As Usual, The Squash Remain Champions {Garden Journal June 2025}
Forget April showers...May brought the deluge around here! I believe we had almost three times the usual amount of precipitation for the month. Despite the soggy conditions, the garden is doing pretty well! Some things better than others, but first...
We visited the local Gibbs Gardens again this week. I'm counting 2025 as the "Year of the Garden" since we have annual passes to visit here, and I've also made it to both the Atlanta Botanical Garden and the stunning Butchart Gardens in Victoria, BC, last month. Having the annual membership has been fantastic to watch the flowers change as the season progresses. This time the hydrangeas were in full bloom, along with roses, water lilies, and a huge section of wildflowers including poppies and larkspur.
I think I'd have to say the wildflowers were my favorite. The pollinators might agree.
Meanwhile in our garden...
We got some early figs! After almost losing the fig trees to beetles, it is amazing to see them bounce back. These were absolutely delicious, and you might be able to tell from my cover photo that there are a TON more growing on our oldest tree. The other tree that we got a few years ago finally has a few figs on it, as well, for the very first time. I'm dreaming of actually having enough to make some goodies with these. Though you can't beat nature's candy in its original form.
Cukes are here!
We also got the first of the cucumbers to join in the harvest. Last year was a fantastic cucumber year, so I'm hoping for more of the same so I can make some more of the fermented pickles we love so much.
The snow peas are just about done, but we had a good season for those so the vines owe us nothing!
Forever Abundant: Squash
As alluded to in my title, the squash are the forever champions of our garden. Happily my patty pan have been steadily producing. Enough so that I've actually given some away already, which is always my benchmark for success. I love eating what we grow, but I love sharing it just as much!
I have a few different varieties of patty pan, along with a few golden zucchini plants. The zucchini is lagging a bit, but looks like we should get the first pulled off the plants shortly.
The prolific Zucchini Ramipacantes may give us our first taste shortly, as well. Those are always fun to cook at home and share since I don't see those often for sale locally, even at the farmers market. The Candy Roasters are looking promising, as well, as you can see below.
However, the ones I am most giddy about currently are my pumpkins. A few of these babies are really starting to fatten up nicely! This one is just about the size of a soccer ball. I've been diligently pruning the three plants I have to try to put all the energy into the actual pumpkins. Even if we only get one fruit per plant, if they keep growing at this rate that will be plenty with the other varieties growing!
On the other side of the coin...
Those bastard squirrels ate every last bit of my corn! I was getting so excited watching the baby cobs start to fill out. Apparently, I wasn't the only one. I wouldn't mind sharing, but did they have to eat them all???
We have since gotten an artificial owl with a swiveling head to try to scare them off a bit. Given we've still seen the critters frolicking around in the same spot, I don't think it's working. 😂
The tomatoes are in the beds flanking the corn, so we'll see if the fuzzy thieves strike again, or if we can successfully deter them. I don't think the tomatoes loved getting so water-logged, so it may be a moot point if they don't bounce back. I remain hopeful.
I feel like I may be missing a few things, however, I think that's a solid stopping point for this month. Last year June hit hot and dry, so I'm definitely on guard for this year to stay on top of watering to keep my plant babies as happy as possible!
One of my goals for this year is to not just keep our spring/summer garden successful, but also to try to crack the code for getting fall crops planted at the right time. Perhaps committing it to "paper" will help keep me on top of my research and planning!
As always, I'm forever grateful for the gardening community on here to give me motivation to pop back on and check in! Time to go see what's growing around the Hive Gardens...
Look at that cute yellow squash! I'm wondering if patty pans can thrive in a tropical place. Squash is not very prone to pests and they grow easily.
That round fat pumpkin is also doing great! I guess it will become even bigger before its harvest time. This variety would be perfect for the pumpkin challenge I bet.
I pity that corn. I hope it still recovers. Those sneaky squirrels are harsh. What if put some lures in the garden as a trap? A design that would take them out of the garden fence when they fall in the trap.
Thank you! The patty pan are so fun. Are you able to grow zucchini or other squash? If so, you should be able to grow the smaller variety. They are fun since they mature more quickly, so you don't have to wait as long.
The pests are always a challenge no matter where you are! We're trying a few different things to try to deter them from the other plants, but until then it's corn from the farmers market this year. 😂
I guess i need to try a zucchini. I had grown squash before, the commonly grown variety in the Philippines, its smaller and round. We can harvest them even when young but if we want to cook in coconut milk, we should let them mature enough.
I hope you find the best way to deter and drive away pests. It's indeed a challenge.
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I’ve just started getting into gardening with my family, and seeing your figs and squash thrive is super inspiring.
What a fun adventure to begin! We've been slowly but surely adding on each year, and it's always so rewarding when you start to get a good harvest.
I think I've pulled all the early figs, but can't wait for the rest of them to ripen!
Hope you have lots of success with your garden this year!
That's looking very productive (despite the squirrels). We have just re-done our garden with new raised beds for some veg. Hoping for a few crops soon. I need to do a post about that soon.
Enjoy!
The squirrels always seem to be the worst offenders, at least of the mammalian sort. The bugs given them a run for their money when it comes to the damage they can do! But luckily we seem to be getting plenty to enjoy otherwise, and I just set my first batch of pickles to ferment from the latest cucumber harvest.
Would love to see your garden updates! Hopefully you get a nice harvest out of your efforts, as well.
I've not seen a squirrel here in a while, but we do have a small deer visiting the garden at times. She may nibble a few things. I'll still hoping for some produce and I will post about it soon.
!LUV
@tipu curate
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Every plant here seems to be doing so well. Seems like a lot of attention and care has been given to give them such bright colors and freshness
We've been lucky so far for the most part! Nothing is better than enjoying these harvests right from the plant. The rain seems to be continuing, but lots of sunshine in between so we're hoping everything stays happy out there and produces for a long while.
Hopefully everything stay on the average so there's a bountiful harvest
May for us, has been very dry and planting in our garden has become nigh on impossible. Have had done welcome rain this week but just not enough.