After a touring the flower gardens of repose that over look Mahoning Valley we headed to the other side of the property to wander through the vegetable and fruit garden.
This is what I just love about Nadia’s garden. The beans seeking the sun on the bamboo poles. Maybe it’s because eating beans from the vine is nostalgic for me. As a child my mom (a garden dweller) use to let us snap up beans from the vine and eat them raw. Some folks love the tomato still sun warmed, right off the vine…I prefer beans.
Here in Amish country, it seems folks get the beans in the ground in May for an early spring harvest but Nadia suggests a second planting for a later harvest.
These little garnet gems are one of the two varietals of currants that Nadia grows. A seasoned gardener can determine one variety from the other by the scented leaves
vs. red currants no scent.
On the edge of her fenced vegetable garden Nadia has planted a row of raspberries,blackberries, red and black currants, gooseberries, and rhubarb. As a Master Gardener she has written an article for a local newspaper titled, Raspberries 101. I am trying to figure out how to share it, in the meantime, if you would like a copy please email me. It is a short, helpful guide to planting and caring for raspberries. We have raspberry bushes and they overwhelm me a bit. I’ll need to put her tips into practice later this season and hope for success.
In the meantime, wouldn’t you enjoy being a raspberry with this view? … or enjoying raspberry mojito while also enjoying this view?
Nadia plants a variety of cherry, roma, and beefsteak tomatoes. She has companion planted, the background, a bed of purple basil.
A beautiful round Italian zucchini, called Tondo de Piacenza, that was gifted to her from a friend of a friend . Wouldn’t this be pretty stuffed, baked and served?
There are so many photos that I did not add to this post and I’m adding this one last minute because I’m hopeful it can be helpful for you….and I just love the color blue. Nadia plants borage in her garden to bring the bees that aid in pollination.
Here are the elderberries. Nadia used the blooms, before they went to berry, to make a lovely elderberry syrup that she served with chilled beverages for lunch (the next Master Mardener post).
Nadia thought she was our garden hostess but we all agree that the real tour guide was Woody. This makes a perfect “the end” photo but it’s not the end… we still need to make it to the Master Gardener’s table for lunch. So make sure to check out the next blog post.
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