The Green Wall

Despite having a housefull of kids for several weeks, I have been able to do some gardening. Because of various things, like travel, my summer garden was started late this year, but seems to have done well so far.

In Mexico, it is very common to build right up to the property line; there are no easement or setback restrictions. My next door neighbors had a wall right on one of our joint property lines. Last summer they started to remove the attached roof and most of the wall fell down. Since they had a dog that liked to visit our yard and leave little “gifts” for us to clean up, we put up a chain link fence. This spring, I saw it as an opportunity for a new vertical garden.

I planted some yard long beans, which I have never grown before. They are just getting started:

Yard long beans growing on the fence

The bricks behind the plants are what is left of the wall.

Next to the beans I have some watermelon and cantaloupe that are just beginning to do well. I plan to support the fruit with some old pantyhose.

Watermelon vines next to the sage

The grayish plants plant next to the watermelon plant is sage. I have an abundance from my little herb garden. Apparently it is a rare commodity here, so I give cuttings to my friends so they can dry it and have a supply.

Next to the watermelons, I have some cucumbers. I am trying a new (to me) type that produces cucumber twins; it is just starting to produce. The ants really love these cucumber plants; they farm their aphids on them if they get the chance. I have to spray them pretty often with soap and the occasional Spinosad application.

Young cucumbers starting to produce

Then I have some winter squash growing along the fence. I have to go out every day to encourage the vines to stay on the fence, since they want to grow everywhere! I have three types: Kabocha growing from some saved seed, Trompetta, which can be used like summer squash or left to ripen for winter use, and Buttercup, which my grandkids call “belly button squash” because of its shape.

Winter squash flourishing on the chain-link fence

I love squash, so I also have some bush summer squash growing also. Here is a photo of my first yellow zucchini:

Our first zucchini!

MMMMMmmmm! I can’t wait to use it!