gardening again

It has been a while since I did proper work in the garden (due to my finger healing) so it has been getting shabby and unkempt. Yesterday I went out to do some weeding, trimming and general clean-up. My hands were out of practice- I got blisters from just using the tools again! Here's some photos how things are growing:

Volunteer vine is crawling all over the garden, crossing paths.

It's a cucumber!

My first ever leeks- they are still small, and tend to flop over when the ground gets soft after rain. The slender leaves are a pretty blue green, feel soft and fragile when I handle them. Not sure if I'll get good leeks- apparently they are tricker to grow than onions, which I never did well at... but we'll see.

I have pulled nearly all the carrots- we got two dinner's worth out of them. Beets are still plugging along.

Up on the deck summer savory is flowering. The blooms are tiny. (Haven't seen the preying mantis among them again. Nor anywhere else in the garden, but I hope it is still around, or some of its siblings).

Second pot of choc mint I started from cuttings is growing like crazy.

Dill has all gone to seed. I'm collecting and saving it now.

My row of green beans looks okay from afar- but I have been getting a sorry amount of beans, as usual. Next year must plant twice as many, and in the ground where their nitrogen-fixing abilities can benefit the plants that come after.

They are still suffering from insect damage and/or disease. I have been cutting off and discarding in trash all the sickly leaves I find, it seems to be keeping this in check a little better than last year.

Row of tithonia against the fence is getting taller! I took this photo last week (grass needed trimming) and some flowers finally opened just a few days ago. Probably my neighbors thing this plant looks like a giant weed but I do like the vivid orange flowers. Going to cut some to bring in the house.