Veggie Garden Update - June

Remember what we started with?

Now we have this!

My pretty tomato structure was falling over...so after much research are now trying the stakes.  I had to stake the structure to keep the heavy tomato vines from toppling it over.  The squash are producing like crazy.  Ready for some tomato's.  I planted all heirloom this year and am going to try to save seeds to plant next year.

Squash...zucchini in the back and yellow in front...along with a stray tomato plant that I put in this pot.

See the little tomato's!

A yellow squash..almost ready to be picked.

So while I am waiting on more veggies besides zucchini I headed to the local Farmers Market this morning.
These are some of the goodies I came home with.

And made a get well farmers basket for a friend.

I took the shot of the basket before I added some basil, parsely, and rosemary from my garden...Oh well.

The Zucchini are here!

The zucchini are coming in!  I planted 6 plants and it's more than I can eat.  I am desperately searching for how many ways to prepare zucchini.  Did you ever notice that one day zucchini are small and the next day they look like a baseball bat?

So far we have had:
Zucchini Squash Cakes with marinara sauce (recipe from my friend Karen D)
6 medium/large squash (grated and squeeze ALL the water out)
1 sweet onion minced
1 1/2 c breadcrumbs
1 1/2 c Parmesan cheese (grated)
2 eggs (beaten)
2 tbsp Italian seasoning
salt and pepper to taste


Make the cakes into patties that are kind of flat for more crispy cakes
Bake in oven at 350 for 30 minutes (flip after 15 min) on parchment paper. 


Next we had the Traditional fried way
Slice zucchini - dip in buttermilk - dip in flour - then fry.

Today I baked Zucchini Bread using a recipe I have had for ages from a friend Vicki E.
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 cup oil
3 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp baking powder
2 cups zucchini (or more)
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup walnuts

Bake at 350 for 55 minutes for a loaf.
If making small loaves cook for 30 minutes


Combine and cream eggs, sugar, and oil
Then combine and add alternately with zucchini, - flour, soda, salt, cinnamon, baking powder
Add Vanilla and walnuts last.


I wonder what zucchini salsa would taste like?  Anybody in blogger land have a good zucchini salsa recipe?

Charleston Garden Inspiration

Quick trip to Charleston, SC = more garden inspiration and camera practice:

But found this great hotel downtown.  So charming and wonderful staff.  We were able to walk everywhere.  

 Love all the iron work.

Window boxes....gotta find a DIY so I can build some of these!

Camera practice....

Loved this door.

 Loved the house colors:

Don't have any hydrangea but want to try this and gardenias.  Where can I plant these?

And for my patio one day....a joggling board....because it makes me happy!

My version of Williamsburg Veggie Garden

Last year I had 3 square gardens and built the tomato climbing trellis.
This year I added 2 more squares and tried to make it a little more pretty.
I added the corner twig fence and all the pine needles.

This is our fire pit bottom.  The top parts rusted but loved the bottom iron piece...eventually would like to turn this into some sort of water feature.  For now I put a pot of mint in it.

You can see the 2 new square beds on the left so that the beds are symetrical.

My potting bench made from a recycled pallet. LOVE IT!

Lots of herbs.

Broccoli.  First time I tried broccoli. It is so good roasted.

Twig fence in front of tomatos.  The marigolds are to add color but also a natural way to keep away rabbits.

With the recent rain my zucchini has doubled in size.

Another herb bed.

 

So far so good on the veggies with the exception of having to replant the tomato's.  I sprayed round up too close when the wind was blowing.  Oops.

Veggie Garden Inspiration

Was in Williamsburg recently and was totally inspired by their very natural veggie gardens.

It's just twigs!  I can do this in my garden.

 What a great use for cloches (the glass pots)...they turn them upside down over the plants when there is a chance of frost and creates a greenhouse.

 One of my favorite "johnny jump ups"

Stay tuned to see how my version turns out.