How Does My Garden Grow...

It's been a long, cool spring, so we've been waiting for weather like this! Once May hit, it was full-speed ahead, with tilling, mulching, and planting waiting to fill our every weekend.

I always like to share some pictures of my garden's progress throughout the season, so here is the first batch of spring garden photos - these were taken last week, so they're already out of date - things grow so fast when it's up in the 50's at night!

My beloved spring bulbs - including new surprises like the white & apricot narcissus which were apparently planted everywhere in the front flower bed before we moved here!

The gorgeous flower bed full of spring bulbs - the first lush and colorful sign of summer, which I look forward to all winter long!

Another bulb picture, but I could not resist the beauty of this stripey tulip!

Our future garden site! (Fencing in progress...)

My mint - which I transplanted and brought with me from my old apartment; after a long cold winter, it is coming back strong!

After losing some to frost :-(  the remaining potatoes are growing like weeds! Seriously - they're bigger every day! This is our first hay-bale gardening experiment, and so far, so good....

Like the potatoes, the peas are visibly growing daily! I have a piece of wire fencing over them to protect them from the deer until the fencing project is complete, but will need to trellis them soon.

Although some of the strawberry blooms got clobbered by frost last week, they are growing strong, covered with buds and new flowers, and I am so excited for strawberries this year!

Tomato, pepper, eggplant, and celery seedlings - growing strong, and awaiting transplanting to their new summer home in a week or so!

There you have it! The start of my garden on the new homestead....

Stay tuned as I update this blog (and our main blog at http://www.newholisticliving.com/blog.html throughout the summer to let you know how our new gardening adventure goes!  And be sure to also Like us on Facebook for more up-to-date pictures throughout the season!

The 5 Best Fruits for Beginner Gardeners

The delicious taste of fresh fruit on a warm spring or hot summer's day can be one of the best things in the world, but let's face it, not everyone knows how to grow it well. In fact for many of us who don't have a background in farming or gardening, it can seem like a difficult task to grow even the simplest of crops even with a basic or easy to tend garden - let alone tackling tricky fruits. The good news, however, is that there are plenty of fruits out there that are easy to grow, giving even beginner gardeners a great place to start and get used to gardening even if they don't have much or any experience with t to begin with.

Here's a list of the five best fruits to start with as a beginner gardener - or anyone new to growing fruit:

1. Strawberries – Good on shortcake but even better ripe and sweetly warm from the sunshine fresh from the garden. Strawberries are easy to plant and just as easy to maintain, making them a top choice for gardeners who are just getting started. You don't have to be a pro to grow and enjoy these delicious berries in a garden bed or balcony planter.

2. 

   Summer berries. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

   Raspberries/Blackberries – A summertime staple, raspberries and blackberries are delicious straight from the vine, baked into a pie, or turned into a jelly or jam with your morning toast. These berries in particular are hardy and easy to grow, but may take some special maintenance or you run the risk of the thorny vines overtaking more than their allotted space. Make sure to pick up a pair or clippers or trimmers and a good pair of gloves and you should be fine.

3. Tomatoes – Is it a fruit or a vegetable? Science says fruit and gardeners say easy! These delicious, juicy red fruits are great in a salad or stewed into a tasty tomato sauce for Italian cooking. With the wide range of available gardening accessories you can grow tomatoes even if you don't have a lot of space by using hanging planters.

4. Blueberries - If you want a fruit you can enjoy near the end of summer then blueberries have your back! All you need is some acidic soil to grow them in (it's what they like best and you can get organic acidifying agents at your local home improvement or gardening center) and you've got delicious blueberries for all of your tasty fruit pies and jams!

5. Goji Berries – You may have heard of them before, as they are often considered a “superfood” with all kinds of natural, healthy properties. Goji berries are incredibly hardy, growing even in harsher hot or cold climates, which makes them easy to grow even if you live a little north or south of ideal growing conditions for other kinds of fruit and even in windy, coastal areas. Just make sure they have a spot they can enjoy the sun in and you're good to grow!

If you find yourself having trouble getting a handle on more difficult fruits, give these a try and you're sure to be enjoying delicious, fresh fruit in no time!