Sunday, June 29, 2008

Zucchini Surprise and A Solution to the Drought

Well I had a surprise waiting for me when I arrived at Cam's house today. I've been so preoccupied with the garden at my parents' house, and the past week has been especially busy for me, full of birthday parties and a big project I've been working on. I neglected to check on my SFG... To my shock, I found a nice size zucchini had grown out from one of the flowers!

It's not a full size one, but it's a good start. This zucchini had grown from a flower that seemed to never bloom. Each time I checked on it, the flower was closed up. It never opened. I was distraught and thought it was a male flower. But tada.... I was wrong!

Below: First zucchini of the year!

This zucchini plant is the largest in the garden. It was the first one to be planted and has been growing much better than the others. It's located in SFG Box #1 near the tomatoes and carrots. Unlike the other zucchinis, this one never succumbed to horrible disease (the splitting of the stems). I'm so excited... Just think, in a few weeks, I'll be able to harvest this squash and taste it!

Below: Let's not forget Luka, who enjoys hiding in the foliage near the zucchini! She's getting so big. *sighs* Soon she'll no longer be a kitten.

From the looks of the carrots (next to the zucchini), they should be ready to be picked in a month or so. They are just filling up that square. They are growing so slowly though. This might be due to a watering problem--or lack of water--that I've encountered.

Although Cam and I will most likely get married next year, I'm still living in Nashville. So I don't get to come over to visit my SFG as much as I would like. Cam is the one responsible for watering my plants each morning and afternoon. (He is also the financer of my garden project.) Unfortunately, his work has been taking him away and my poor plants have not been getting the amount of water they need to thrive.

But we have solved the watering problem. Becuase the weather isn't cooperating. There was a little bit of rain last night, but light showers. It's been incredibly hot in middle Tennessee... lots of sun and very little rain.

Cam and I have set up a sprinker to water our plants in the mornings and afternoons. It's small, but it does water back and forth and all of the SFG boxes are getting covered with water. I think this will help with the drought problem that my plants are experiencing. Now, they will get their 1 inch of rain a week. Hopefully more.

Below: The new sprinker


8 comments:

Eve said...

I had a problem with my carrots this year. I think it is because I got lazy and bought carrot tape. It doesn't work very well as far as I can tell.
I also had trouble with my sqash. I did get a frist harvest, but after that, they just produced these little tiny things that never grew. I finally pulled them up the other day and planted new ones. I love squash. I hope these produce for me.

Dawn said...

Yum, zucchini! Fried with onion is the way I like it. Water will help so much, we've had too much, nothing in the garden but mushroom! Good luck with the carrots, they like light, airey soil as to root grow.

tina said...

Heck, few weeks? More like a few days for harvest of the zucchini. They grow fast.

DP Nguyen said...

Eve-What exactly is carrot tape? My carrots grow slow, but I hope that when I pull them, they will be fine. I'm sorry about your trouble with the squash. You sound like me--when my zucchini had problems in May, I pulled them up and planted new ones. I do wish you the best of luck with your squash.

Dawn-Oh that sounds so delicious. I'm sorry to hear about your mushroom dilemma. I've had the same in the front water bed, sadly. But the good thing is now they've all died because of the drought. Thanks for the tip about the carrots. I hope i get a good harvest this year.

Tina-wow, I had no idea zucchini grew so fast! I can't wait to pick it!!! I'll wait for a few days then. :-)

Skeeter said...

I need to stop looking at my veggies each day. Then maybe I would find a zuck like this! LOL. I am with Tina, you better keep an eye on that thing as it will be ready in a few days not a week! I am so happy for your discovery!!! Congrats on getting married also! Luka looks so pretty hiding under the green foliage! My two are hiding under a blanket laying on the Futon as I type!

Gail said...

The Zucchini looks ready to pick to me...they are tasty when smaller...

Gail

DP Nguyen said...

Skeeter- I want to look at the garden every day too! it's addicting! When you are away from it, its so refreshing to see how much its changed! Cats are so cute when they are hiding!

Gail-I'll have to see if small zucchini taste better than larger ones!

Frances, said...

Hi DP, your garden is having many successes. We found a larger zuchinni and cucumber on ours too, probably a result of recent rain. We like to pick both small, and the green beans too. Carrot tape is seeds afixed to a biodegradable paper at the proper spacing so you just plant the tape in a line, less thinning and loss of produce that way. Some people swear by it. My carrots look like yours, and are nowhere near ready to harvest, they grow very slowly, unlike the squash and beans. I am thinking of planting another batch of something, there is space where the garlic was. Maybe I can find some more pepper plants. Your sprinkler will help I think. Good luck!