Is It Spring Yet?

I’m so excited for Spring, I’m posting a day early because I just couldn’t wait.  Who’s to say that it doesn’t already feel like Spring, what with the warmer weather and blooming trees and flowers around Southern CA.  My garden is ready, too!

What better first photo than a Rattlesnake Pole Bean seedling?  Due to my root-knot nematode situation, I’ve decided to stop fighting (it’s been almost a year) and go with the flow.  Many, many tomatoes have been developed to be root knot nematode resistant (the ‘N’ in VFN on seed packets and seedling tags), but not so many of the other veggies.  Almost none, in fact.  I found one pole bean from Hawaii, but of course it’s scarce and can’t be shipped to the mainland.  Thus, I decided to go with the advice of seasoned edible gardeners.  Within gardening discussions, I found talk of some pole beans that are not resistant varieties, but more so varieties that TOLERATE the nematodes and can still thrive.  Rattlesnake, Alabama #1 and Blue Marbut are all such pole beans.  Rattlesnake is fairly common and I was able to find the other two both through Sand Hill Preservation.

Diana Fig is coming to life.

The Red Baron peach is nearly at full bloom.

The Snow Queen white Nectarine is leafing out and has decided that she likes where she is. (The netting in back is ready for pole beans!)

Welcome, Spring!  You are my favorite season…

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Summer’s Twilight

I enjoy letting my 4 year old take her own photos. Every now and then she hits one out of the park. This is a reflection of the banana tree (which is technically an herb) in it’s own flower petal which had fallen on the ground.

Summer scallop squash has been exploding in the raised bed.

Purple and rattlesnake pole beans.

The year’s second crop from the 4 year old Diana fig has been big for our little tree. Although they are smaller the second time around, they are just as sweet.

Here is the cool weather-loving Czechoslovakian heirloom tomato named Stupice (pronounced Stu-peach-ka). I had great luck with it last year. I love that you can continue to have tomatoes into the fall when other have withered away.

It’s my first time growing arugula, or “rocket”. I’m amazed at how fast it germinates (3 days!), and at nearly a 100% rate.

A photo my daughter caught of me at twilight out in the garden.

Colorful Beans

The first real green (and purple and Rattlesnake) bean harvest of the season.  I grow all pole beans since I love taking advantage of vertical height in the garden.  Stick a 6′ wooden pole (hence the name) right next to each bean plant and leave the rest to them.  The green beans are from seeds I saved from last season.  The heirloom purple and Rattlesnake are new to me this year and I’m having such fun seeing their uniqueness peeking out in a sea of green.  They’re great tasting, too!  Can’t wait to add these to tonight’s dinner.

The bounty.

I’d say that green beans are one of the funnest edibles to collect.  There’s always more on the vine than you thought, because so many are tucked behind leaves or blend into their surroundings.

Bon Appetit!