Texas Hill Country Garden

The good news is that I did not have any issues with SVB this year. I grew my squash up a trellis. Zucchini was the tastiest. I recommend growing vertically. I trimmed off the leaves as they got big. It allowed pollinators easier access to the flowers. Also, I think the SVB larvae got cut off before it could reach the stock. Eventually the squash gave in to the heat though, when temps sprung up and fried everything.

The bad news is stink bugs. I first noticed them on the bluebonnet seeds that were forming. They were very little, just out of the larval stage. Then they multiplied and turned into this. This was not a great tomato year. Stink bug damage made dry, thick skinned tomatoes. Wah.

First thing to say here is that the weather this year has been unusual and wonderful. We have had a mild and rainy spring. Wildflowers, veggies and fruit are all doing great. I love this weather!

Below is a pic of our first 3 harvests. It is never this good. No squash vine borer! What?

Also, the table in the pic below is not only great for sitting and enjoying the day. But it is also great for washing veggies. Acts like a giant colander. I just love when things work out like that.

Before and after pics. Squash casserole, made with onion, squash and zucchini from the garden. Recipe is from a good friend.

This next dish is called Calabacita. It is a Mexican dish made with pork, squash, onions, tomatoes and corn.

Here are some pics of veggies on the vine. This rain and mild weather has been incredible!

With all of the rain we have been getting, the vegetables are overgrown

Melons are so cute when they start to form

Carrots – Nantez and a couple of purple ones are coming along. Instead of harvesting all at once, I’m going to harvest a few at a time

I won a pot of annual flowers at a gardening event. Two months later it still looks great. I’ve never really grown annuals. I’m saving this pic and will see if I can reproduce it next year. I’m impressed by the longevity and persistent color. The pic on the left is the pot in May. The right is March.

Here are a couple of annuals I plant…zinnias and fireworks gomphrena. They can take the heat and bloom all year, from April to frost

What is happening in May? With all of this rain and mild weather everything is blooming in May. Sitting outside and listening to the bees and birds, seeing butterflies flitting about, watching lizards and their babies scurrying around. You can really see God everywhere you look. Blessed.

Just when the Climbing blush rose and Anacacho Orchid tree have finished blooming, the Texas Pride of Barbados starts it’s lovely show. It only blooms about 3 weeks in May and if we are lucky, again in June…not nearly as long as it’s orange cousin…but it is more cold hardy and we need that here in the hill country. Cute little purple heart plant underneath with dainty little flowers makes me smile.

Bee balm came back this year like a champ. Hummers love this plant.

Lemon mint stole the show this year. I’ve scattered lemon mint seed in the past, but this year I think every seed I scattered took root. I think the rain washed it into other locations too. This is an inexpensive seed compared to bluebonnet seeds. Plus ten points for that!

Rock rose

Gregg’s Mistflower – a butterfly magnet

Yarrow. A good friend bought this plant so I bought one too. lol. It did not disappoint. Wow.

Rue – all parts of this plant are poisonous. Such a pretty blue gray color and tough as nails. Black swallow tail butterfly lays it’s eggs on this one and it can take it. Propagates easily from seed. This one is a volunteer.

Here are the tiny seedlings in 4 inch pots towards the end of March. I gave one to a friend and planted the other. Tiny but they are tough and were so easy to grow.

May is also when the Crawford lettuce seeds are finally fully formed and ready to put up until it is time to plant again in the fall/winter. Here is what the seed heads look like. I just cut off the ends and shove them into brown paper bags. Been doing this for the last 4ish years. Works great!
Note: The top two pics are ready to collect. The bottom two are what they look like while forming. The lettuce shoots up a tall stalk, flowers, then forms seeds that look similar to a small dandelion head. Bonus is that the bees love the flowers. Go pollinators!

Normally, we grow snow pea for the leaves. They are delicious sautéed with garlic. This year, I planted the seed around January 23rd.

On March 27th, it was just getting going. Growing it up a trellis is a good idea.

Here it is climbing the left hand side of the trellis. It is in full swing on April 21st

Normally we harvest for the leaves, and the plant has burned up from the heat by May. But because of the mild, wet weather we have had this year, the plant has produced snow peas and they are delicious. They were delicious eaten raw and added to other dishes.

Last picture is May1st. If you look at the first pic, you can see how versatile this plant is. You can eat the leaf, the snow pea….AND if you let the snow pea stay on the vine, you can break it open and eat peas. I have never had a fresh pea. They were delicious. Wow.

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