Good Morning! I apologize for not posting in a while. I have been busy in the garden, among life's other callings. I have to share that my garden has taken on another life of its own. The hot weather down here in South Texas has caused me to "rethink" my garden in many ways. I jumped in full body and planted a lot of vegetables in the spring that just did not make it.
I have come to understand that just because you can, does not mean you should. Should you want to then do it, as it is always good to try. Just keep in mind that it might mean a change, but that change does not have to be a bad endeavor.
I have come to understand that just because you can, does not mean you should. Should you want to then do it, as it is always good to try. Just keep in mind that it might mean a change, but that change does not have to be a bad endeavor.
Change Can Be Good Right?
I eat a plant based diet, and with that I had these big grandeur plans for my garden.
"I will grow what I eat," She exclaimed!
It wasn't long before I realized that not all plans work out as planned. I had Googled hours on how to grow vegetables.
I even learned some permaculture principals and by Job I was going to apply as many as my little hands could get her hands on. No small space is going to keep me down. I got this!
I had built worm towers for goodness sake! I touched those red, wiggly, compost worms and fed them weekly!
Surely my plans will turn out!
Then it happened! The hot temperatures of the South Texas kicked in! Many vegetables, no matter how much I watered, could not withstand the temps down here in the valley. I then began to worry I would not be able to grow enough greens for my diet.
Happily...I was so wrong. I soon found a well kept secret.
There are three vegetables/fruit that love the heat. It is Malabar Spinach, Watermelon, Sweet Potato's, and Cucumbers! However the Cucumbers did give up the ghost by the end of June.
I do have to give those awesome Cucumbers a big shout out! They produced mega amounts of Cucumbers and I could not eat them fast enough. I was able to share the abundance with my neighbors and for that I was so thankful.
As you can see from the picture above, I pruned some sweet potato vines. While it looks like a lot, they cooked down quite well. I read where they were edible! You can imagine how happy this made me. The best part of the sweet potato vines is they love the heat. We have got up to 105 degrees and they love it! I water them about every other day.
Please check out the awesome recipe below!
"I will grow what I eat," She exclaimed!
It wasn't long before I realized that not all plans work out as planned. I had Googled hours on how to grow vegetables.
I even learned some permaculture principals and by Job I was going to apply as many as my little hands could get her hands on. No small space is going to keep me down. I got this!
I had built worm towers for goodness sake! I touched those red, wiggly, compost worms and fed them weekly!
Surely my plans will turn out!
Then it happened! The hot temperatures of the South Texas kicked in! Many vegetables, no matter how much I watered, could not withstand the temps down here in the valley. I then began to worry I would not be able to grow enough greens for my diet.
Happily...I was so wrong. I soon found a well kept secret.
There are three vegetables/fruit that love the heat. It is Malabar Spinach, Watermelon, Sweet Potato's, and Cucumbers! However the Cucumbers did give up the ghost by the end of June.
I do have to give those awesome Cucumbers a big shout out! They produced mega amounts of Cucumbers and I could not eat them fast enough. I was able to share the abundance with my neighbors and for that I was so thankful.
As you can see from the picture above, I pruned some sweet potato vines. While it looks like a lot, they cooked down quite well. I read where they were edible! You can imagine how happy this made me. The best part of the sweet potato vines is they love the heat. We have got up to 105 degrees and they love it! I water them about every other day.
Please check out the awesome recipe below!
Sweet Potato Leaf Stir-fry
Remove leaves from stems. Cut stems about an half inch. Cut leaves to small portions. Wash well.
In a wok or fry pan add a little olive oil, peeled and chopped garlic, green onion, one tomato, one small potato, shredded carrot, and began to cook on med to low heat.
Add the stems first and cook about five minutes.
Add sweet potato leaves and they will cook down pretty fast.
You can also add chicken, shrimp, or pork, if you want to add meat.
I believe adding the meat to the pan at first will add flavor.
One of two tsp of Soy sauce, salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste.
In a wok or fry pan add a little olive oil, peeled and chopped garlic, green onion, one tomato, one small potato, shredded carrot, and began to cook on med to low heat.
Add the stems first and cook about five minutes.
Add sweet potato leaves and they will cook down pretty fast.
You can also add chicken, shrimp, or pork, if you want to add meat.
I believe adding the meat to the pan at first will add flavor.
One of two tsp of Soy sauce, salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste.
