May 19, 2014 by Sincerely, Emily
Yesterday was the first day I harvested something from our garden this season.
Zucchini!!!
Peppers!! Serranos, anaheims, and banana. Sorry, I forgot to get a photo of those.
I also picked three peaches in hopes that they will ripen off the tree. The squirrels are already competing for those. Grrrrr.
What is growing in you garden??
Sincerely, Emily
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While the month of March is now over, we still plan to continue the Real Food Challenge by keeping in touch with our readers every few weeks. We want to support our community with advice, recipes, and even giveaways when possible so that all of us can live and eat healthier.
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Join the challenge, check back often and give us your feedback - we're excited to hear how you're all doing in your quest to Eat REAL Food!
Not Dabbling In Normal 
Nice zucchini, Emily! I usually grow those and yellow crookneck summer squash every year, but haven’t even got them planted yet! (Long story…hurt my hand, etc.) I DO have Swiss chard (first time I’ve ever planted), spinach, collard greens, green beans and cucumbers growing, with the chard and collards ready to start harvesting. I, too, have a peach tree. I haven’t had a peach to pick in years, though. My issue is that I like everything organic, and I don’t know how to keep the bugs out of them. They are infested by the time the fruits first appear.All I know about is spraying them twice a year with chemicals, and I just don’t want to do that. I have to admit I haven’t researched an organic way to control the bugs, so if you happen to know, please share.
Hi Karen – I hope you are hand is doing alright. Your garden sounds wonderful. What area do you live in? My peach tree is about 3 years old and I have had no problems with bus at all. I too grow everything organically. I do have chives and wild onions planted right around the base of the peach tree truck. I remember reading somewhere that that would help with pests and borers. So far so good on that front. There is a recipe for something called “Garrett Juice” that was developed by Howard Garrett, one of the big organic gardeners from Dallas, Texas
Here is the link to his recipe. There is a a part of it to mix if for insect issues.
http://www.dirtdoctor.com/Garrett-Juice-br_vq2210.htm.
If, for some reason, that link doesn’t work, try this one – and go to “organic advise” and then “gardening guides” http://www.dirtdoctor.com/
I hope that other readers will also post about their experiences with peach trees also.
Wow! Those zukes look great! We are months away from zucchini here…. And those pesky squirrels! I know how you feel. We have a meyer lemon in a pot on our porch with a baby lemon that got eaten!
Hi Connie – Thanks. We are adding them to our dinner tonight and there more growing out there that will be ready in the blink of an eye. ya pesky squirrels! ack! Sorry to hear about your baby Meyer lemon! it is so frustrating!
We live in South Austin and are going to have our first plums this year. Had to cover the tree with bird netting to keep the squirrels from consuming our small crop.
Hi Joy – thanks for stopping by. How old are your plum trees? Ours are 3 or 4 years and have been covered by thousands of blooms each spring, but still no plums. I haven’t looked into it yet, but if you have any ideas please share them! Good luck competing with those darn squirrels!