Midwest Gardening 2026: Veggies, Varmints and Weeds.

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Midwest Gardening: VEGGIES

This post will be quite a hodge podge, we have Veggies planted and replanted and replanted everywhere this year. 

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We have two large Rhubarb plants...and I'm waiting until next week to cut and make some jam. All our homemade jams are gone. Strawberry Rhubarb is one of our favorites.

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In the section we call the back 40, which is about 12 x 12 and hasn't been used at all for years we have planted in pumpkins and squash. So far they are doing well, and there are a bunch of flowers in there also. This gets morning sun only, I hope that's enough.

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Early morning sun was so strong yesterday...Peas need to be picked again...Totally loving the peapod peas! 

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We have two big pots full! Semi shade in the afternoon, keeps them cooler.

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Here's another shot of the pots...just thick with plants and peas.

My lettuce and radish containers are pretty much done. The radishes bolted during the rain and didn't radish...but we did get quite a few early. Those containers are ready for new seeds this week. We've had fresh lettuce for almost a month now, and it should continue with late plantings.

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I had to go and purchase 2 yellow summer squash plants and two green zucchini plants, 2 separate plantings only yielded one of each. So they are late, but are now established...Some of the 'weedy' looking plants are parsnips! Next week I'm cutting the bare fronds for mono printing and gel plate printing, can't wait.

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Opposite the zuchs are 5 tomato plants in front of the Asparagus which has all gone to seed. Next year will be the bumper crop of Asparagus I think. There are tomato plants under there!

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Across the now cardboard path are 8 broccoli plants with beets in between, I have some great grown from seed Dill going....YAY, but we are a long time before cucumbers start.

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I have 4 purchased Brussel Sprouts planted, and lots of WEEDS. Waiting for the Squash /Pumpkins for the fence to come up??? More failed seeds! or maybe critter munchers, seemed like nothing lasted more than a day when it popped up?

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I planted Bush Beans three times in 4 places...???Very hit or miss. At the price of seeds, I'm very disappointed. The Whirly-gigs are supposed to be deterrents for critters? I also have vines planted up the fence, but again, poor germination. 

I will be doing an analyzed post on the seed failures across the board this year...UGH! 

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Across the way are the big planters which are doing well. Radishes bolted, we've had some nice chard. The Chinese beans, did not come up on the end closest to the left of the pic. We also had a large burrowing animal (woodchuck, squirrel, ???) that made quite a mess in both large planters. We've sprinkled enough deterrent, that I wouldn't think anything would want to be in there. Critters are a problem...no bunnies this year, though...they are too busy eating decorative grasses and Hostas in the front yard.

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A couple of random sunflowers popped up in both the big planters, and will give some shade to the plants if it gets to hot. I have long Delicata Squash planted in the first box. 

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The back one we have big Cucumbers planted and they are doing well. 

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Well supposedly Squash and pumpkins are supposed to be coming up in the back, along with Beans...on one lattice. NO LUCK, lots of weird looking plants, seems hubby threw wildflower seeds back there, behind the tomatoes.

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New addition is the old windmill frame added to grow pumpkins and Squash up . So far I have some good growth.

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With all the repeated plantings, I really don't know what is coming up where, this is a PIE PUMPKIN though...at least I think so.

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My stool and bucket are ready for me to trim the tomatoes back (lower leaves and unproducing leaves.)

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Around the bedspring and lattice are Cucumbers on one side and climbing Beans on the other. These are going well, and a few pots of Peppers which I had started in the greenhouse.

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And LOOK, real peppers already, these I hope are long sweet peppers???we won't know until.....LOL. 

We have potatoes in a garbage can, and tomatoes, peppers, peas, lettuces, and Herbs on the front porch. 

Hopefully we will start having some fruit on the vine, soon! 

How Does Your Garden Grow? 

How are your Flowers Blossoming?

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Midwest Gardening: July 1st after the RAINS

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After my last blog post, I went outside for entire day and clipped and deadheaded and surveyed the rain damage. Surprisingly everything was thriving because of the natural water instead of our calcium laden well water. 

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One thing we do is plant flowers around the vegetable garden and inside too. 

