Garden Update

Well since it has been awhile since I have updated this. I am assuming at least some of the four people that follow this blog would be interested in knowing how the garden is doing. Well, I guess first off we should highlight some subtractions.

The Fordhook Zucchini's have ran their course and were decimated by the vine borers and aphids. Of the five plants I started with, I am only down to the one small one that never did anything. It is starting to grow and has shot up several flower buds. Maybe here in the near future I will have some more zucchini from this one.

In the meantime, the Grey Zucchini are really starting to grow and do well. I hope to start getting some zucchini off them in the near future. I have three of those.

The Better Boy Tomatoes are doing great! I have to invest in some jars this week so we can start canning them. I have already lost 1 tomato because we had more than I could eat. Don't want to lose anymore. They look like they are going to be producing pretty steady for the rest of the year. I have about 10 pounds of tomatoes right now in process (they are still green and growing) and there are more added everyday. The plants themselves are about 5 feet tall and I am having to tie up new branches about every other day off them. We ought to be doing pretty well on tomatoes.

Speaking of tomatoes, I do have 3 other types that are also doing well. I should start getting Cherry tomatoes here soon. I have 1 tomato right now that is on the vine with several flower buds going on them. I have been pruning them in recent weeks to encourage some more height growth before they start putting out tomatoes. I will have to stake these before too long and then there will be more tomatoes I have to can.

The Rutgers that Isaac picked out are also about three weeks away from setting tomatoes. They too, have been blooming but I have been pruning them as well to encourage growth. I will be staking them before too long and then there will be even more tomatoes.

The Bradley tomatoes, the ones I jokingly refer to as the Back 40 Tomatoes, are also doing well. Two of the three are doing better than the small one. I have also had to prune these guys to promote growth. Hopefully by late August, early September, these will be doing well.

We are about to start in on Okra. All of the okra plants are putting our flowers and small pods. I will probably harvest my first okra tonight. But I am assuming here in about week I will be pickling okra as well.

Surprisingly I have 2 garlic plants going. I noticed this the other day when I was looking at the Grey Zucchinis. The stalks are about 6 inches tall I don't think these guys will do very well since I planted them at the wrong time but it is neat to know that you can buy garlic from the store, use what you need, than plant the rest. Who knows, next year I may never have to buy garlic again.

Anyway, garden is doing well and I am planning a large expansion for next year.

Joe