(Via A Larrapin Garden)

Posted by admin to butterflies, edibles, summer on 2007-08-18, 14:16:00

This is how gardening with the wild creatures in mind (in addition to the gardeners) can be a little tricky. I planted a whole row of parsley so that there would be plenty for us and for butterflies. But the stand was covered with SO MANY black swallowtail caterpillars that I couldn't bring myself to cut any -- even when I needed a bunch for a special recipe. To Mendy's dismay, I brought storebought parsley home to spare ours for the butterflies. Next year I may have a row of parsley and a dill plant in every raised bed in hopes of having enough for us all.

I heard a country story I like:
A visitor to an old farmer's garden noted that a groundhog was living nearby.
"You gonna shoot that groundhog?"
"Nah," the farmer replied.
"Well maybe you ought too. He'll eat your garden up," the visitor warned.
"Mister," the farmer explained, "If I can't grow enough to feed myself and one little groundhog, I wouldn't be much of a farmer."

Mostly I feel the same. But if you change the critter to a raccoon....hmmmm, all bets are off!

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Posted by admin to edibles, summer, vegetables on 2007-07-25, 16:11:00

Like Connie, who responded to the "Do you know this flower?" post, I had no idea that okra has such lovely, if very brief, flowers. The Hill Country Red Okra from Baker Creek Heirloom seeds in the previous post continues to produce a good amount of BIG pods -- best eaten fried Southern style because it gets big so fast. Next year I'd like to try another variety in the Baker Creek catalog that has red stems, pods and leaves!

This photo is from 2006. I had leftover okra transplants and no room in the garden, so I put a few in various spots in flower beds around the house. I thought it was great. Plus, you could pick okra from the patio... This variety is Clemson Spineless and is great tasting and very productive. And all green.

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Posted by admin to edibles, summer on 2007-07-21, 19:17:00

Here's one of the ripening "Charentais" French melons as well as on of Larrapin Garden's most honored guests -- a monarch butterfly caterpillar who wandered over on the melons from the tropical milkweed growing in the same garden bed.

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Posted by admin to edibles, summer on 2007-07-21, 19:12:00

The monster vine...
Originally uploaded by larrapin67.

Here's the watermelon vine, covering the whole raised bed, plus an 8 x 8 tarp...

(Via A Larrapin Garden)

Posted by admin to edibles, summer on 2007-07-21, 19:11:00

Larrapin's First Watermelon!
Originally uploaded by larrapin67.

Well, it's actually the second watermelon. I picked the first one and it wasn't ripe! What a disappointment. To make matters worse, even unripe, it was delicious to nibble. These are Tendersweets from Baker Heirloom seeds -- an orange/yellow variety. Before picking, I did study up on how to tell a ripe watermelon: thunking sound when tapped, white spot on belly, brown tendril above the melon... No dice. I think now the whole stem should be browning instead of just the tendril?

I've got two more chances coming up soon since two are getting pretty large on the vine. The vine is a monster -- taking up about 96 square foot right now! Of course there are two vines planted together, and also a french melon on the same raised bed. I ran the vines on a tarp beside the bed to keep down weeds....another learning experience, it holds water when it rains so I had to lift the melons up on little wooden pedestals to keep them safe...

Nothing makes you appreciate a vegetable or fruit --even the storebought kind -- once you know what a challenge that part between the seed and the table can be!