Tag: vines

First cucumbers

On By CarynIn Garden

This year my husband moved the metal trough “raised” garden bed out into the meadow where there is more sunlight. I set a trellis in the middle and planted cucumbers. I have meant to run a timed watering line out there, but it hasn’t happened yet. I haven’t had to hand water often, though, because we’ve been receiving frequent rain. It has worked. I’ve been harvesting cucumbers!

Photo description: first two cucumbers from my garden in a metal water trough with trellis

I’m training the vines up the trellis to keep the cucumbers off the ground, which works really, really well.

I have not installed deer deterrent yet in the form of a fence or barrier. That is on the to do list.

Honeysuckle

On By CarynIn Garden

Once again the Japanese honeysuckle has exploded. The metal arbor that holds it is completely engulfed and the scent can bowl you over on a warm morning.

Photo description: Japanese Honeysuckle in bloom, about 10 feet tall

I do plan (again) to harvest the vines in the fall, but now I have a secret weapon: a stem stripper. This small metal tool is marketed for stripping thorns from rose stems, but works awesome on removing leaves from honeysuckle as well. It makes prepping the vines much faster.

Photo description: metal stem stripper tool with a stripped honeysuckle vine and one with the leaves still attached

I did take stereoscopic images and put them together. There is depth, but it lacks diversity. It is a great huge mound of honeysuckle, after all.

Photo description: stereoscopic parallel view of Japanese honeysuckle mound