Summer has really exploded here! My tomato plants have gone BEZERK. My cubanelles are thriving, and even my basil, green onions and chives are smiling from ear to ear!! But there was a little extra fun this year. My next door neighbor challenged me to grow some cucumbers and zucchini. (Wait for it…) Out of my three tree stumps in the front and back!! They were trees we lost from Hurricanes Irene and Sandy, and they had become hollow inside now. Perfect for planting something, and my neighbor wanted to see, once and for all, if his soil isn’t ideal, or “his neighbor” just has a REALLY green thumb. 😉
Left side, Grape Tomatoes. Right side, 3 barrels of Big Boy and Beef Steak Tomatoes.
*These didn’t get planted until the end of May!!!
7 feet tall now, and growing like WEEDS!!!
2 barrels of Cubanelle Peppers, one small barrel of basil, and some Green Onions!
My Basil, plus *3 more* pinched back starters that are already rooting
and almost ready to add to the barrel!
So Wally and my hubby, Tom, filled the three tree stumps with rocks on the bottom for drainage and topped them with soil from Wally’s yard. And I carefully planted the seeds. I gave them a nice amount of water, crossed my fingers, and the challenge was ON! (Wally planted his the same day).
The two stumps out front. (*Photo taken yesterday).
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Well, the seeds weren’t to come up for 7 – 10 days, but mine started popping up after just 3!!! Poor Wally. He didn’t have anything yet. But don’t worry. His came up within a few days after mine did. And look how nice they are now, after just barely 2 weeks!
The zucchini!!
Everything was going pretty well, until I went to water my cukes and caught a squirrel right in the act, digging up my sprouts looking for edible seeds or a misplaced acorn. The chipmunks had already been at them, too. So a little outsmarting these little over-sized rats was definitely in order!!
Between my hubby and the neighbor, they solved the problem making a screen out of an old metal grill grate, just while my cucumber plants in the back stump get started. I’m hoping, that once they get big enough, they’ll have enough roots and the squirrels and chipmunks will leave them alone.
The cucumbers out back!
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Anyways, though summer got off to a rather late start here, looks like everything is now suddenly ahead of schedule! And after all of that planting, watering, feeding, weeding, and serenading them, (just kidding on that last part), when the hard work is done and I’m a sweaty mess, there’s nothing like an icy cold, afternoon treat as a reward! And what goes down better than an ice cold glass of sweet southern iced tea?
Well, why THIS of, course!
Sweet Tea with a hint of Tart Lemon and Fresh Summer Peach,
and a little Splash of Vodka! 😉
Oh, yes! Absolut-ly 😉
Hope you enjoy a glass this summer, too!! 🙂
Please see my Homemade Sweet Tea for this. MUCH better than store-bought.
Peachy Iced Tea Cocktail
Ingredients
Instructions
