Radical Radish!

WE'VE GOT RADISHES! WOOHOO!

I really don't know why I'm excited about the radishes, I don't eat them! BLAH! But I'm so excited because they are only the first of many things to come! We planted a whole row of radishes because Dustin's mom LOVES them. Normally Papa, Dustin's dad plants them for her. But he's been ill and is on full time oxygen now, :( so this year WE planted them. Aren't they pretty? That's the first batch we picked!

When I saw those were ready I decided to really start looking and do you know what I found????




Banana Pepper Blooms! For all the little blooms a pepper will grow! It's kinda hard to see them but they are the little things in the middle of the picture!

Wait I'm not done!!









Yummy! LOOK at those TOMATOES! I don't know about where you are, but in my area tomatoes are over $2.00 a pound! YIKES!


So, I don't think I had ever even HEARD of a rutabaga let alone eaten one before Dustin and I started going to the Methodist church lunches. But I L O V E them! This is the smallest of the 4 I planted (Dustin doesn't like them so I didn't want to plant alot) and it's the only one that has some above the ground, so I'm excited to see the other below the ground! GROW BABY GROW!




I'm not really into the bell peppers, I'll eat them though. I don't like the texture, but I love the flavor they give! Look at those blooms! There will be a pepper for each bloom!














Okay, NOW we are talking! I LOVE grape tomatoes! mmmmm In a nice avocado and tomato salad! HM.. Maybe I need to look into planting an avocado tree! That would be AWESOME!















I used to hate cabbage! Now I can't get enough of it! But then, I've found some really great ways to cook it! Like This! Add a bit of sour cream and cheese and it's pretty much Chili! lol, Just with Cabbage! I love the fact I can prep it the night before and then put it in the crock pot the next morning and not have to worry about it!










Look at that! It's a teeny tiny little squash! HA! Right now, that little squash is about the size of a paper clip! Squash... Aww how I love thee... I can't wait to cook you!









On a sad note, we didn't read up on broccoli before we planted it, and due to the heat our broccoli has all "gone to seed". That's a term I've gotten to know quite well! Basically, broccoli will only grow if the temperature of the soil stays between 50 and 80 degrees. If it gets to warm, it will "go to seed" meaning bloom all over with seeds and then they fall off and the plant dies. :( I really was hoping to save some money there! But oh well, we'll get it in this fall and I'll have to plant lots and lots of it and then freeze it for next year. (on a side note, Dustin pulled it all up this morning)
I saw the blooms and thought we were about to get A LOT of broccoli! I didn't realize that some plants have blooms that turn into the vegetable, while others (like broccoli) the bloom is the seed, not the veggie.

So, What do you think? Do any of you have gardens? What are you growing? Dustin's an ol' pro but do you have any tips for a newbie like me?