Transformation Can Be a Good Thing
| This picture is a transformation of my flower and vegetable garden. I love using the straw as it makes the soil so rich underneath. I now have a lot of succulents and desert flowers which need very little water. I still use my rain barrels and composter. Recently my Cucumbers came to an end, but they hung in there all spring until the end of June, growing an abundance of Cucumbers. I will plant them again in the fall, and praying for a great harvest. |  |
Sweet Surprises
This precious baby was found under some straw. We placed the sweet bunny outside the garden for Momma and it was not long before she came for her.
This is a picture of my Malabar Spinach, which is growing around and up on an arbor I built. It is a beautiful plant and I just love to watch it grow. I do feed its vine through the wire as it does have a mind of its own.
The bugs do not bother this plant at all! I water every other day. It is a heat loving plant. This by far is one of my favorite plants.
I moved my Cucumber container to the very back with its wooden arbor structure. It made it possible to see the garden to the very back from the porch with out taking up so much room or obstructing the view. This is what I meant about transformation and forever changing.
Some times we have to rethink design.
Recently, after pulling my Cucumber plants, I emptied my composter with all its rich, organic, material to the planter and covered with soil. This soil should be super charged for the new plants in the fall.
The bugs do not bother this plant at all! I water every other day. It is a heat loving plant. This by far is one of my favorite plants.
I moved my Cucumber container to the very back with its wooden arbor structure. It made it possible to see the garden to the very back from the porch with out taking up so much room or obstructing the view. This is what I meant about transformation and forever changing.
Some times we have to rethink design.
Recently, after pulling my Cucumber plants, I emptied my composter with all its rich, organic, material to the planter and covered with soil. This soil should be super charged for the new plants in the fall.
In the picture above you can see the sweet potato vines in the back. I pray the potato's will be ready to go in the fall. I have tried to grow potato's down here in the valley but did not have much luck. I am not going to sweat it though as I read that the leaves have more nutrition than the potato itself without the sugar, carbs, and calories. A win win for sure!
I also have many herbs that do beautiful in the heat such as Oregano, Basil, Garlic Chives, Lemon Balm, Lemon Grass, and Rosemary.
I also have many herbs that do beautiful in the heat such as Oregano, Basil, Garlic Chives, Lemon Balm, Lemon Grass, and Rosemary.
Change can be a good thing, transformation is refreshing at times, if we stay open to new ideas.
Thank you so much for sharing in my garden adventure. I do hope it has given you a few ideas for your own small space. I also want to encourage you not to feel like a failure should your garden or what ever your dream may be, not live up to your expectations at this moment in time. I do believe with a little love, a few tweaks here and there, it will become all you dreamed and more.
Hubby Update!
On a side note, my husband has been working on his eBay channel on YouTube. We have always had our store RK Treasure Center through eBay, but it had lay dormant for a time. It is now up and running. He is trying his luck on some retail videos.
We both have come to realize, I love my gardening and writing, but do not care for doing videos so much. He loves treasure hunting and marketing his finds via YouTube but he is not so much interesting in the garden.
The best intentions are never wrong, they just may need tweaking at times. I have to admit we have done a lot of tweaking to get where we feel comfortable.
Retirement gave us a clean slate but it took us some time to figure it all out.
So if you get a chance, please check out his new channel. I no longer have my YouTube channel. I just realized I am more of a writer behind the scenes kind of person verses being in the spot light. I have never been a great promoter...so I am humbled that you have even stopped by and read our blog. Thank you!
Until we meet again!
God bless
Roy and Kimmie
www.ebay.com/str/rktreasurecenter
Hubby Update!
On a side note, my husband has been working on his eBay channel on YouTube. We have always had our store RK Treasure Center through eBay, but it had lay dormant for a time. It is now up and running. He is trying his luck on some retail videos.
We both have come to realize, I love my gardening and writing, but do not care for doing videos so much. He loves treasure hunting and marketing his finds via YouTube but he is not so much interesting in the garden.
The best intentions are never wrong, they just may need tweaking at times. I have to admit we have done a lot of tweaking to get where we feel comfortable.
Retirement gave us a clean slate but it took us some time to figure it all out.
So if you get a chance, please check out his new channel. I no longer have my YouTube channel. I just realized I am more of a writer behind the scenes kind of person verses being in the spot light. I have never been a great promoter...so I am humbled that you have even stopped by and read our blog. Thank you!
Until we meet again!
God bless
Roy and Kimmie
www.ebay.com/str/rktreasurecenter
RSS Feed
