The late Spring gardens are filled with much growth and excitement. All the vegetables are flourishing and the flowers are blooming in stages. There is so much to relish in, in the late Spring gardens.
If you do not yet know, my vegetable gardens consist of a couple vegetable plots, two raised beds and an aquaponics system. The flower gardens are semi-small cottage style gardens in our backyard and around our garage area. We live in a very small town and have a decent sized backyard space, which suites our family well for gardening. Where we live in the upper midwest of America is zone 4b. The late Spring garden usually has the leafy greens producing, but everything else is still in the growing stages.
The late Spring gardens overall do quite well. Watering has had to happen on and off as the rain does not always come. There is also plenty of weeding that has to take place. Being consistent every week to weed can really help the Spring gardens thrive. Watch a Day in the Gardens video here!
Late Spring Vegetable Gardens
The vegetable sections of garden are no where near what would be needed to raise all our own produce for an entire year. We raise enough for fresh eating and some preservation. With that said, let’s explore my late spring vegetable gardens.
Our largest garden plot on the side of our garage holds mostly storage potatoes and onions this year. I found a nice storage variety of both that I like from Johnny’s Seeds. This garden also has green beans and sweet potatoes. Oh, and of course, volunteer sunflowers on one corner. Those sunflowers add beauty to the vegetable garden.
The garden shed garden, as I will call it, is where we have our first planting of sweet corn. Our dilapidated garden shed was torn down this Spring making more space for garden area.
Next to the corn are two metal raised beds that were purchased from Amazon. I felt like I needed more garden space with wanting to have more area for growing the foods we store in the winter. These raised beds were just the thing. The raised beds house our carrots, spinach and lettuces, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, cabbage and brussel sprouts.
The last back garden plot is going strong with our garlic. The garlic will be harvested at the end of June. Garlic is new to us this year, but it seems to be doing well for the late Spring garden. Next to the garlic is our second planting of sweet corn. It’s not a large area, but it will be fun to have that fresh eating a few weeks after the other corn has been eaten.
Aquaponics
Aquaponics is the combination of hydroponics and fish farming. The water tank holds the fish and siphons water up into the rock grow beds. Plants are fertilized by the fish feces.
The aquaponics system was kept simple this year. Some herbs, two celery, one tomato plant and even some flowers. With a colder May, this system did not get running as quickly as we were hoping. Planting a little less in this system was a choice we decided to make.
Late Spring Flower Gardens
The flower gardens are ever changing as the late Spring transitions into Summer. Peonies have come and gone along with the irises. My climbing rose on our arch is near it’s end. The last of the cream and peach colored roses are falling to the ground.
There are some blooms right now though. Daisies, one of my favorite flowers, are in full bloom. Some of the herbs that are in my cottage garden are also heading out and blooming. The yellow and white yarrow have bloomed and the echinacea are just starting to open up.
With a cottage style flower garden, there are many different flowers scattered throughout the garden that bloom. Some I’ve had for years and honestly have never learned what they are called. Call it what it is, lack of flower knowledge, I still enjoy those flowers and there color in the garden.
I hope you enjoyed seeing a bit of my backyard gardens. Gardens are ever changing and I look forward to sharing more of what it looks like as the Summer progresses!
Happy Gardening!
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