Oh, my Israeli melons are doing WONDERFULLY! I've spied two large ones in the garden so far. I must confess though, I'm afraid to poke around the melon patch too much. The leaves are so huge and I just know there must be a snake lurking nearby. If I were a snake, I'd want to hide among the melons too. Those leaves make a nice cool shade!
Every Garden Has Its Challenges
One thing I've learned over the years is that no two gardening seasons are ever alike. Some plants thrive while others struggle, and every year seems to bring a new lesson. Heavy heat, insects, drought, or even an overly enthusiastic tomato plant can completely change the layout of the garden.
I've also learned that persistence often pays off. My okra looked completely finished after being stripped by insects, yet with regular watering and a little patience it recovered and began producing again. Experiences like this remind me not to give up on a struggling plant too quickly.
One of the joys of gardening is experimenting with different vegetables each year. Whether it's growing Israeli melons, pole beans climbing homemade bamboo trellises, or even planting popcorn kernels just to see what happens, every season offers the opportunity to learn something new. That's one of the reasons I never grow tired of gardening.
THANK YOU my wonderful mother for sharing all those beans with me. I used bamboo poles (growing wild in my yard) to use for bean poles. As you can see, the beans have sprouted and my frying pan is ready!
Gourmet popcorn that I had purchased from an Amish store in Missouri. Actually, I had purchased the kernels to pop, but decided to plant my own too! Er yes, I'm growing them together in a pot.
My melons taking over the garden.
Cherry tomatoes are doing well...
So this is my problem. It's this HUGE, HUGE tomato plant that is taking over my yard. I haven't googled it yet, but I'm thinking I'm going to have to PRUNE it by 50%! You can barely see my Bell Pepper to the left, nor my green beans to the right. It's a real hog and nuisance. Especially since it's blooming but not really producing.
Jumbo sized cucumbers. Nothing to brag about though. I only have two on the vine. The bugs are always hungry!
A sweet neighbor down the street gave me two peanut plants.
I'm especially pleased with my OKRA. I had revived my plants from the dead after they were overtaken by bugs. They were literally reduced to nubs. No leaves, no nothing. I kept watering hoping for a miracle. Persistence pays off!
