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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Sandi 

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No, I didn't fall off the face of the earth....Midwest Gardening 2026 Spring

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My cousin J called to see if I was OKAY because I have been lacking in posts...YEPPERS, I am OK and this is a Midwest Gardening Post for Spring.

SO, Dear readers, Happy Easter,...Happy May, Mom's Day, and hoping a wonderful Memorial Day, etc.

Here at OldNewGreenRedo...we have been pretty much been doing the OLD, as in growing older. We are finding that full work days are now only 3-4 hours long, LOL. 

Also...everything around here is a REDO. Same old, same old and more. Fix, repair, move it around, rinse and repeat.

Spring here has been cold, fitful and dreary in NW Chicagoland. Winds off  chilly Lake Michigan reached far inland, where we are and kept the frosts and gray days continuous. Our Hostas braved the early weather and many have iced now brown, leaves. When everything is planted, I'll have to thin out all the ugly leaves.

I took these photos yesterday as it was sunny and bright yet still jacket weather.

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Our homemade  greenhouse finally got plants in the week after Easter, correction half our plants from the kitchen. 

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We had our trusty thermostat heater going in the greenhouse every night for 6 weeeks. It's adjustable to 1300 or 1500 watts, an adjustable thermostat (set to 45-50) and a dusk to dawn timer. I confess we had to run it a few days because of the cloud cover and temps.

It was too cold to hook up the greenhouse with water, (we already froze and cracked half our water system in the backyard) due to un-forecasted hard freezes, so  schlepping water was a pain to all those thirsty plants.

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Like many in the Midwest, Tornado warnings and the dreaded high winds kept the trees from opening up, stripping them of tender leaves, and tore down old branches. We still have a few late tulips trying to survive the temps of 80 plus today, while the Iris are in full bloom, but they won't last long if it stays this hot. Forecasters are willy-nilly and it is definitely a crap shoot here in Spring. Yes, we lived in the 40-50's just two days ago and high 30's at night...and now it's a blister.

I HOPE you all have your planting done or started. I took some photos of the greenhouse before I started planting on May 15.  It's crazy how happy plants are in a greenhouse. But with temps up now it's time to move them out.

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Tomatoes and Peppers...YIKES, they have to go in the ground tomorrow!!! 

A few Peppers got into Pots, yesterday. We've found peppers like the large pots better than in our ground soil. Think Mediterranean climate..and they are happy --a bit hotter.   

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 I filled the pots with soil from our compost pile which is lovel, loose and rich with organic matter.

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One thing very happy with the temps is the Rhubarb, num, Rhubarb treats coming this week!

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I also have some pots with Dahlia and Caladium bulbs in, many which didn't survive their winter in the heated garage. Lots were mushy or shriveled and dried up. I planted what looked viable, but so far no Caladiums made it.

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Peppers and a few perennials. Golly the seed manufacturers were stingy with seeds this year, a pack barely started 10 small containers. And, the germination wasn't that great either.  12 Better Boy Tomatoes produced 4 inferior plants at 40cents a seed..UGH! Name brand, too!

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Dill survived in four heavily seeded containers. a feww Larkspur made it also. Hoping to nurse these into nice perrenial plants. I have a fenced in flower bed that doesn't get too hot..just for nursing first year perennials or plant splits.

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Some late starts, Alyssum which grows so fast, some more perennials and Coleus which I misplaced the seeds, I'll be lucky to get any from last years package and started too late.

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Supposedly eggplant and some Echinacea. I'm hoping these make it.

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More Tomatoes and Peppers, and the round pot??? I have it written down somehwere, but the plants looks weird the pot on the left?

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I planted my Dahlias in these big pots to see which would survive. They will now have to be trimmed back and transplanted, recover a day or two in a sheltered area outside and then moved into their summer locations. These are all big bloom Dahlias, focal points for the front of the house and a few by the patio.

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I had two pots on the left that really did nothing...with lettuce seeds, spinach, ??? Will probably put Dahlias in them also.

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We did have an easier time holding heat in the greenhouse due to the concrete blocks we used for the floor and the new foam insulation we used last year on the lower half. Everything  really needs cleaning now though. 

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I concentrated more on produce this year (with food prices so high) but, purchased these flowers...Geraniums were a leader and only .99cents, the 8 packs were $2.99 so that helped. I bought some Wave Petunias for 2.49 each (a steal) and that will be the plantings for the front too.

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First time ever growing Larkspur (back skinny plants)...anxious to see them flower., I forget what's in front.

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I have vowed to do some decorating on the greenhouse this year, and a fresh coat of stain...you are witnesses, hold me to it! Time to make her cute and pretty, too!

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We have 5 windows and a storm door with screen in the greenhouse..and this huge fan to help control temps. The fan has three settings, and I use the lowest, circulating air helps plants grow very strong stems.

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Outside, we used vinyl thermo-paned basement windows, which are just held open with sticks, and they seal tight from the outside. Perfect for a greenhouse. The North window is and up and down thermo-pane which opens from the inside. 

Well...Hope you are all well and doing well, .

now it's time for GARDENING!...All those plants and seeds have to go somewhere...soon!

NEXT POST: IN THE GARDEN!

Thanks  ALWAYS  for visiting,

I will try and respond to every comment and answer every question.

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All the opinions and photographs in this blog are my own, unless otherwise designated. Please do not use my photos without permission. I have not been paid or reimbursed in anyway for my opinions, posts, or any products shown or anywhere I shop.

Thank you for your cooperation,

Sandi 

Gardening, Canning, and Self-Analyzing my Art.

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Well, I'm on my 10th day of Covid, I'm negative now, but still YUGGY!

Poor Hubby is hacking away and still +...all our big plans have been cancelled for two weekends, and we are going to have the Fish Boil next week if everyone tests negative.

