Here we are in week 11 of the garden tours, and I am
officially calling the pumpkins done for the year. I have been looking at my very sorry pie
pumpkin plant for about a week and a half, and seeing all the powdery mildew
made me realize that it was in a losing battle.
Fortunately, the pumpkins themselves seem to be ripe enough to
pick. So I am going to pick them and
then figure out how I am supposed to cure them out of the direct sunlight. We shall see how it goes!
officially calling the pumpkins done for the year. I have been looking at my very sorry pie
pumpkin plant for about a week and a half, and seeing all the powdery mildew
made me realize that it was in a losing battle.
Fortunately, the pumpkins themselves seem to be ripe enough to
pick. So I am going to pick them and
then figure out how I am supposed to cure them out of the direct sunlight. We shall see how it goes!
In fact, I think that I am going to start pulling a lot of the plants now. The cucumbers are still producing a little,
but for the most part haven’t been doing that great. I am assuming that is because of the squash
bugs. I am also going to pull the green
beans, as they are just about finished producing for me as well.
The tomatoes still have a ways to go, and I am holding onto
hope that there will be no mishaps with the tomatoes at any point between now
and when they are nice and red and ready to pick.
hope that there will be no mishaps with the tomatoes at any point between now
and when they are nice and red and ready to pick.
Last week I did find the unmistakable droppings of a tomato
hornworm on my cherry tomato plant, but for the life of me I could not find the
actual tomato hornworm. I’m not sure if
you have seen these suckers before, but they are disgusting, and big, and very
good at hiding. Often when I have found
them in the past, I have been looking and looking, getting closer and closer to
the plant, to finally see it right in front of my nose. Not a pleasant experience. However, this time, I think that a bird quite
possibly got the sucker, because I haven’t seen any actual damage to my tomato
plants. Of course, now that I just wrote
that, I fully expect to see some sort of damage when I go out this morning to
do my little walk around.
hornworm on my cherry tomato plant, but for the life of me I could not find the
actual tomato hornworm. I’m not sure if
you have seen these suckers before, but they are disgusting, and big, and very
good at hiding. Often when I have found
them in the past, I have been looking and looking, getting closer and closer to
the plant, to finally see it right in front of my nose. Not a pleasant experience. However, this time, I think that a bird quite
possibly got the sucker, because I haven’t seen any actual damage to my tomato
plants. Of course, now that I just wrote
that, I fully expect to see some sort of damage when I go out this morning to
do my little walk around.
The zucchini plant is still producing. I am shocked.
Every day I seem to pick a few more, and I am ecstatic about it. It makes a delicious meal for me, just sauté
up with some onion and pepper, garlic and red pepper flakes – delicious!
Every day I seem to pick a few more, and I am ecstatic about it. It makes a delicious meal for me, just sauté
up with some onion and pepper, garlic and red pepper flakes – delicious!
I have to hand it to Lisa, when she suggested planting
radishes around the base of the squash plants, I wasn’t sure how it would work,
but I was ready to try anything at this point.
It worked really well! I don’t
have the advantage of being able to use row covers with much success because my
garden is so small, meaning that when the pests overwinter (as squash bugs do),
I don’t have much chance of missing them when I replant and use a row cover,
they just come up from the ground. I’m
not entirely sure how it will go next year.
Probably the fact that I took last year off from planting squash helped
as well, but I am going to use the same radish trick next year and cross my
fingers it will work again!
radishes around the base of the squash plants, I wasn’t sure how it would work,
but I was ready to try anything at this point.
It worked really well! I don’t
have the advantage of being able to use row covers with much success because my
garden is so small, meaning that when the pests overwinter (as squash bugs do),
I don’t have much chance of missing them when I replant and use a row cover,
they just come up from the ground. I’m
not entirely sure how it will go next year.
Probably the fact that I took last year off from planting squash helped
as well, but I am going to use the same radish trick next year and cross my
fingers it will work again!
I also pulled several of the heads of cabbage that were not
heading well. I’m not sure the ones that
I left in the garden bed are going to get big enough for us to actually pick
and eat, but I am leaving them a bit longer to see if there is any change.
heading well. I’m not sure the ones that
I left in the garden bed are going to get big enough for us to actually pick
and eat, but I am leaving them a bit longer to see if there is any change.
