Peek in the Greenhouse

Things are exploding in the greenhouse.

If memory serves, i think Eliot Coleman mentioned that every time you cover a crop, you increase your USDA Hardiness by one zone.  In my greenhouse, it's like Nachitoches, Louisiana.  Which is a good thing for this bean and tomato lovin' family, because outside, it's gray, soggy, and chilly...Seattle's infamous June-uary is in full swing.

Every time i swing open the door to the greenhouse, it's like Christmas morning.

And by that, i mean presents on the inside and temperatures on the outside.

Candy Onions, Purple Cherokee toms, and
 French Breakfast and Watermelon radishes with
what appears to be volunteer purslane

 For the most part, the slugs have left my lettuces alone in here.  Those i do find, i hand pluck and deliver to the ducks as their disgestives for their favourite afternoon apertif, freshly drawn kiddy-pool water. :)

Jericho romaine lettuce

 I am experimenting with the tomatoes. 

On a couple of plants, i've been trying my hand at playing a nice, friendly bee who loves pollinating tomato flowers.  The rest i am leaving to nature, to see if my pollinating skills are really, truely needed.  As if i don't have enough to do in the day, already, eh?

Jericho with flowering Purple Cherokee tom

 In writing this, i realised just how many experiments i have going on.

This is an experimental zucchini.  I want to see if it succombs to gray mold quicker than being planted outside.  If not, this squash eating family will be very happy.  We've recently started substituting sauteed zucchini squash for noodles wth our spaghetti sauce.

Cocozelle squash

 The same gray mold experiment is running on the beans too.

Also looking to see if the beans will actually dry in a greenhouse.

One strike greenhouse growing has had with these was their stunting from attacks by slugs and what seemed to be pill bugs too.  They devoured half of the plants that sprouted, the buggers. :)

Ireland Creek Annie beans

 Nothing is really going on outside.

Moose rototilled in May, but since the ground has been so soggy.

The potatoe trenches he planted on a dry day quickly filled with water after one storm and stayed that way for a week, so we are preparing ourselves for no potato harvest this year.

The tee pees are made from bamboo grown on the property.

They are awaiting warmer temps and sowings of green beans.

Happily finding edibles around the garden that don't require much of our efforts.

These blueberries came with the house.  They are planted near the pond.  We have never seen blueberries so prolific.  Thankfully, we have about 6 bushes like this.

The apples are starting to fill out too.  Someone suggested spraying with Bt this year, but i am going to take our chances, because the majourity of the apples are planted near the pond.  The Bt not only kills the apple maggots and other apple pests, but also the dragonflies and catapillers.  The hummingbirds are just staring to move into the area, and their are many birds making nests in the willows by the pond.  I wouldn't want to kill off their buggy meals.

We also have a ton of grape flowers!

Hoping every single bunch gets pollinated! 

We may need a freezer just for grapes.  Ha.

Take that, store bought grapes at $5 per pound!! :)