Our 2015 Veggie Garden

I've posted before about our galvanized metal stock tanks we use as our raised beds veggie gardens.  We have an area in our back yard that is enclosed and houses the swimming pool, an extensive stone patio, several flower and shrub gardens, and an ancient large apple tree that produces many apples (that fall and float in the pool in the autumn).   And then there is a small lawn area in a corner, very sunny, not big enough for any real recreational use and seemed to be wasted space and not very attractive so last spring we put in four 6x2x2 stock tanks, drilled drainage holes in the bottom of each, added a few inches of stone and filled the rest up with newly composted soil.  And we grew a hugely successful garden that was so easy to plant, water, weed and harvest - no bending over!!  And no critters could get up the metal sides and deer can't (or won't) scale our tall fence so veggie gardening was a delight!! We grew 8 tomato plants, onions, kale, Swiss chard, bell peppers, basil and Brussels sprouts.  This year , we decided to enlarge our vegetable production by adding three more tanks!  Right outside the pool fence and behind the pool house are 2 hidden propane tanks surrounded by some tall flowering shrubs.  There is also about 10 x 8 feet of sunny lawn there too hidden between the  propane tanks and fence so we decided to put the new stock tanks back there.  So yesterday and today we got them prepared and planted.  Here's what it all looks like and what we planted.

In the original four we have a tomato plant in each, mesclun (cut and come again) lettuces, spinach, bell peppers and basils.  In the three new ones we planted broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, onions, 2 bushing baby zucchinis, two sugar baby watermelon plants and wee be little tiny pumpkins.  We also just discovered after having two different hardware stores (last year and this year) order the tanks for us and requiring a wait, that the Tractor Supply Company in both Brentwood and Plaistow NH carry the tanks in various sizes and have them in stock.  We picked up our third new one there today, a 4x2x2 one.  

Yesterday being Memorial Day, my idea of fun and recreation was to continue gardening and planting and wonderful Dan went along with it, but we did take time to go to Petey's down the road and celebrate this day and the official opening of the summer season by having seafood chowder and lobster rolls for lunch.  

The pot in the first picture is one that sits in the border along the pool fence inside.  I just love the combinations of colors and textures in there against the white.  It will only become more gorgeous as it matures.  The burgundy foiliaged plants with hot orange flowers are dahlias.  I adore them.  I'll be posting many pictures of pots this summer as we have dozens and each one is planted differently and it's like going into a distinctly decorated room as I water, observe and enjoy each one of them.

And now a funny story about the final picture below.  Last week I was looking for something in the spice pantry and found this biscotti we bought in Italy TWO summers ago and there were a couple left in there and I checked them out thoroughly, took a little bite and they were still crunchy and good!!! So Dan and I ate them.  I could understand enough Italian to get the ingredients so I think I need to bake some biscotti like these - yum!