Reason #1,256 Why Summer is the Best.

Summer vacation is here and with it comes summer weather (well, except for the next couple of nights here in northern PA where our lows are back down to the mid-30s).  For me, warmer weather means a number of things but one of the first things it means is that it's time for me to get my garden in.  

I have a variety of areas where I plant things and I figured it'd be fun (for me anyhow) to show off some of my early plantings.  I'll be able to use this post later this summer to see how much my garden has changed - hopefully for the better!

Here's your quick tour beginning with my deck.  On the deck, I have two planters that I use for plants that I want close to the kitchen.  Herbs, mostly, but also things such as spinach and green onions.  I do a lot of cooking and grilling so having those fresh herbs nearby is great!

Also on the deck this year, I planted to large pots with tomato plants.  

The deck tomato plants are called "mountain fresh" tomatoes and they've been a favorite of my wife and I for a few years now.  They also seem to do well where we live which is always important!

Moving off the deck, I also have a bunch of raised beds all next to one another.  My "main" garden is a long bed that houses more tomatoes (including a pair of Sweet 100 tomato plants), peppers (both hot and sweet), zucchini, cabbage, more green onions, and green beans.

I then have six more smaller raised beds.  One of those is used strictly for my strawberry cage.

Despite living in town, we have an abundance of wildlife that tries to get into my garden each year (hence all the fencing and the cage).  As you might be able to see from the photo, my strawberry cage is kind of falling apart this year - it's been awhile since I built this one and I definitely need to redo it (especially the top of the cage).  

Moving next door, we then reach most of the rest of the raised beds.  

Here, we have Brussel sprouts,  garlic, celery, a few more peppers, cucumbers, chives, carrots, and then nearest to the deck are radishes, peas, and lettuce.  

This particular raised bed is basically going to be a ready-made salad in another week or two!  

View of the rest of the tomato plants while are still tiny!

Overall, the vegetable garden is definitely a labor of love.  I'd say on average I go out and water it every other day (when needed) and that I try to weed it at least twice a week (I find it much easier to keep up with the weeds that way).  Of course, I also use the garden as a way to involve my son in growing food (and he's already decided that the spinach he "planted" is way better than anything store bought and now he'll no longer eat spinach unless it's from our garden).  On the bright side, prior to putting the garden in he simply wouldn't eat spinach at all so I guess the garden has already been worth the time and effort!  

No baseball cards for today's post but I do have the video from Tuesday night's Breaker's Club in which we busted four different boxes which you can watch below if you'd like!

Happy summer!