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As usual I am excited when I receive notice that you have a new post. I am 72 and feel too that I just cannot not plant a garden. The fresh food is delicious but getting outside to work the garden is just as sweet. We also have lots of special savings envelopes and the people at the bank are always confused as to why I ask for cash in unusual denominations. Take care and good luck with your garden. 

This is a coincidence - I also waited a little late to start planting.  I had several cooler-weather things that I waited for them to finish producing before I started planting over for spring.  Like you and Charles, I'm using raised beds - I'm done with standing bent over at the waist, sweat running in my eyes as the heat threatens to suffocate me (I'm in North Florida).  I have two beds built of concrete block, one that is a trough like yours (I will buy one or two more for fall) and two that are old 55 gallon plastic drum ends that my husband had cut so that they are about 16" deep.  

Here's my one and only tip for gardening late - put lightweight covers, like frost cloth, over the planters at night.  I protected my squash and cucumbers from beetles that way last year.  It was a bother at times to cover and uncover them each day, but seeing the bugs sitting on top of the frost cloth, unable to get in, made me smile, as did picking the unblemished fruit. 

I’m betting it will grow.  It’s funny how plants can surprise you.  Last year we had to leave for a weekend and my folks came to water for us.  My mom said my tomatoes were dead but she went ahead and watered because I had asked her to.  I told her they were only mostly dead but not all the way dead ????. By the end of the season, I was giving away bags of tomatoes to anyone who would take them ????. Always love seeing your g

Dear Grandma Donna,

I loved the garden tour, everything looked so green and lush. I also think the cattle tanks are a great idea as they are a good height and they won't rot !  All the little 'garden ornament friends' are lovely too. Many blessings to you both ~ Linda NZ

I really enjoy your posts!  I have thought of learning to container garden and your  approach and your philosophy (doing research, seeing what happens, and especially not being demoralized when things don’t work) is very welcoming.  I have been intimidated since I have to start at zero but I can already hear your encouragement.    Thank you. 

What a nice idea, to give each other food.  I used to take lots of groceries up to my parents' house when they were still alive.  I always included some treats, like peppermint bark.  Love seeing your beautiful garden...

GRANDMA DONNA WROTE,  Thank you all for your comments, I read all of them as they come in and I learn from you as well.  Thank you for posting an you can post photos here on this forum as well.  I have been back out in the garden working on a Medicinal herb garden and getting ready to plant some more summer flowers.  I plant mostly from seed now since starts have gotten too expensive.  Again, thank you for posting.

A lovely post.  Your garden is beautiful.  I am getting ready to move half-way across the country to live in an apartment.  I've been living with my oldest daughter and her family for the past year, ever since I sold my house.  I am very much looking forward to having my own place again.  I've never been much of a gardener and I won't have any sort of yard but I am planning on doing some container gardening, herbs especially.  I just love reading your posts and following you in living the old-fashioned way.  Fingers crossed for a good garden this year.

GRANDMA DONNA WROTE, Weaverbird, I am so happy that you are finally able to make your move and it sounds like a big move going a long way.  I wish you the best and hope that you can start your container garden :)

Do you know about Steve Solomon's Gardening When it Counts? There are drawings that show you what the root structure is for various plants. Has good advice on how to get started. He's in his 80s and still gardens in Tasmania. If you have a soil test done and send him the results, he will tell you what supplements you need! I have got to do that.

I bought a little Mantis tiller. I want to hand dig a garden, like I've always done, but my knee is just too bad. I'm not working a large area so am hoping this will do the trick. I bought berry bushes that I need to get planted. And I have potatos to plant. Don't know how much I'll do this year, but I will have some things in the ground.

I am very envious of the cattle tanks, my beloved made me several wooden planters from old pallets, I’m aware that being wood their lifetime is limited but apart from the nails and his time they were free so am very grateful for them. We can also get free compost from our local authority who takes the kerbside collected green waste and processes it, it fills the planters up well with just a top dressing of our own compost.

Here in the UK we have had a fortnight of sunshine & showers so everything is going great guns on growth, our salad crop is well on the way, courgettes are coming up and the tomato plants are of a size that they can be planted out soon, just wary of a late frost!

We are doing it wrong too, but I'm excited to see what happens.  We also are doing square foot gardening.  We built two 4'x4' square foot gardening boxes and bought two blueberry bushes.  One box will be for strawberries which I'm sure is too late, but we will see.

I love reading your posts, and it was so fun to see all your little friends in the garden!  I think I want to add a few statues to my garden too.  :)

I'm relieved to see we weren't the only Ines planting late. Better late then never  we built 5 beds this year and haven't regretted it. We have plans to have tons if beds as that's best for our area since we have issues with deer and such. The garden looks amazing.