Summer Garden 2016

Garden 2016 - Plants Galore
Photos by Susan Kramer

How we built this greenhouse:

Greenhouse construction from a kit

1. April 14, 2016 - Seedlings from tiny peat pots donated by our neighbor, and planted on April 13 for the first time in 10cm (4") pots and placed in greenhouse.

2. April 14, 2016 - another view of new planting.

3. April 14, 2016 - 3^rd view of new planting.

4. April 30, 2016 - even though it's been cold - 30s and 40s this past week, the tomatoes (see photo below) have more than doubled in height. Way to go! Warmer weather is in the forecast the next 2 weeks.

5. May 8, 2016 tomatoes out of pots and repotted into ground up to first leaves level:

6. May 8, 2016 Herbs - parsley, radish, lettuce, rocket, garden cress - set outdoors on plant stand on north-facing wall:

7. May 14, 2016 In the large pot radishes and carrots thriving, and in the bed tomatoes growing:

8. May 22, 2016 - potatoes have emerged in open ground after 3 weeks planting. Swiss chard on the left of photo, potatoes in the center.

9. May 28, 2016 - first salad from the garden greenhouse: lettuce, radishes, chives and chives flowers. 6 weeks from thread-like seedlings to eating. (Chives from the open garden.)

10. June 4, 2016 - tomatoes are contained with soft twine now:

11. June 12, 2016 - Front porch: the 15 inch tall pot on left was planted up 4 weeks ago using potting soil with 2 seed potatoes placed in the center of the lower third of pot, and 3 geraniums planted around the outside edge. Now the potatoes have grown through the center and will make a canopy above the geraniums. After the potato plants bloom I will gently tilt the pot onto a plastic cloth and pick out the new potatoes, then replace the soil and replant the geraniums in the top of the soil. This is an experiment I am looking forward to later in summer, before first frost. The plants face the southeast so get morning and early afternoon sun.

In the garden to the right is a blooming oriental orange poppy, 4 inches across. This plant bloomed the 2^nd year of its life, and each year since. The pods are spent blooms. It is a perennial.

12. June 19, 2016 - the cherry tomato plants come up to my shoulder now and have small blossoms. April 13, 2016 when planted they were as skinny as threads …

13. June 26, 2016 - Pot at left, transplanted from the greenhouse today, having been started from seed 2.5 months ago: cucumber vine, basil and fennel. In this spot they will get morning and early afternoon sun and be protected from hail by porch overhang. Photo made at 11:30am Netherlands.

14. July 3, 2016 - the potted potato plant is almost up to the rail. (See June 12^th for earlier growth.)

15. July 9, 2016 - the fennel, basil and cucumber have made it out of the greenhouse. I made a stick bridge to train the cucumber vine to the trellis.

16. July 17, 2016 - our first cherry tomatoes, in the greenhouse - 3 months from peat pot to small tomatoes. (View just right of center.)

17. July 24, 2016 - welcomed a new twin Trachycarpus fortunei to our front garden. We will keep it in a pot and roll it into the greenhouse in winter. Our previous palm died in the cold winter of 2009.

18. July 24, 2016 - our carrot harvest from a pot in the greenhouse planted April 13, 2016. The longest is 6 inches.

19. July 31, 2016 - Training the cucumber vine over to the side fence on a rail of thick branch cuttings. See photo number 15. For growth on July 9^th. Fennel and basil visible in same pot.

20. August 6, 2016 - look at the picture just above (from July 31st), then at this picture and see how fast a cucumber can grow!

21. August 19, 2016 - the summer harvest from our greenhouse: 100 green cherry tomatoes and the volunteer potatoes in the dish. Unfortunately we had one very cold night this week on August 11^th with the temperature dropping to just above freezing, but it was low enough to make the tomato vines wilt. I rescued these cherry tomatoes today, and am placing them in the front east facing picture window that has a radiator underneath. We'll see if they eventually ripen. Then I spaded the planting beds in the greenhouse and still need to wash the glass walls - but that will be another day.

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