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Home ยป Gardening

First Full Spring Garden Update – It’s started!

By: Pamela Reed
Posted:5/27/14
Updated:5/27/14

 Are you guys ready for the first big garden update of the year? I sure am! 

So let’s dive in and see how the garden is looking in the beginning months of growing season.  All these pictures were taken on Sunday where we did a full day of hard garden work (while lathering on SPF 1 million).   This post is picture heavy as I’m going to take you on a full tour and introduce you to every single vegetable we’re growing.  Besides my usual harvest posts I’m going to continue to do full garden updates about every 2 weeks so make sure you keep checking back to watch  their progress!

Garden Update 5_25_14
We were just planting radish seeds and now they’re ready to be eaten.  Expect a radish harvest post very soon!

Garden Update 5_25_14_2
Here are the 5 gallon buckets that house the strawberry plants.  The winter was pretty harsh on the strawberries so it’s nice to see them finally looking strawberry lovely again.  I’m interested in trying to grow more in the strawberry family so we just got ourselves a raspberry plant to test out.  Because it takes a while… check back next year for a update, hahaha.

Garden Update 5_25_14_4
This 8 feet long container used to house carrots, kale and onions but it’s totally turned into the kale crazy  container.  As you can see there are 6 growing kale plants already but there are 12 more babies growing there.  How did this happen?  Well there were baby kales that just popped up and Mama Kale can’t say goodbye.. so more kale for us!

Garden Update 5_25_14_5
Beautiful kale babes. I say beautiful alot in Garden Update posts. I can’t control myself.

Garden Update 5_25_14_6
This is just a ton of onions.  They all look pretty great.  

Garden Update 5_25_14_7
Now on to the Sugar Snap Peas – yeah!  I mentioned in a past post that we went Sugar Snap Pea wild this year and are growing 3 boxes.  So far the box all the way in the back is winning the race on who will grow to the top first. This is Sugar Snap Pea Papa helping his peas climb to the top.

Garden Update 5_25_14_8
These are the other 2 boxes that are beginning to take off and have begun climbing up the tall fence.  Grow peas grow!

Garden Update 5_25_14_9
I love how the peas naturally attach themselves and grow.  It makes my heart pitter patter with garden happiness. 

Garden Update 5_25_14_11
In one of the Sugar Snap Peas we have a bunch of lettuce heads growing up front. The lettuce grew absolutely amazing this Spring and I will be doing a full post on their beauty and amazingness very soon as it’s currently Lettucepalozza 2014 at our house. 

Garden Update 5_25_14_12
Lettuce you rule.  Really.

Garden Update 5_25_14_13
I mean seriously look at you bushy green beauties! *Does the lettuce dance*.

Garden Update 5_25_14_14
You read about a bok choy harvest last week but here’s 6 more plants.   Cutting the outside leaves was a great idea as the plants are growing back nicely again.

Garden Update 5_25_14_17
Now let’s look at some of my favorites (shhhhh)…. broccoli and cauliflower!

Garden Update 5_25_14_18
The broccoli is starting to grow.  Hoping we’ll be able to harvest in 2-3 weeks.

Garden Update 5_25_14_20
All the broccoli plants have heads on them! The cauliflower isn’t visible yet but I looked around and saw their baby heads that I just stared at adoringly.

Garden Update 5_25_14_19
About this time in the garden a lady bug flew at me and landed on my face making me scream as I thought it was a spider (the horror!).  Then after I learned it was a ladybug I felt horrible.  We then placed her in the broccoli and I apologized to her a million times.

Garden Update 5_25_14_22
OH YEAH! Tomato and pepper time!  We have tomatoes and peppers in 2 different sets.  This is set 1.  The 3 containers in the back are beef and roma tomatoes.  The 2 containers up front are pepper plants, both jalapeno and bell pepper plants. 

Garden Update 5_25_14_23
This is a beautiful Roma tomato plant.   You are so lovely. You will turn into delicious salsa. 

Garden Update 5_25_14_25
This is section 2.  The plants in the top left are cherry tomato plants.  The plants in the top right are more pepper plants.  The plants in the bottom right are tomatillos!

