Square Foot Garden Update 4

YEEHAW!!! The square foot garden went vertical this week. That's right, I built a trellis to support the sugar snap peas and bush beans that were planted last week and are really taking off.

I worried the wire cages wouldn't be high enough for them so I constructed a 5 1/2 foot tall trellis out of:

2- 10 foot sections of 1/2 inch electrical conduit
2- 4 foot sections rebar
2- 1/2 inch PVC plumbing T connectors
1- Nylon vegetable netting (5' x 8')

It turned out great!

The trellis (back) made from electrical conduit

I used 1/2" PVC "T" connectors to attach the upright

4 foot sections of rebar hold the posts up

Bush beans and sugar snap peas next to the nylon netting. Looking good!

I transplanted several cantaloupe seedlings around the raised beds this week

Squash!!

Corn!

More stir fry with fresh bok choy and edamame

Well that's it for this update. Thanks for following along!

Square Foot Garden Update 3

Well, it's been another couple weeks of low stress square foot gardening! I'm loving this stuff. The major activity this weekend was thinning radishes and leaf lettuce which have really thickened up due to all the great weather we've had lately. Very therapeutic....

Since the last update, I went to the local home improvement store and bought 3 tomato cages. I'll use the heavier/taller cages made out of the wire cloth material on the cucumber, beans, and sugar snap peas. I figure the taller cages will provide those climbing plants more space to spread out and grow.

I also managed to plant bush beans, sugar snap peas, and cantaloupe seeds in a plastic container tray. The seedlings have sprouted and should be ready for transplanting soon. YIIPPEE!


Seedlings are looking nice!


My gardening buddy- Tucker


Look! A tiny squash!


Corn stalks are coming along nicely


Thinning the leaf lettuce. I gotta bowl full!


Bok Choy!!!!


Kim and I decided to try a stir fry with the some of the fresh bok choy leaves from the garden. Hey, it turned out pretty darn good. Take a look.

Kim and Marc's Totally Improvised Wilted Bok Choy with Shrimp Stir Fry Recipe:

- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 or 2 cloves garlic minced
- Dash of fresh ginger grated
- 2 carrots sliced
- 1 small red pepper diced
- 4-5 mushrooms sliced
- 1 bunch bok choy, sliced crosswise into half inch thick slices
- 1/2 lb (+) peeled fresh shrimp
- Low sodium soy sauce
- Splash of water
- 1/4 cup (+) cashew pieces as topping

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and ginger, saute 1 minute. Add carrots and red pepper, saute 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and bok choy and cook until until bok choy stalks are tender-crisp and leaves are wilted.

Push all ingredients to side of pan and add shrimp to middle (add a splash of water or soy sauce if pan is too dry). Cook shrimp until pink then stir all ingredients well to combine.

Arrange over steamed rice on plates and top with cashews just before serving.

Wine pairing suggestions:
Fume/Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, or Chardonnay

Beer pairing suggestions:
Pilsner, Light Lager, or your favorite Hefeweizen
_____________________________

Stuff made from your own garden always tastes better..........

Enjoy your week.

Square Foot Garden Update 2

The weather was perfect this past weekend to play in the garden! What amazes me about the whole "Square Foot Garden thing" is actually how little time is spent tending to it and that's good news for the urban gardener.

Kim and I stopped by Roundtree Plantation Greenhouses on Saturday and picked up more plants. Kim got a variety of flowers and herbs for the yard while I focused on more vegetables. We were happy with our haul.

Building more cages for the tomatoes and cucumbers

Tucker (upper) had a friend over to visit. Meet Fritzy the collie!

New Big Beef Tomatoe, Burpless Cucumber, Yellow Squash, and Eggplants added (right)

Two Sweet Pepper Plants (The Pak Choi next to the Marigold is exploding!)

The Radishes are Growing Great!

Things to do:

** Repair leaky hose

** Seed bush beans, cantelope, and sugar snap peas for transplanting later