Tomato Envy

Here we are on July 21 and I still don't have a single red tomato. I am 6 weeks behind the first ripe tomatoes in 2010.  Lot's of beautiful little yellow blossoms, some forming tomatoes, but nothing red, except the pots some are planted in.  I have great envy when talking to my mom (in Central California) and she is harvesting  5 - 7 each day off her two 'Home Depot' plants while I have nothing to show (yet) for all my hours of tending over seeds, seedlings, transplanting and bi weekly fertilization. 

With nice warm weather here again this week, I hope to see something turn red!  Cucumbers are going great and I harvest 2 - 3 each day.  Just one little eggplant starting to grow... and that's on a total of 3 plants.  

And so, I've finished with my complaining about the results of the cool weather.... and the good news is that our electric bill is the lowest it's ever been!!!

So... off to the dirt.

Creative Tomato Trellis

In this raised box I have tomato plants...... 18 Russian Black Heirlooms and 2 Fantastic Slicers.  (again, all started from seed!) Why the mix???  Well, I read that heirlooms are often temperamental and one way to get better production is to introduce another variety for cross pollination.  So, I pulled 2 of the Russian Black's and planted the Fantastic's.  

So here is the trellis I've built.  I used 6' fence post.  For the cross sections I used construction stakes and fastened with wood screws.  The wire mesh is the type used when they pour concrete (I'm sure it has a proper name) but let's just say I got lots of strange looks at Home Depot when I was trying to fold these 8' sheets in half to get into the Jeep.  We didn't have a heavy duty wire cutter so I decided to use my new tree pruner.... but I needed Mr. B to help me cut the wire mesh.  So between the two of us we got it cut.  I have a sore shoulder and elbow, but we got it cut!!! This we laid across the stakes to create the trellis for the tomatoes. 

Yes, looks like we ruined the tree pruner, but I have a trellis for this tomatoe bed that I can store in the winter and move around in future years!!

And...GOOD NEWS..this morning I saw little tomatoes forming  .. yeah!!!  we may have tomatoes to eat yet this summer!
Off To The Dirt!!!

Potatoes, Level 5, and stopping

I'm stopping this potato tower at level 5.  This last time I broke two of the plants off during my building up with straw and compost.  It's getting to unwieldy to pack in the compost without breaking branches. 

But the remaining plants look good and are robust.

Are there actually potatoes growing in this cage???

Off to the dirt!

BeanFest

Celebrating July 4 with the first harvest of bush green beans.  They grew from little bean'lets' to 5" in about 4 days. These are started from seeds, Speedy Bush Bean from Territorial Seed Co.  They were to come into maturity in 50 days.  I planted them the week of April 10.... so I'd say that this cold and wet spring definitely slowed the growth since the first picking is about 75 days out.

The edamame are beginning to bloom so hope to be picking those in about 20 days. 

Drunken Woman Frizzy Headed...... Lettuce

Yes the butter-head lettuce seeds are actually named...Drunken Woman Frizzy Headed Lettuce  (Territorial Seed Company).  I harvested the first tonight and boy is it tender and sweet.  The leaves are a beautiful pale green and some have a slight hint of ruby on the edges.  But so sweet!!  Although a butter-head lettuce, they are actually more of a loose leaf lettuce.  They braved it through the cold and June first hail storm... and we are eating them on June 20!!


Off to the dirt!!!

Blooms are a beautiful thing

Tomato blooms, that is.  Each day there are more and more of these beautiful little yellow flowers on the tomatoes.  I know that after the fertilization of the flower, fruit starts to grow!!  However, a problem is becoming apparent.  I have not seen any bees in the last few weeks.  I know that my growing garden needs these  little kings of the garden in order for the beautiful flowers to turn into something edible. 

When we had 2 days of spring in March, I marveled at the buzzing all over the garden.  They were everywhere.  However, as we are now actually in summer, not a buzz to be heard.  Although we have a yard full of lavender, rosemary and flowering thyme, not a bee to be seen.  This weekend I added a  large yellow yarrow near some of the new raised beds hoping to draw bees to that area of the yard.  I need to do more research on what will be a draw to the bees.

Off to bed...then in the morning, off to the dirt!

Sweet Rewards -- carrots and radishes

I love the sun up so early.  I was out by 7am and harvested the first of the carrots planted this spring.  They are so sweet!!  Not long, about 5 inches, but tender and sweet.  I think a carrot salad is in the making for dinner with a grilled steak!!!  So glad summer is here. 

I also harvested the last of the green onions from the winter garden.  Planted more radishes in that space since I've discovered I really like them!  I wasn't fond of the radishes we grew as a kid, but I've found a variety that is crisp and delicate.  I like to slice them thin and put on a slice of freshly baked bread with good European butter.  A sprinkling of sea salt and it's...  YUMM.