Garden Update 5_25_14_26
3 bushy cherry tomato plants! Can’t wait to get these tomatoes growing so I can just throw them in my mouth nonstop.

Garden Update 5_25_14_24
I can’t believe we grew this many peppers this year.  I really can’t.

Garden Update 5_25_14_27
We usually have 1 container of 3 pepper plants and this year we have 3 containers of 12 plants.  It’s because we couldn’t kill the seedlings.  Our hearts are too big.

Garden Update 5_25_14_28
This is the first year growing tomatillo plants.  Right now we have 3 growing and there will be 3 more added from downstairs when they’re ready for the heat.

Garden Update 5_25_14_29
This section here are seedlings that were just transplanted.  We put up this fabric to harden them off as the sun is very harsh to new plants.  What’s underneath?

Garden Update 5_25_14_30
We have 2 pumpkin plants, also favorites (shhhh).

Garden Update 5_25_14_31
Then a bunch of cucumber and watermelon plants.   Soon cantaloupes will be added!

Garden Update 5_25_14_1
And just to show some love, some people ask me if we grow flowers in the garden.  The answer is not really as we stick to vegetables but I wanted to show you the flowers we do grow.  

PMGarden
We recently added a Forsythia bush to our garden.  At first we thought this could possibly be too big for the garden but then we thought… nah! Let’s do it!

Garden May 11 2014_18
This lovely fellow was planted with love.  Grow strong!

Garden Update 5_25_14_16
This is our azalea that is a few years old.  She’s always so pretty.

Garden Update 5_25_14_15
And then this is my favorite girl (shhhh), rhododendron.  I picked her out one year specifically because she had a giant arm hanging off one side.  Matthew scoured at me because I always pick the most quirky looking plants (also Christmas trees) but he loves her just as much as me now.

Garden May 11 2014_9
Also who knew Brussels Sprouts plants produced such beautiful flowers!  I would almost grow them just for the flowers…

I grow Brussels Sprouts for the flowers, aren't they gorgeous? Vegetable flowers! #brusselssprouts #vegetables #flowers #bouquet #home #garden #gardenchat #citygarden #urbanfarming #plant
Aren’t they just beauties?  Half vegetables, half flowers, all gorgeous.

Garden Update 5_25_14_32

Garden Update 5_25_14_3

 Hope you guys enjoyed the first full garden update of the year!  Let me know in the comments what your garden looks like and what you’re growing!

Happy gardening everyone!

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  1. Sophie says

    June 2, 2014 at 12:43 pm

    Your garden is looking just stunning! Your veggies grow, grow, grow bigger each day!!
    My pea plants have failed me,…big sigh! ๐Ÿ™ From my 15 plants , I have had only 25 peas,…I have growing snow peas for the moment & they are doing well! Your pea plants, tomato plants, pepper plants are all doing very well!

    Radishes are great now too & you can use the green toppings to make a lovely alternative pesto! x

    Reply
    • Pamela says

      June 2, 2014 at 2:15 pm

      Thanks Sophie! Sorry to hear about your pea plants… wishing you have better luck with the snow peas! Can’t wait to hear more on your garden progress!

      Reply
  2. Chandriga says

    June 1, 2014 at 11:30 pm

    You guys are just amazing gardeners.

    Reply
  3. Karen (Back Road Journal) says

    May 30, 2014 at 8:45 am

    Your rooftop garden looks amazingโ€ฆyou are truly inspiring. I can’t imagine what you would grow if you had a large piece of land in the country. ๐Ÿ™‚ My shallots, peppers and herbs were planted last week, half of my tomatoes went into the ground yesterday and the other half will be planted today. I have my fingers crossed that we don’t get the hailstorms they are predicting or my garden could be in tatters.

    Reply
  4. Amy @ Elephant Eats says

    May 29, 2014 at 3:36 pm

    I am always SO IMPRESSED by your garden. It’s really incredible what you grow up on that roof of yours. Awesome!!!