I’m pretty sure my kale is going to continue growing until
the winter. What a powerhouse of a plant
for me. I don’t really want to pull it
at all, since I have had such good luck with it re-seeding itself the past
couple of years. I think that I am going
to try and pick some to put in the freezer.
I thought that I would have to blanch it before I put it in the freezer,
but based on a recent e-course I took (Harvest) I realized I did not need
to blanch it first – that makes it a whole heck of a lot easier if all I need
to do is chop and put it in the freezer!
the winter. What a powerhouse of a plant
for me. I don’t really want to pull it
at all, since I have had such good luck with it re-seeding itself the past
couple of years. I think that I am going
to try and pick some to put in the freezer.
I thought that I would have to blanch it before I put it in the freezer,
but based on a recent e-course I took (Harvest) I realized I did not need
to blanch it first – that makes it a whole heck of a lot easier if all I need
to do is chop and put it in the freezer!
Overall, things are still growing well. The garden clean-up is starting a little
earlier than I expected. It has been a
very hot and dry summer, not the norm for my little garden, but I am still extremely
pleased with how well everything has done.
Now I need to start thinking about what I want to make with my first pie
pumpkin!
earlier than I expected. It has been a
very hot and dry summer, not the norm for my little garden, but I am still extremely
pleased with how well everything has done.
Now I need to start thinking about what I want to make with my first pie
pumpkin!
Are you ready for fall
and pumpkin flavored everything? What is
your favorite way to eat pumpkin?
and pumpkin flavored everything? What is
your favorite way to eat pumpkin?
We got 4 tomatoes off our plant this year. Nothing has been seeming to be able to deal with the heat.
I'm awful at keeping plants alive!!! Thats amazing 🙂
I am kind of jealous. I can never grow anything! I would love to have fresh tomatoes in my backyard!
I wonder if yours is going to be one of those gardens that produces tons of zucchini? All your vegetables look beautiful. Good luck with the tomatoes! 🙂
Those pumpkins and veggies are awesome! So cool to have a vegetable garden! Love it! Wish I could have one too!
I wasn't ready for it at first, but between the sweltering, hot weather and mosquitos…I think I'm ready for the fall season. I'm looking forward to pumpkin flavored everything. 🙂
Oooooo your garden is tiring out great!!! What a green thumb you have!!!! That pumpkin is pretty sweet!
Those pumpkin are beautiful. Sounds like a pretty successful year with your garden. We need to get more adventurous with ours.
I absolutely love pumpkin season. Pumpkin is one of my favorite coffee flavors and I love it in muffins!
I love how you have shared with us about how your whole garden experience has gone these last 11 weeks. I love pumpkin everything!
I love that it's almost pumpkin season!
Your garden is beautiful and I have high aspirations to have something similar in the future. I have a zucchini plant and I've been through the ringer with it. I thought it was diseased but when I moved it to the shade it began to bloom wonderfully. My fingers are crossed for a couple good zucchinis this year.
Those pesky squash bugs! Still at least your kale is doing well and your pumpkins will be coming home with me soon lol!
I can only imagine the work that goes into growing a garden as vast as this. There are so many things to think about but I'm glad all is going well despite the little concerns with the pests.
I am so jealous of your garden!! Fresh produce is my favorite, and I can't wait to finally be able to plant my own garden. And your pumpkins look amazing!
Those are some pretty pumpkins. I wish I was better at growing a garden i lvoe fresh fruits and vegetables.
I absolutely love pumpkin flavored foods! My favorite way of eating it is pumpkin pie or bread. I am ready for fall!
Your garden looks so nice and I love the way that is growing on. I commend you on your patience to simply wait for it to fully grow and bloom when all you want is to have your pumpkins RIGHT NOW =]
Danielle | http://www.FollowMyGut.com <3
The pumpkins are beautiful. You will have a real feast with those
Love pumpkins growing outside…in a garden… and am jealous that you have these to enjoy and watch get bigger and bigger! It reminds me of fall approaching and its just so magical!
Karen
My pumpkins are still green and growing. Tomatoes are still going strong. Will be time soon to put the garden to bed.