Summer Photos-Portland

Seed Report on Strawberry Spinach-Portland, OR

This grew fast directly sown in the ground. The only suggestion that I have is to make sure that you properly identify it with a marker because I didn't which resulted in me pulling much of it out. I thought it was a weed. It did not take long for the plant to start seeding or growing fruit (the strawberry part). Would I grow it again? Not sure to be honest. The leaves are tasty, but small and the fruit does not have a taste to me and taste like you just put a whole bunch of seeds in your mouth. The plant would look nice in an arrangement, but again I would have second thoughts about devoting valuable space to it and would grow it just for the leaves.

Another interesting fact I discovered is that it is grown in some parts of Europe and in some countries it is considered a weed as it self seeds very easily. It might be a good plant for a Children's Garden. Caroline will be commenting on how this plant did in her Maine garden soon.

Portland Community Garden Update-July 1oth

It was a great garden day. 80 plus weather. I was able to harvest the rest of my peas. I noticed that they don't taste as sweet so I figured that pea season was drawing to a close so I removed the plants after harvest and added them to my compost pile. They had begun to cover up my summer season plants anyway.

Here is just one of the many community fruit trees and bushes in the garden
My Calendula started from seed is doing very well. I have an orange variety also. I grew them to keep the insects at bay.
Here is the Strawberry Spinach. I have been pulling out tons of it thinking it was a weed. It is not very high but already is producing berries.
Egyptian Onions are all over our community garden
Lovely Dahlia's from the Children's Garden
Community Berries ready to harvest. They taste very sweet

Portland Community Garden Update June

Here is an June update of my Portland Community Garden. Here is what everyone is up to.

Lettuce and peas. This is turning out to be a great combo as the peas are growing over the lettuce and providing protection from the hungry snails that have gobbled up my other lettuce
Overall view of part of the shared area of the community garden.

Another view of the garden. In the background you can see the school that the garden is attached to.

My neighbors strawberry patch. She seems to really know what she is doing.

We have a few perennials at the garden, but most of the planting beds are devoted to vegetables.

A pretty bunch of chives at the garden.

I think these are the onions that Caroline is growing in her garden.

I think these are buttercups. They are growing in a pathway.

Babies on their first overnight or Hardening off seeds

Photo of Kathleen's vegetable garden. She started everything like us from seed

New friends to keep our seedlings company and show them the ropes about living outside

My babies. They had a hard time during the transit to their new location, but they should perk back up with a little rest and some water. Kathleen is an Acupuncturist so perhaps she can do some work on them.

Details
My babies, as in seed sprouts, have left their cozy home at my business and are on their way to their first over night stay with my friend Kathleen. They were transported to her house in NW Portland via her car in two boxes. The purpose of the overnight visit? I need her to harden off my plants in her garden for me. Something that would have been difficult for me to do at my business.