The Simple Joy of Gardening.

A small veggies garden, just as I remember 'em as a kid. This small garden was made by my sister's mother in law. It's harvesting time!

Ornamental/edible gourds and squads, plus corns, various tropical/oriental herbs such as Thai basils and many others.

The garden is very inspirational, how I wished to have enough sunny spot in the garden to recreate a nostalgic embien of the simplier time I once knew ... long ago.

What's better than to look forward to some home grown, home made veggies dishes? Here I have Malabar spinach, Lufa, tomato and La-kwa or bitter melon.

Lily_love
I absolutely love your set up.
Keep posting pictures ... amazing !

Thank you drthor, the arbor/trellis last year were made of sticks, they have used willow branches, and the willow sprouted and took off by the end of the season. So this year they constructed a more stable structure. Credited to my brother in law and his father. His mother is credited for raising such healthy looking veggies.

How does one keep the "fresh" veggies we grow in the garden fresh being refrigerated? I learned a trick from my Sister's mother-in law; and I'd like to pass it on to fellow gardeners.

This is some lettuce that was given to me by this amazing lady. After she carefully cleaned & rinsed out her vegetable, she wrapped it with newspaper, then she slid the paper-wrapped lettuce into a platic bag. She deflated the plastic bag, and tied it air-tight. Two weeks later? I still have fresh lettuce!

What a delightful garden spot Kim. That is a real treat as are the fresh fruits and vegetables.

As pretty as your place is and as talented as you are for growing plants, I should think you would devote a small spot to edibles too.
There are vegetables that are ornamental and would fit right in to your beautiful flower beds, I am sure.

Thanks for sharing the photos... Kristi

Lily_love
I never wash my vegetables before putting them in the freezer. Especially lettuce. Brown spots will develop (I think like you have in the picture)
Instead I fill a zip-lock bag with a dry paper towel. That's it !
I use this method with all my veggies. The paper towel will absorb the moisture and keep them fresh for at least a week or more.

I use the paper towel method to keep veggies fresh in the fridge.

Waving at Kristi! I'm glad you've enjoyed the posting and shared the joy of my love of gardening. And Kristi, thanks on your compliments. Our little garden has lot of big trees, it began as semi-shade, now over the years --- it gradually transformed into full shade garden. lol Thus woodland garden is more suitable for us. In order to grow a good harvest, I've come to learn I need alot more sun. Luckily, in our small community. I've two other families in the neighborhood that also enjoyed gardening. The good neighbors have encluded me and my DH into our veggies garden project the last few years.... They begun in early spring with coles crops, then switched to warmer weather crops such as peppers, okras, tomatoes and zuchinii and such...

Our family is more than eager each spring to join in the gardening project. Cultivate the soil, plant the seeds, and transplant seedlings for this small garden. It's a joy!

drthor and HoneybeeNC, thanks for the added tip on keeping the veggies fresh for an extended period.

Kim ~ you are so fortunate to be included in the community garden. Garden chores and the successes are more fun when shared with others.

and that is a lesson I am still trying to learn. Perhaps one day... lol

The lettuce discussion brings to mind my dear departed Mother in law. When I was young she told me how to prepare iceberg lettuce if I would only listen to her. (her words, not mine) lol She said to remove the core and fill the head of lettuce with hot, hot tap water. The hot water will fill the head, then turn it upside down to drain. When well drained, bag it (I use an open zip lock bag) with a paper towel added. It will turn iceberg crisp and crunchy and although it doesn't last long at our house, it doesn't get the rust discoloration. MIL was right ~ again.

Kristi ~ who likes living deep in the woods.

Thanks Kristi for sharing that additional tip on keeping lettuce. Currently I have some veggies, and herbs in container culture. Here is some eggplants.

Kim ~ containers are good and I am doing quite a few for the fall vegetables. I will be able to move them easily to more sun if needed as the days grow shorter. I have started the plants and will be potting moving them to their containers this weekend. Two types of tomatoes, squash and cucumbers.

What type of eggplant is that? I grew two small ones this summer that I liked ~ White fingers and Ophelia.

Hi Kristi, I'm glad to hear there are other container-veggies gardening enthusias. Please share pix when you can. These are 'Black Beauty' eggplant I'm growing. I'm looking forward to some 'fruition' -- so to speak. My family came and visited over the weekend. They brought some home grown peppers and tomatoes. I'm trying to figure out what/how I'm going do with all the bananna peppers they've brought. :)

Here I just transplanted some Malabar spinach. These were store bought spinach, after I used the young sprouts and leaves for soup. I rooted the stems, and transplanted them into the garden -- container garden-- where they get full sun. Oh I also planted some Lufa rather late, hopefully it will be my Fall harvest.

How do you like the taste of the Malabar spinach? I grow the red Malabar spinach and love it fresh. It is a pretty ornamental vine as well.

I've found the small eggplants are tender and easily eaten with the rind left on. I'm also growing a small type of bell pepper. Seeing as most of these vegetables are only eaten by me, the smaller sized fruits are well suited and the small plants are easily grown.

I just read this months' Texas Gardener which has a good article on container grown vegetables. More inspiration to plant more in pots. 8 )) Kristi

I do like the taste of the spinach cooked, though I haven't tried them raw. Basella rubra (red Malabar), I had them once and didn't save the seeds now I miss having them. But this Basella alba, they're making flowers! I'm planning on harvesting some seeds for sure.

Kim ~ I thought I had lost the Basella rubra seeds one year but was delighted to find seedlings popping up under the leaves.

Do you stir fry the B. alba?

Kristi,

I haven't tried stir fry these. It's a thought, I may try that some time in the near future.

From back then 2012, until present day. Learning to grow edible veggies has been a rewarding experience. :)

Lovely garden and photos. I grew up eating Chinese food as much or more than American food and so I know both bitter and winter melon. They are available in our amazing international markets but I've never grown them. I was growing species Thai basil twenty years ago and then got Queen of Siam Thai basil. Both reseed profusely in my garden. The Queen of Siam is a more bushy plant with beautiful purple plumes while the species one is more thin and sparsely flowered. So now I pull all the species looking ones as early as I see them and use those for cooking and drying while letting the Queen of Siam reseed.

one of my own personal tricks for just harvested greens (this should only be done if they are typically eaten quick), is to wash them up and then keep them submerged in a container of water, and place that in the fridge.

As i said, only attempt that if you know it will be eaten up quickly (within a week id say)

Hi jmc and MaypopLaurel, welcome to my post. Thank you for sharing your experience relating gardening, harvesting and cooking. Please keep those idea coming. Pictures welcome as well. :)

I've been trying to raise different climbing "squash", and training them up the arbor via container culture the last few years. These turned out well.

old panty hose make a good sack to hold the squash in. They let the sack stretch enough to keep the wt of the squash off of the stem.

Fall harvest this year. The joy of gardening. Happy gardening everyone.