Walking through the entry gate, we have cherry tomatoes which will grow up each side of the arch...
Christine found this arch tucked away in a hidden place, over an abandoned/sealed gate on the chicken coop, so we put it to better use.
To the left of the arch, I've planted fava beans, the seeds of which came from the Winter/Spring garden.
It's not much to look at just yet, but fava beans sure are delicious. Here is an awesome recipe for fava bean pesto courtesy of foodnetwork.com
Next to the fava beans, we have "Mammoth Melting" snow peas on a support structure I pieced together with bamboo, zip ties and jute twine...
At the far left end of the garden, we have Blue Lake green beans which will grow right up the twine...
Each length of twine is secured to the soil via a 6" long drip tube staple.
To the right of the garden entrance, we have a nice mixture of greens (pak choi, red and yellow chard, spinach) and beets and bell peppers.
This is the other end of that row, bell peppers in the foreground...
To the right of the arch, we have eggplant, bush beans, peppers (pasilla, serrano and bell) and tomatillos.
Speaking of serrano chillies and tomatillos, I had an amazing recipe for chicken enchiladas suiza, but it's on my former, now dead, computer. Note to self: never again risk losing such critical information...print it!
Further down to the right, we have the main tomato bed. I say "main" because there will be more. Oh yes, there will be more. Lots and lots of 'maters...
In the rear are several different varieties of indeterminate tomatoes which will grow onto the vertical trellis which I've pieced together from miscellaneous scraps found in the barn. Growing tomatoes in this manner requires a bit more attention and training, but the yield can be increased tremendously. Indeterminate tomatoes, also known as vining tomatoes, continue to grow and flower until killed by frost or replaced by the Fall garden. Determinate tomatoes grow to a set size and produce all their fruit within a short period of time. Our determinates, in this case 6 Roma tomato plants, are in the front row in the cages.
Adjacent to the main tomato bed are the artichokes. These are the "Green Globe"variety, a quick-finishing type. Here are 18 of them planted 24" on center...
Lastly, we have cucumbers...
We're growing the cucumbers vertically, which not only maximizes floor space in the garden, but also helps to reduce pest issues and facilitates easier picking. I built this trellis system with items I found in the barn. I've also planted bush bean seeds between each cucumber vine. I like to maximize the garden's yield as much as is practical.
All of the credit for the garden design goes to Christine. I did make some changes in the execution of that design due to logistical issues.
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