{Pretty, Happy, Funny, Real}~ September 8, 2013

Welcome to {phfr}, the Garden Edition.  Turns out that's all I took pictures of this week!

{Pretty}

I was surprised today to discover blossoms on our sweet potato plants.  Since sweet potatoes are tubers, I didn't expect them to have flowers, but what do I know.  I took this picture at dusk, so the flowers are closed.  They are even prettier when open.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

There is just something about a pumpkin patch, isn't there?  I love to look at this little guy growing in our garden.

{Happy}

This is our sweet potato bed.  It makes me happy because last year our sweet potato crop was a complete and utter failure.  Everything looks hunky-dory now, but the true test will come when we start digging.  Only then will we know if we were really successful or not!

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

From the vine . . .

To the kitchen. . . 

To the juicer. . .

To jars (along with the green beans).  Happiness!

{Funny}

Our green onions have gotten totally out of hand.  They are nothing like the little ones you buy in the store, though they were tiny, wee things when we planted them. When we wanted some, we just came out here and cut some off, and they continued to grow.  After a whole summer, this is what they look like~

As you can see, they have reached softball size and have pushed themselves out of the ground. The green is gone except for one little straggler in the upper lefthand corner.  I wonder if they are good for eating. . . 

{Real}

Lest you think all our gardening endeavors are successful (setting the green onions aside), here are our poor, pathetic viney things: squash, pumpkins, cucumbers, and gourds~

Pretty sad, eh?  One regular pumpkin, one miniature pumpkin, ten or so various gourds, and five butternut squash, the sum total of our harvest. This is compared to a bumper crop last year.  The squash plants are dead, and the others are a pretty motley lot.  Due to the cold, wet spring, by mid-summer they were afflicted with powder fungus, which was new to us.  The fungus is killed by simply spraying the leaves with water with a little baking soda mixed in, but by the time we realized what was happening, a lot of damage was done.  I am most disappointed in the pumpkins.  Last year, we had masses of mini pumpkins and gourds for decorating, but this year I will have to buy them if I want them. :(

They are making an excellent come-back, though these blossoms will never reach maturity before cold weather sets in.  At least we know they like climbing the fence. :)

Visit Like Mother, Like Daughter for more {phfr} fun!