"Are we there yet?" Anyone who's ever traveled with kids surely has heard that question and you younger gardeners were probably saying things like this not too long ago, much to your parents frustration. Well, it's the middle of July and hopefully your garden is bursting at the seams. I've been reading blogs, facebook posts & tweets from folks all over the country, enjoying bushels of juicy tomatoes, sweet corn, hot peppers, blah-blah-blah.
Don't get me wrong, The Redneck Garden is growing like mad, but outside of the herbs, all I've been able to harvest is lettuce & a couple of lemon cucumbers. Every morning I walk around my containers, say good morning to all my children and offer them heartfelt encouragement. I drive to work wondering, will this be the day I see some color in the tomatoes? Every evening, I drive home, walk into the yard, asking just like my kids on a long car ride; "are we there yet"? And every day, the answer is the same; "not ye-et". Patience has never been my strong suit, can you tell?
So here's what's going on in The Redneck Garden:
The Yellow Pear Tomatoes have looked exactly like this for at least three weeks.
The mystery volunteer is clearly some sort of cherry tomato that is putting out big long racks of fruit.
On a hopeful note, I took this pic of the egg plant flower on July 9th.
And just nine days later, we have fruit!
The heirlooms have all outgrown their 4' cages by 2' or more, they have plenty of flowers & fruit, but the late spring and cool start to our summer are keeping them from really getting with the program.
The new green bell from the Master Gardener's sale is covered in flowers and young fruit.
The little, frail Habanero (also from the MG sale) is finally bulking up and showing buds.
And it looks like we will eventually get a good dose of "Hinklehatz" peppers, which the label said are "extremely hot". Someday.
I should say that the couple lemon cukes we've had were excellent and I've been able to enjoy a few delicious radishes, fresh cut lettuce & loads of herbs. However, if you've been following my chronicle of The Redneck Garden, you know that this is my first serious summer garden and I'm still learning the many lessons that gardening teaches. Let's just say that my grade in "patience" shows that I need to work a little harder at going with the flow. I enjoy the anticipation, but can't wait to show off a huge "Yellow Dagma's Perfection" or "Pink Stump of the World" to my mega-mart, sawdust-texture tomato eating coworkers. Soon, I hope.
So please tell me how your harvest is going, so that I may vicariously enjoy the fruits of your labor.
Well, I'm in a somewhat similar situation. I have harvested tomatoes, but everything else is way behind. Peppers and eggplants are not happy that it's barely been hot here.
ReplyDeleteI'm in a similar spot. Waiting. And waiting. With a side of more waiting. I have some cherry tomatoes producing well. Still eating my greens and will probably pick the last few peas tomorrow Your green tomatoes look good! I hope they ripen soon for you!
ReplyDeleteI'm eating greens, herbs, radishes baby carrots and early potatoes. PEas will be next then in a month or two tomatoes, zucchini , broccoli cabbage, brussels sprouts and beans. everything is right on par for my northern garden. The only thing I'm unhappy with is the cayenne peppers that are not growing at all despite the fact they are in the greenhouse.
ReplyDeleteFern, I expect you So-Cal folks to be ahead of me. Heck, I'm green enough at this that everyone should be ahead of me. But the plants are huge & there's lots of fruit, the cool temps are just bogging everything down.
ReplyDeleteLaura & Melanie: If I'm this impatient in zone 8A, can't imagine what I'd be like in zone 3. My hat is off to you two! I do have some greens still and since writing this post, I've harvested a few more lemon cukes, another crookneck, 2 ambassador squash & a double handfull of beans. Went away for three days, hoping the pot would boil, but the tomatoes are all still green. Lows around 50F & highs around 75F really slow the process.
Someday...
Matt - I was hoping it might be a little warmer where you are and your tomatoes would be ripening. Mine look like yours - sad and small and green. In fact, as I write this (at NOON in the MIDDLE OF JULY) I'm wearing jeans and a long sleeved shirt! Crazy, crazy summer we're having!
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