    Reply
  5. GiGi Eats says

    May 29, 2014 at 12:35 pm

    OH YAY!!! I totally wish I had a little garden! It’s so fun to pick and eat the foods you grow! I think I want a cherry tomato tree! ๐Ÿ˜‰

    Reply
  6. Cindy @ Pick Fresh Foods says

    May 29, 2014 at 12:13 am

    Pamela, I just love your garden!! You have one amazing green thumb ๐Ÿ˜€ I planted some seedlings, then it snowed. Poor babies didn’t make it. I’ve had to start again and now I don’t think I have much before the season ends.

    Reply
  7. Katie says

    May 28, 2014 at 8:19 pm

    I love this!! I just transplanted a few (early) tomatoes, brocooli, and cauliflower today. There’s now one full bed, and 7 containers of veggies outside! I still haven’t transplanted any summer or winter squashes, but that is on the agenda for the weekend, because it is supposed to get down into the 40s for the next few nights. I’m so ready for the nonstop heat that me and the tomatoes and basil and cucumber LOVE.

    bring it.

    Reply
  8. Laura @ Lauras Baking Talent says

    May 28, 2014 at 12:21 pm

    Your garden looks absolutely amazing! Thanks for sharing the pics.

    Reply
  9. Anna says

    May 28, 2014 at 9:47 am

    What are you feeding your Kale? Mine seems to grow SOoooo slowly, i reckon Id get one feed out of it if I used it now. Does the size of the pot matter? Your garden look amazing. Excited to watch it grow.

    Reply
  10. Monica says

    May 28, 2014 at 9:27 am

    This is really inspiring! I mean…you grow your own broccoli?! Thanks in part to your inspiration, I am the proud owner of 3 pots of herbs right now – basil, parsley, and thyme. Miraculously, they are still alive (it’s been a few weeks since Mother’s Day). : ) I’m just trying to figure out how to prune them properly!

    Reply
  11. Aimee / WallflowerGirl.co.uk says

    May 28, 2014 at 9:11 am

    So inspiring <3

    Reply
  12. Melanie @ Carmel Moments says

    May 28, 2014 at 8:46 am

    Wow. Everything looks so green and amazing. I’m still so impressed that this is all grown on a rooftop. You rock! Love the updates. Keep em coming!
    Have a wonderful Wednesday!

    Reply
  13. Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella says

    May 28, 2014 at 1:38 am

    My goodness that is SO impressive! I would love a green thumb but I manage to kill almost everything. Clearly that is nor your issue at all! ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
  14. Ashley @ Wishes & Dishes says

    May 28, 2014 at 1:16 am

    So jealous of your garden!! Everything looks like it’s coming in nicely!

    Reply
  15. ela@GrayApron says

    May 28, 2014 at 1:07 am

    What a great looking roof garden, Pamela! Makes me happy just looking at it. Those brussels sprout flowers look beautiful!

    ela h.

    Reply
  16. Samina | The Cupcake Confession says

    May 28, 2014 at 12:20 am

    *-* *-* *-* IN.ABSOLUTE.AWE! This is suchhhhhhh an awesome garden update post!!!! I thoroughlllllyyy enjoyed reading through it and can’t wait for the next update! I can only imagine the sheer effort that goes into growing these babies and you guys are doing such a fab job! TOTALLY inspired! When I get a place of my own, I’m also going to consider growing my own garden! <3 Love it!

    Reply
  17. cheri says

    May 27, 2014 at 11:44 pm

    HI Pamela, your garden looks amazing, we just arrived at our house in Oregon and last year before we left we planted Peruvian potatoes, today I just harvested them, they are small and red, now I have to figure out the best way to fix them.

    Reply
  18. Shashi @ RunninSrilankan says

    May 27, 2014 at 9:32 pm

    Pamela – WOW- just WOW!!! Your garden is truly amazing – I have 3 boxes in the ground and mine look nothing like yours – you, my friend, have a very green thumb ๐Ÿ™‚
    Your broccoli looks awesome – WOW! And those radishes – WOW! And all on a rooftop! TRIPLE WOW!

    Reply
    • Pamela says

      May 27, 2014 at 11:34 pm

      Awww thanks Shashi! We had some radishes for dinner tonight and they were delicious! Can’t wait to get those broccoli heads picked!

