June 23, 2012: Updated pics!

Hey!  I took a trip out west for 1 week to sunny California (although from what I hear, it was very hot in New Jersey for the last week with temps. reaching into the 100s?!).  Anyway, I came back and saw a lot of growth in all of my gardens (vegetable, flowerbed, walkway and container).  I took a few pics just to show the dramatic fruit and vegetable growths in a period of 1 week!  There is a group of strawberries which will soon be ready to pluck.  The tomatoes are in full effect, but the weight of the fruit is pulling down on the stems.  Therefore, I tied some stems along the fence to train them.  The ichiban eggplants are growing strong.  A variety of peppers can be seen, and some may be ready to pluck.

As for the flowers, A LOT of stems have emerged from the container garden (which is a good sign, as I originally thought they would not grow).  As for the flowerbed, I see small stems, but I cannot discern if they are from bulbs or simply weeds.  We will just have to wait and see.  Anyway, check out the pics below!

Strawberries.

Peppers.

Bell pepper.

More peppers.

Ichiban eggplants.

Summer squash.

Summer squash.

Beastly tomatoes!

Okra.

Corn stalks.

Overall view.

Flower pot.

Flower pot.

And another flower pot with emerging stems.

 

June 6, 2012: Updated photos of my vegetable and flower gardens.

Hey!  I just took some quick updated photos to show you the progress of both my vegetable and flower gardens.  It seems to be coming along very well.  I am now watering in about 8 gallons per day for each of my gardens.  I also have my first tomatoes and peppers growing in nicely!  An eggplant flower just bloomed and I expect to see one sometime next week.  My mini walkway garden is also showing promise, as the squash and okra leaves are enormous!  The corn stalks, although a bit overcrowded, are coming in very nicely as well.  In addition, I forgot to mention that I planted some mint leaves for my mom, and they have grown very generously.  She uses these leaves to make green chutney and other Indian dishes.  As for the flowers, they are blooming beautifully and showing vibrant colors.  Don’t believe me?  Check out the pictures below!

June 6, 2012 vegetable garden.

The peppers.

My first peppers!

A strawberry flower.

An eggplant flower.

My first tomato!

A tomato plant, about 3 feet tall.

Tomatoes section.

Mint leaves. My mom uses them to make green chutney.

Squash plants from walkway garden.

Okra plants from walkway garden.

Corn plants from walkway garden.

Front yard. All 4 lilies are starting to bloom.

Close-up.

Close-up.

Close-up.

Close-up.

Annual hanging basket photo 1.

Annual hanging basket photo 2.

Annual hanging basket photo 3.

A blooming rose.

The same rose, just 24 hours later!

April 29, 2012: Buying vegetable plants – starter plants in peat pots.

I went to Home Depot and purchased a few Bonnie vegetable starter plants (already in peat pots for easy planting).  I also bought two bags of Sta-Green garden soil (2 cubic feet) and mixed it into my tilled area (it was the cheapest garden soil bag per cubic feet).  I immediately transplanted the Bonnie plants into my garden.  Here’s the list:

• Red beefsteak tomato
• Parks whopper hybrid tomato Atkinson tomato
• Early girl hybrid tomato
• Better bush hybrid tomato
• Beef master hybrid tomato
• Cherokee purple heirloom tomato
• Big beef hybrid tomato
• Eggplant black beauty
• Ichiban egg Japanese eggplant
• White eggplant
• Giant Marconi sweet pepper
• Big Bertha bell pepper
• Bonnie green bell sweet hybrid pepper
• Yellow bell sweet pepper
• Cayenne hot pepper
• Sweet banana hybrid pepper
• Mammoth jalapeño giant jalapeño pepper
• Yummy bell petite bell pepper
• Arden salsa hot pepper
• Yummy snacking sweet pepper
• Hot banana hybrid pepper
• Allstate strawberries
• Quinalt strawberries
• Sequoia strawberries

Bonnie plants in peat pots, planted.

Side view.

I added 6 plant cages around the eggplants.

Another side view (with plant cages).