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I have been in the garden this week. I did an 8 pint jars batch of Sauce; Hot peppers, garlic, onions, peppers and tomatoes...with lemon juice and salt. 

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Tomatoes taste fabulous this year, but they are just small and dense...crazy hot weather made everything stop producing for weeks. I didn't skin them, but blended the sauce with my creamer/blender.

We've had tons of rain, so every plant, bush, and flower is huge, but the veggie blossoms were too wet to be pollinated. Pickles are now drying up with crazy shaped weird cucumbers still on the vine. I never even did any fresh pickles made.

 The Crookneck bumpy Squash has been prolific and tasty. Last night we had small ones hollowed out and loaded with chopped Zucchini and squash seasoned and tossed with oil and Balsamic and roasted in the toaster/airfryer. NUM! I use salt free seasoning mixes and just a splash of Balsamic vinegar.

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Zucchinis of course are not there one day and then submarines the next. I don't think we will get any Beets, Chard or Carrots unless the large planters produce...it's so thick in there with squash leaves, who knows. Surprisingly the 'Broccoli has been good even with the heat. 

So much for vegetable gardening. 

Hubby has projects going (left for over a week) painting the back deck a dark forest green to give it a couple of more years of life. We will be doing paving stones professionally in the future, and repairing this and that. He has a new wire fence wall for the East side(for critter proofing----LOL), sitting and waiting for the mesh.

I managed to get the porch finally cleaned and cleared with the cooler weather, but I only seem to be able to do a couple of hours of anything.

In the studio....well...I'm taking an additional 10-day class with Louise Fletcher...in finding your style, finding what you like-through exercises and some serious analyzing of what you accomplish in class or don't. 

Do you paint/draw for yourself?---or others? 

Do you give a single bit about what others think?

What do you like about your work? 

What do you Dislike?

She asks some tough questions, and since I have no intention of ever selling anything...I do it for myself...but ....do I????

I share with you, for validation or to share the experience? 

Questions, Questions, Questions????

The classes are  supplemented with Q&A sessions as well as a sharing work on an FB private group. Golly I'm amazed at how so many students have such SERIOUS ANGST about putting fricking lines on a paper....jeesh! Louise's entire emphasis is on PLAY to see what you like doing? Interestingly it was the blind self portraits that people were angsting about...looking in a mirror at your own reflection...really!

Anyway, What I have learned so far.

I'm finding out...I don't like black (I already knew that) and I don't like white paper showing(I really don't like that). I love line/color movement and some sort of balance or composition. I love COLORS--all kinds of color. I love working in more than one media at the same time. I really work fast....so fast I am done far ahead of the timed sessions end. Here's a peek at a one of the studies.

15 minuted each, a Limited palette to mix your own colors, realistic subject matter, I chose watercolors as my main medium. No. 3-4 we added another drawing mediums first...then paint.

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My set up...with all the finished pieces. Each one was less than 15 minutes...except the last one was 14:50.

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No. 1...I was too caught up in the patterned cloth...and watercolor mushes when you work too fast and runs into each other. I was using colors full strength and too much water...so the colors are fighting each other.

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No.2 I worked in more simplified layers and got everything under control? I was compelled to paint blue/gray in the background...If I work on this further I will totally darken the background do a very dark shade.  I like the movement in the red cloth...the leaves are-Eh!

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No. 3 We added an additional drawing medium here (I chose watercolor gel sticks...which was the turquoise and bright yellow)-t

(These sticks break down in water and I LOVE THEM!)

The pitcher/pot got some attention and some gray/black/white treatment. My last bit was the dark green lines here and there...I like the mixing of the green/brown which was the red, blue and yellow mixed together. I actually left the white background...but, so want to paint it brown...lol.

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No. 4 Well by now I felt I had explored the horizontal, so I flipped the paper vertical.

The pot was worked/clarified with water color pencil and the wc gel sticks are the base of the leaves. I am happy with the stoneware/white glaze on the pot and actually left some paper white. I like the leaves in this one, using the red/green to create the brownish tones...bits of the dark green surfaced here also, and I would use more of that if I had time. This one was right down to the end of the 15 minute limit. I also like the red balance on this one...amazing how a color can take over a piece, and here the red doesn't.

MOST IMPORTANT...I'm learning to STOP when I am done, or satisfied....and not having to ponder on what to do next. Setting a piece aside and then going on to the next idea...on another paper. I think I will work everything in a series now, exploring what works and what doesn't. I'm still analyzing all my other class work with Louise, we have quite few projects yet to go. So that will be later...

Besides all the analyzing today, I used up a bunch of scraps and paper samples, cards, cardstock, printer paper, various papers ripped from sketchbooks, some with marks or splaxhes  and Aged/Altered them from techniques from Graphics Fairy in her Aging Papers series.  She really does share so much, I know she has a paid subscription, but I have been following her freebies for probably 10 years...and what a trip it's been. 

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The finished papers with the warm tones and neutrals with greens will be perfect for Fall projects. The Papers have coffee washes, washes made from Pthalo Green, black, Cadmium Yellow Deep, Pthalo Blue, Lemon Yellow Lt, splatters and lots of energy. I can't wait to use them in Collages and Drawings. 

I think once a week, I will just paint pieces for chopping up...for other works. Great way to utilize...mistakes, messes, and odd bits of papers. 

Well, that's it for today...Have a great holiday weekend, we are in quarrantine...so who knows what else will get done. New Mantra

Please Paint for Yourself!

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All the opinions and photographs in this blog are my own unless identified, I have not been paid or reimbursed in anyway for my opinions, posts or any products shown.  

 Please do not use photos without linking back to this blog without my permission.  

Thank you for your cooperation, 
Sandi 

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