After several years of looking for one of these I finally found a new one!

Gloxinia! (Not to be confused with Hardy Gloxinia that is not related, which I also have)

I had one when I lived in TX, and kept it in a pot on the patio and it seemed to me to be a very good plant for someone who tends to neglect them once in a while!

I think it is suppose to be a house plant, but when I got my first one it was barely alive, and didn't have a tag so I knew nothing about it, so I put it outside. TX has VERY mild winters though, so I doubt it will make it through a winter here in KY. So I think I will try to keep this one inside if the cats don't try to eat it!! This plant is related to the African Violet. The leaves are similarly thick and fuzzy, but in my opinion the flowers are prettier. I did find seeds once, but they were the TINIEST seeds I have EVER handled and I could not get them to germinate sadly! Maybe I will try to collect some seeds from this one and try again!
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This was my harvest today...2 more lemon cucumbers, 5 tomatoes, several Juliet tomatoes, a pile of Spicy Bush Basil clippings and a couple of Royal Burgundy beans.

My second and third succession plantings of beans just have not done well at all and have not produced anything yet. These few beans are from my first beans planted in may. They are still barely hanging on. The Provider beans were pulled a few weeks ago though.

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Yummy Bruschetta! Made from the tomatoes and basil from the garden. Oh I love this stuff!

Recipe:

a bowl full of diced tomatoes of your choosing, maybe 3-4 sm/med ones

(I have even used cherry tomatoes)

a hand full of basil of your favorite variety

about 3 cloves of fresh garlic minced
salt and pepper to flavor

On a nice thin piece of Italian bread toasted with olive oil

I'm not much for measuring when it comes to cooking! I throw everything in till it tastes good to me. This makes good use of your tomatoes if you like them better fresh! As soon as I have a big enough harvest of tomatoes and some serranos I'll share my yummy fresh salsa recipe! MMMMM! Can't wait!

Magic Beans And things I have learned...

It is wonderful when you find creative ways to get your children to eat their veggies! I let my 3yo twins watch/help cook the Royal Burgundy Beans so they could see them change from purple to green and told them it was magic! They got so excited they ate them right up...though I would have to say that dd appears to like them more raw than cooked! That is her hand sneaking into the picture, she likes to eat them as soon as I wash them!

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So far this year I have learned a few more new things (this is only my second year with a garden).

1. Plant more beans!!! I just have not had enough for all 4 of us to eat at one meal! Let alone any to freeze!

2. Your little squash will rot if they are not pollinated (or pollinated enough!) I have lost several little 8 balls! I thought once they started growing then they had already been pollinated! Who knew! (everyone but me I guess)

3. start earlier!!! And plant MORE! In case of unexpected little monster kitties eating all your seedlings!

4. Spread out the squash...even the bush kind! They are huge!

5. Put all my brassicas in one box so I can keep them covered to keep the loopers out! Darn loopers!

6. I need a separate tomato box! They just take over!

7. And get a scale so I can keep up with all of you and your beautiful harvests!

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I am sure there is more and will be more! And I bet most you gardeners know all this already! I am absolutely thrilled with how much better my garden has turned out this year already. With all my new knowledge it can only improve!

Got any great gardening tips! Share them! You'd be surprised how even the simplest of tips can help out new and experimenting new gardeners!

Returning home to harvest

Well this 8 ball zucchini got a little larger than it was suppose to while we were gone! It grew fast! About 6 inches tall and 5 inches wide.

This is my total harvest today. I don't know if I cut the American Genuine cucumber to early or not but it looked good enough to eat! So I cut it!

A couple of pictures from Denver! The kids really enjoyed seeing the elk in the river!

Some Veggie Closeups

I will be away from my garden for several days! I hope it does ok having someone else take care of it!

I found a few aphids and squished em, hope they don't multiply while I am away.

Happy Gardening!

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Juliet "Grape" Tomato in hanging pots. There are 4 of them, these are the biggest ones, but they are all blooming and producing.

American Genuine Cucumber

Watermelons and Cucumbers on the trellis

Chard

Spicy Basil...needs to be trimmed up!

Lettuce, amazingly still here.

8 Ball Zucchini, there are a few, but the first ones I had didn't have enough room between the stems and went bad.

Sebring Zucchini

My monster tomato plant. I just now got a cage around it! I know, it should have been done weeks ago. But this thing is so monstrous it is just squished in there. I need to try to keep trimming it up a bit I guess.

Dills Atlantic giants. I wish these things would take off already! They got big blooms, but they sure aren't vining out very quickly!

Something is wrong with my first Prudens Purple. It isn't looking good!

Royal Burgundy Beans, not producing like the providers at all! I have had very few out of this big pile of plants.

Can't believe I still have a strawberry. Haven't got many of these either. Maybe the second year will be better.