Remember my sunflowers last year...yikes, who knew. I only planted short varieties this year. These Nasturtiums are the bees favorites...so are great for around the garden.

We had our huge Silver Maple trees professionally trimmed this year, so we are getting mottled shade in parts of the garden. A blessing actually during the horrendous heat wave.

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Last thing I planted on a rainy day was this little flower garden in the middle of the vegetable garden, with our starts and seeds.  It gets the mottled shade and seems quite happy. The white Alyssum is huge and continous blooming.

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More Nasturtiums mixed with onions and herbs. Two large round pots of salad!

We have 4 separately fenced areas for produce. And, large pots keep nibblers at bay.

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One day just before our rains came, I filled in all the garden bare spots (where seeds were eaten or just didn't germinate. With the natural rain...the Hubbard squash succeeded with rain and moderate temps. I will pole these to  the fence for climbing when they are larger. 

We have spare pieces of trellis if we need them.

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I planted multi-coloredcarrots and some radish tapes which are still too thick. We are late on these also...the first plantings died in the heat.

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Before the rain, I had pruned all the tomatoes to  the basic yielding branches. You would never know it after 12" or more of rain.  Thick and sturdy and finally blossoming, but needing another clipping of excess greenery. 

TIP: Trim your tomatoes to encourage larger fruit.

NOTE: Plants won't seem to blossom during too hot weather, nor during extended gray rainy days. 

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The Green Beans are definitely climbing. This wall gets sun about half the day, and hopefully the beans will stay tender. Last year I planted them along the north wall, they did well, but were a bit dry even when young, due to our continuous winds.

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Something new for us---bush pickles along the ground, instead of up a trellis. We still have Burpless and Chicago Pickler going up the center garden trellis.

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Something else that is late are the Sweet Pod Peas and they were planted first. 

Peas don't like heat, so I plant them where they get a bit of shade. But, now they took off and should begin blossoming this week. At the base is a thick row of Ruby Red Chard...which I will thin for salads. By the time the peas are done...the Chard can take over this spot! Chard is super healthy and freezes well with a quick blanch and ice.  Again the shade should keep it tender.

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After struggling in the heat, the yellow summer squashes and Zucchini are taking off! And, looking very healthy.,

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Our green sea of tomato plants...and this is way less than last year.

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Turnips....something different.  We love roasted root vegetables in Fall. 

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Behind our lot, our neighbor is trying some sort of Grass that gets huge for a privacy screen. The rain sure helped them get going, as they were little sprigs when he first planted.

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I planted a couple of Holly Hocks back by his woodpile along the lot line. We have had a lot of mature trees damaged in storms over the last few years. Trimming or removal is a safety issue.

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Here are 4 o'clocks, a new clematis and a bunch of Zinnia seeds (and weeds), a Russian Sage and smaller version of Phlox under here. The dirt here isn't the best. Hopefully the clematis will grab hold, it is on the lower left. They are hard to get started.

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Along the north edge, I  have two HUGE Rhubarb plants which loved the rain. I'll be cutting back on the weekend.

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Only two Chinese Eggplant this year, but they are happy and blossoming. They are behind a fence, critters love them.

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All those weedy looking plants in the back are Chinese lanterns...which we usually forget about and pull out as weeds in Spring. I let the few that made it go to seed last year, and now I have an entire wall of lantern plants. They will be fun to decorate with in Fall.

We planted extra dill for the Monarchs and for pickles. 

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Sweet Peas finally started to bloom (almost a month late)

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More Holly Hock photos...they are gorgeous this year.

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but, we have to bug spray these or they are eaten alive.

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The white ones seemed to ruffle this year? I leave the stalks dry and sprinkle the seeds along the fence. It takes two years to get flowers...they are Biennials, so forecasting seeds every year ensures continuous blooms.

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These are my original ones...love the soft burgundy centers!

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Our very mature Giant Hosta. I keep saying I'm going to split and move...and in Fall we never get it done. Love the leaves, and this is a low spot in the yard for drainage so they get tons of water. It's early for blooms which they do when they are root bound, another sign I should split them.

My camera battery died, so that's all for today. I'll be taking more photos of what's growing in our plot...Besides Everything! 

What's Thriving and Not in your GARDEN? 

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