What's going on in your garden (2023)?

[Rocklobster]

Hard work in the heat deserves beer. Consider yourself exonerated from all guilt
What's "Chow", by the way?
I've read Rascal talking about "sammys with chow", and I've seen something called "chow chow" in American supermarkets, but for me it's mustard pickle - piccalilli. Is it the same thing?

It's a green tomato relish made with the left over tomatoes that don't ripen at the end of the season. Quite simple to make..A bit of prep, then vinegar, sugar, salt and pickling spice. For some reason we called it Chow Chow...I guess it was so good we had to name it twice..

 

[Herbaceous]

Here you go Morning Glory - couple of pics of moonflower blooms from my cottage. They open around 6 pm.

 

[Morning Glory]

Here you go Morning Glory - couple of pics of moonflower blooms from my cottage. They open around 6 pm.
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How lovely - I wish I could smell the perfume.

My Morning Glory flowers started opening yesterday. I'll grab a photo tomorrow to post.

 

[Windigo]

No Garden to speak of here but I have got some potted herbs and my seeds are sprouting! The first plants I ever grew in my life the seeds are parsley, chives, dill, and mint.

 

[Rocklobster]

Another small batch of salsa. I think I made this one too hot. I put some jalapeno, habanero and red chili in it. I may have to eat this batch by myself.

 

[caseydog]

Another small batch of salsa. I think I made this one too hot. I put some jalapeno, habanero and red chili in it. I may have to eat this batch by myself.

Oh, how awful.

CD

 

[MypinchofItaly]

Now I'm not known for having a green thumb, but my home-grown basil is disproving me resoundingly!

Luck? Planets in alignment? Magic?

 

[TastyReuben]

Now I'm not known for having a green thumb, but my home-grown basil is disproving me resoundingly!

Luck? Planets in alignment? Magic?

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Yours looks better than mine:

Mine always grows washed out in color. The internet says that’s from too little water…or too much water…or nutrient-poor soil..or soil that’s too nutrient-rich. Make up your mind, internet!

Either way, I need to be making some pesto soon, and note the happy little goldenrod bugs hanging out in the basil!

 

[LissaC]

MypinchofItaly I don't mean to rain on your parade, but I'm a disaster with house plants (mostly because I never water them, and don't tend to them, and basically forget that they exist, then get upset when they die on me), and I had really good success with basil. It was the only plant I could successfully keep at home and that didn't die on me. I had to toss in the trash, because I'm not that much a fan of basil, and I couldn't use it as fast as it was growing, and I had more basil than I would ever be able to deal with, so I decided to give up on basil (usually, it's the house plants that give up on me).

 

[TastyReuben]

I had to toss in the trash, because I'm not that much a fan of basil, and I couldn't use it as fast as it was growing

I sort of had that issue, but with my entire herb garden (chives, oregano, sage, parsley, rosemary, thyme, and basil) - it produces far, far more than I could ever use.

I was actually starting to develop some real anxiety around the whole thing, because I was constantly trying to figure out how to work all these fresh herbs into the relatively small amount of cooking I do, since I average one meal a day for two people. It’s like the herb garden was pressuring me to use every bit of it.

I was drying them, freezing them, putting them on sandwiches, pawning them off on neighbors (who refused to take them), making butters and oils, and it wasn’t enough, and I also wasn’t using what I’d saved (I still have frozen basil cubes from two years ago in my freezer!).

Finally, I just told myself, “Self…just appreciate the herb garden for what it is…a sort of pretty green spot that you can occasionally eat from, and the wildlife seems to enjoy it, too.”

Now I feel a lot better about it.

 

[caseydog]

Now I'm not known for having a green thumb, but my home-grown basil is disproving me resoundingly!

Luck? Planets in alignment? Magic?

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That is some good looking basil. Luck? Planets? How about rain? Basil is not hard to grow, but mine has struggled terribly this year due to excessive heat, and no rain.

CD

 

[MypinchofItaly]

That is some good looking basil. Luck? Planets? How about rain? Basil is not hard to grow, but mine has struggled terribly this year due to excessive heat, and no rain.

CD

It depends on the soil, the climate, how much water to give it and exposure to the sun. I have never managed to grow it (or keep it alive) for more than a week. Yet this time against all odds I did it and I still can't explain it since it went two weeks without water, hellish heat and perennial sun exposure while I was on holiday.
He did it on purpose.

 

[caseydog]

It depends on the soil, the climate, how much water to give it and exposure to the sun. I have never managed to grow it (or keep it alive) for more than a week. Yet this time against all odds I did it and I still can't explain it since it went two weeks without water, hellish heat and perennial sun exposure while I was on holiday.
He did it on purpose.

I manage to grow it every summer here in Texas, where high temperatures and little rain are common. I do have to water my herb garden every day. This summer has been hotter and dryer than most, so my basil doesn't look pretty like yours, but it still tastes fine.

CD

 

[MypinchofItaly]

I manage to grow it every summer here in Texas, where high temperatures and little rain are common. I do have to water my herb garden every day. This summer has been hotter and dryer than most, so my basil doesn't look pretty like yours, but it still tastes fine.

CD

I guess mine was just luck

 

[Rocklobster]

So much parsley this year. Chilis, onions, garlic, did ok. Lost some to rot due to too much rain and the crappy clay soil back there. Did up some Chimichurri. Gonna try and freeze some.