and rain. Peeling back the bindweed I found 5 strong little pickling cucumber plants ready to start vining. I placed some sticks for them to scale and replaced the half gerbil cage to protect them from the birds.
With any luck and a bunch of pruning attention, I may finally realize my dream of being the Pickleman with homegrown pickles....man.
The Blooms
I must admit we have gotten to almost ludicrous levels of flowers in this place. I am totally to blame but will leave that for the next garden update.
This is how we are looking this evening. Fences back up, green starting to spill from all corners, and a big old morning glory vine ready to cover the top of the fence. There was a torrential downpour on lawnmowing day that took a couple days to dry up so we are pretty damn shaggy. Can't wait to see how so much rainwater will impact the next couple weeks.
Mom started me along my path of growing stuff when I was a kid. Motivated by so many blockchain blogging gardeners, I figured I would plant and share and learn as I reclaim as much grass space as I can. It has turned out to be a fruitful experience and I hope to inspire others to sow and grow no matter what your location or experience level is.
Just make sure you tag #creativegarden and check out the latest 
Wherever you are...JUST GROW!
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