Taller Than Me and Taking Over – July Garden Update

The garden has been pretty interesting and self-sufficient this week; giving lots and only requiring daily watering.  Pretty impressive considering this heat wave Vienna wandered into.

Course, summer would not be summer without our annual unwanted guests – mosquitos! They made the terrace just unbearable in the evening; but I got something good for them.  A few strategically placed Marigolds (Calendula officinalis), Lemon thyme (Thymus citriodorus), and English Lavender (Lavendula angustifolia) should ‘fix their business’ (as we say in The Bahamas – means to resolve a problem for good).  Here’s hoping (I’ll let you know how it goes).  If not, they certainly add beauty to the garden and one more herb for my kitchen.

Folks have been asking about the sweet potato experiment; it’s all in there.  Click on the pictures for a slideshow and ‘narration’ of what’s going on.

Yay, after all the abuse, my fuschia was able to rally and put out new blooms!

The wilderness that is the tomato section. I totally planned the raised bed wrong; they’re blocking the sun from my poor capsicum plants. Oh well, next year.

They’re already taller than me!

The cocktail tomatos are putting out lots of fruit. Will only need one of those plants next year.

Finally the plant in the back was able to hold onto it’s blooms long enough to create fruit. Seems it wasn’t getting enough water so the blooms would shrivel and drop.

Got some balcony tomatos on the way.

Looking forward to harvesting the jalepenos…

as well as the chilies.

The saddest view ever – a bloom (i.e. fruit) lost to negligence. I wasn’t giving due attention while watering.

The ‘Spitzpaprika’ is coming along fine; this one is native to Hungary. Great for grilling.

Even the tiniest of the bunch (bell pepper) is trying to bloom – awww, how cute!

The lettuces were the first to be harvestable and will also be the last. Although, they’re doing this weird growing tall thing. Will definitely have to shade them more next year.

Newly planted ‘Vogerlsalat’ (a type of lettuce I encountered here) should do pretty well in the space vacated by the bolting spinach.

The last of the remaining spinach – never got to eat a leaf! When they weren’t bolting, they were being attached by aphids. Apparantly, something decided to enjoy the first decent leaves I saw from the 10 plants I put down. Oh well, I’ll try again in Fall.

Celery’s fine.

Sunflowers are doing ok in their new spot; although hub’s thinks they’re not getting enough sun. I hope I get to actually see a flower.

Finally gave the Spanish lavender (Lavendula stoechas) a trim; wouldn’t want it going anymore ‘woody’ on me than it is.

I’m so happy to see it putting out shoots on the rather bare side. Hopefully by next year, I’ll be able to shape it into a beautiful, full ball.

Look at the sweet potato go! So many leaves and it’s vining all over my lawn – awesome. However, the proof will be when I dig it up in late fall. Fingers crossed! Oh yeah, the rhubarb is doing fine, steadily growing.

Gave the herb garden a trim, everything’s growing beautifully; so much so, that I was able to gift bouquets of herbs to my neighbors. Added some flowers to the bottom row just to fill them out this year.

Oregano is flourishing so well, it’s trying to put out flowers!

Tarragon is growing like a weed!

Ahhh, my basil is undisturbed and can finally grow in peace.

I need to put in a trellis for the Star Jasmine; can’t have the vines just flopping around like that.

A couple new additions – English Lavender (Lavendula angustifolia).

This beauty smells SOOOOOOO good! I think I might be addicted to it’s sweet scent but mosquitos do not like it so I got two!

Lemon thyme (it really smells just like lemons!)is also detested by mosquitos; so I put one in the little pot vacated by the dead buchsbaum. Can’t wait to try it out on fish and lamb.

Dropped some Marigolds (Calendula officinalis) in the pots on the wall separating my garden from my neighbors. Finally something beautiful for us to look at; much better than dried, dead buchsbaumen.

Hope everyone’s staying cool this weekend!