      Reply
  19. Norma Chang says

    May 27, 2014 at 7:29 pm

    Do you need to protect the strawberries in the winter?

    Reply
    • Pamela says

      May 27, 2014 at 8:54 pm

      This winter was especially brutal so the strawberries need to be covered. Usually mulch or some type of row cover fabric does the trick.

      Reply
  20. Norma Chang says

    May 27, 2014 at 7:27 pm

    Thanks for the garden tour everything is growing so well and looking wonderful. I noticed you only do containers, I am surprised that the azaleas and rhododendron survived the winter in containers.
    It is so much warmer where you are even though you are only about 2 1/2 hours south of us. What is your planting zone?
    Expecting nighttime temp in the low 40’s tomorrow night, and cold again Saturday night. Tomatoes, peppers and eggplants will have to wait until June 1 to go into the garden.

    Reply
    • Pamela says

      May 27, 2014 at 8:56 pm

      My rhododendron and azaleas are a few years old now so I like to think of them as seasoned Winter rooftop veterans! We’re about 2 weeks later on everything compared to the last few years due to the weather but it’s nice to see everything set up and ready to go now. We’re in 6B.

      Reply
  21. Suzanne says

    May 27, 2014 at 7:09 pm

    Spectacular, honestly so amazing. You will have a windfall of fresh vegetables this year.

    Reply
    • Pamela says

      May 27, 2014 at 8:53 pm

      Thanks Suzanne! I hope so!

      Reply
  22. Mary Frances says

    May 27, 2014 at 5:49 pm

    How exciting to have your very own veggies to cook with. Everything looks like it’s doing great so far.

    Reply
    • Pamela says

      May 27, 2014 at 8:52 pm

      Thanks Mary! It’s always a exciting time to watch them start small.

      Reply
  23. David @ Spiced says

    May 27, 2014 at 5:37 pm

    Wowzers! Can I just tell you how impressed I am with your garden. It looks amazing! Your little veggies are so much further along than ours, and we’re planting in the ground. Awesome job!!

    Reply
    • Pamela says

      May 27, 2014 at 8:52 pm

      Thanks David! Look forward to watching your progress too!

      Reply
  24. Laurie says

    May 27, 2014 at 12:45 pm

    Loving the update! Everything is so ‘beautiful’! ๐Ÿ™‚ I have planted strawberries and asparagus and a bunch of different herbs so far but my tomatoes, corn and cucumbers have yet to make it in the ground! First, too cold, then too hot, and now, Thank GOD it has rained here in drought country and the ground is super muddy! But it will dry out and I’m planting them no matter what! Gotta love gardening!!

    Reply
    • Pamela says

      May 27, 2014 at 2:10 pm

      Look forward to hearing how those tomatoes, corn and cucumbers grow! This is the first year we’re not growing corn so I’m going to live through your adventures!

      Reply
  25. Jamie | Jamie's Recipes says

    May 27, 2014 at 11:59 am

    This made my heart so happy! I am seriously lacking in my gardening endeavors this year –like I haven’t planted anything yet (the horror!). All my attention has been focused on my kitchen remodel.

    I am going to have to head to the garden center and purchase some cheater tomatoes, peppers, and the like.

    Reply
    • Pamela says

      May 27, 2014 at 12:17 pm

      Happy hearts! Grow those tomatoes Jamie! Can’t wait to see your kitchen reveal either!

      Reply
  26. Mohanapriya says

    May 27, 2014 at 11:02 am

    Wow your garden looks tidy and clean. I’m just starting to grow some vegetables. Will try to make it look like yours(Not sure though) . So Beautiful! Why don’t you left the flowers of the brussel sprouts to have some seeds. What is the name of the plastic wrap you are using? mine is so thin and the wind is easily tearing up the sheets. And thank you for posting this wonderful update…………..

    Reply
    • Pamela says

      May 27, 2014 at 11:07 am

      Hello! Are you referring to the wind/sun blocker fabric we use to cover the plants? Or the plastic we use on top of the containers? Let me know!

      Reply

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