Kristie McNealy, MD

Last month, I blogged about my garden, and I’ve decided it would be fun to share updates all season long.  Since I last wrote about it, the garden in both our back and front yard has been flourishing, with the exception of our cucumbers.  I’m not really sure what’s going on with them aside from our nights still being a bit chilly, but none of them have grown much.  As I reflect on our relatively short growing season here in Colorado, I’m beginning to doubt that we’ll see any cucumbers this year.  Who knows, but every time I look at them I’m reminded of the pumpkins we planted two years ago which froze just days after setting their first fruit.

Unfortunately, just as the blossoms on our largest tomato plant (a Mr. Stripey the kids picked out) were opening, we were hit with a massive hailstorm.  We’re talking golf ball sized hail which lasted for about half an hour.

Scary Huge Hail

After the hailstorm, our gardens looked like they’d been attacked by wild animals.  Thankfully, everything seems to be bouncing back, and the tomatoes should have new blossoms any day now.

The mystery seedlings I mentioned in my last post turned out to be turnips.  Radishes popped up a few days later, along an adjacent soaker hose.  The last thing to come up in my back garden were carrots, which surprised us the morning after yet another massive rain storm.  Not that I mind the rain.  Thanks to all the recent storms, I haven’t had to turn my sprinkler system on for the past week.  Between rain, and some saved cooking water, we’ve had everything covered for both garden plots.

Mystery Seedlings Were Turnips

Out front, the corn is between 4 and 8 inches tall, and the sunflowers are a little over a foot.  Pinto beans, pumpkins and zucchini are going strong, along with the onions in our front planter.  The potatoes, which I had nearly lost all hope for, emerged this week and are growing like crazy.  The watermelon will have to get going, otherwise I’m afraid they are going to be overrun by them.  Unfortunately, I lost track of which potatoes the kids planted where, so I guess we’ll be surprised when we harvest them.

Corn

Our garden is organic, and so far we haven’t had any real problem with pests aside from a few bugs chomping on the radish leaves (we picked and ate the last of the first round of radishes this week).  I decided to try to head off some potential problems by planting some marigolds, which are supposed to deter insect pests and soil nematodes.  I certainly hope it works, because I really dislike the scent of marigolds . . .  I also added some basil near my tomato plants, which is said to improve flavor and growth, and repel some insects.

Basil

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