In my never-ending attempts to foil the dratted cabbage moth from laying eggs (which then develop into worms --- eeuuw!) in my broccoli and cabbage, I started seeds for both inside the last half of June and set out the started plants on July 2nd. (I did this late planting hoping to miss the stage when the cabbage moth is out and about doing the dirty deed of making my vegetables wormy.) Tiny heads are just now forming on the broccoli plants and things look A-OK so far.
This is part of a double row of about four different varieties of the cabbages I set out, again, much later than usual.
My Sweet Pea flowers are another disappointment this year. All the plants on both sides of the trellis germinated, but slowly and surely, all of them on the left end of the trellis have died off. (My picture is not good, I know, so you may have to use your imagination a little.) I'm getting enough of the wonderfully fragrant blossoms to keep a small vase of them on a bathroom shelf, but not the plethora of flowers I would like.
Several days ago harvested all of the garlic. Above is the Siberian of which I got 18 huge bulbs.
The Blanak outdid itself producing 42 bulbs. Now if they all cure well, we will have garlic to use, garlic to share, garlic to ward off vampires, and garlic to save for planting this fall. (And probably still some left after that.)
We're in the midst of our blueberry harvest right now. So far, they haven't been bothered by the birds as they were last year, and we're looking forward to lots and lots of berries for fresh eating, the freezer and jam.
The raspberries. Oh, sadness and woe. We got one small first harvest of ripe berries, but successive raspberries picked have been loaded with (((shudder))) little, white worms. Hubby did some quick research and he thinks they are the larvae of the fruit fly. Just goes to show, some garden produce does fantastically well one year, not so good the next year. A new patch with new raspberry plants is on the schedule for next year so we'll keep our fingers crossed for a resupply of those luscious, red berries then.
All in all, the garden is producing like crazy, and I'll admit I'm p-double-ooped right now. Being out in the garden picking and harvesting would be much easier if it weren't so darn hot and muggy. But then, maybe the garden wouldn't be growing so well, now would it?
25 comments:
I'm still amazed at all you plant and harvest. And it's strange reading how some of your plants are just now starting to produce and ours is finished. Can't wait to see more.
I think Mother Nature has a wicked sense of humor. Enjoyed those berries last year? Well, guess what--bwa ha ha. None for you this year!
Yep. She's a witch. With a B.
;)
Mama Pea,
Planting later on your cabbage and broccoli has made a difference with those darn moths. I'm going to have to remember this for planting next season.
It's always nice enjoying a fruit harvest before the birds start tackling the fruit. Have you made blueberry pie in the past with all the fresh berries?
Sending hugs and love your way.
Sandy
Laurie - I know what you mean about the difference in the seasons we, in all the various parts of the country, garden. And just HOW we manage to do it! Our short season and your season that starts so much earlier but is done when it gets so hot. We just all have to learn our own rules and regulations, I guess. :o)
Sue - And, why for heaven's sake, in this heat and humidity, aren't my cherry tomatoes ripening this year????!!
Sandy - Oh, yes, fresh blueberry pie is always on the menu for us this time of year. Our bushes (and harvests from) have been good now for the past several years. Except for the robber birds last year which was a first for us. :o( We eat a lot of berries fresh (had some this morning for breakfast), make smoothies with them, make a little jam, and freeze most of them for winter consumption in muffins, more pies, etc. We really want to get into wine making (one of these years!) and since I'm a sweet wine lover think a Blueberry Wine would be wonderful!
Ooooh, blueberry wine... Raising one's own food can sure keep you on your toes (or bunions). I, too, am waiting for my tomatoes to ripen. I mean, what else do they need?? It's like breathing through a hot, damp cloth out there.
Where are the 8 foot tall weeds with thorns? Where is the Johnson grass that grows two feet a day? Oh yes your a northern climate :) Lovely garden posts!I can now remember my tidy northern garden. Here it seems every garden around has hit the wall 'o' weeds time of year!
Susan - Raising one's own food . . . bottom line, it's really the very best way to go. (What am I saying? I just finished processing 14 servings of green beans and dehydrating a quart of mint and can hardly move after working in the garden all day!)
Fiona - I stapled flowers on the top of the weeds and trampled down the quack grass growing up in the rows before I took the pictures!
Why is it that we tend to "give up" and let the weeds have their ornery way near the end of the season? (It might be exhaustion.)
Your garden is so productive!
LHinB - We've had a very good season this year for which we're very grateful. Lots of work but it's work I love and am glad to do.
Little white worms...eeeeeeek! At least my 3-berry strawberry harvest this year was worm-free...lol, THREE. Oh well :) I got 12 tomatoes so far, blanched 4 of them for a sauce, and funny thing...they are STRINGY as all heck. Not even palatable...if we eat them raw, no problem. Has that every happened to you? My chives are growing like weeds, so wonderful! I did get 20 pounds of tomatoes from the local market yesterday though, and they have now been canned with what was left of my homegrown basil. 6 pints yay. I'm going out tomorrow for 4 more boxes of 20 pounds. That should do us for the winter since my own little garden is only for immediate eating! First time I've ever canned, it was fun!
error: I got TWELVE pints of tomatoes! I work in liters and got 6 liter jars full, I forget the equivalence sometimes :)
Rain - Gosh, I have no idea why your tomatoes prepped for sauce would be "stringy." Nope, I've never experienced that before so am no help in offering advice. It's a mystery!
I'm personally pickled tink that you're getting into the canning of good veggies. It really is addicting, I think. Just wait until you can grow more of your own stuff to preserve. Such a good feeling! You go, girl!
Your garlic looks great! I plan on ordering a few new varieties to fall plant this year. I think maybe it's time. I have been using the same garlic I was gifted, year after year, and it's never large enough, nor enough for us.
Hmmmm...mystery strings in the tomatoes...we had a few of them just sliced on toast and they were good. I'm VERY pickled (especially after the sangria ;), that I'm into canning too! You are so right now rewarding it feels. Yesterday I went back to the market for 60 more pounds of tomatoes and I canned 39 half-liter jars. I am physically aching today, not used to such hard labour! I feel an obsession coming on. I've already asked my boyfriend to think about a pressure canner as an Xmas gift for me! Thursday is shopping day and I've discreetly put more tomatoes on the list...lol... I'm thinking salsa and homemade ketchup. I don't have a public blog, but I took a photo of the "score", I hope this link works for you: https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5X3F0bE_D58/V7ILqwgknOI/AAAAAAAAhcI/x1Fu9Jh2IcImykoKpcqCNGosTKko9jmrwCLcB/s640/20160815_105418.jpg. I'm very proud of it :)
I'm a first time garlic grower. Mine all rotted :(
Any tips?
Rain - Yes, I got the picture! For cryin' out loud, *I* got a thrill looking at all that home-canned goodness. I can only imagine how fantastic it makes you feel! Keep up the enthusiasm this winter . . . there must be some way you can have a garden of your own next spring.
Kristina - It's true that the larger cloves you plant in the fall, the larger bulbs it will make the next season. My Siberian variety had HUGE cloves and made HUGE bulbs! But then, I was very fortunate to get big bulbs from the Blanak variety that had only nice-sized cloves. It was a good garlic year here, that's for certain.
Hi, Betsy - Thanks for commenting! Boy, it's hard to guess why your garlic rotted. The first thought would be too much moisture. I don't know where you live, but in the north we have to plant our garlic in the fall for a crop the next year. Then the garlic needs to be covered with a heavy layer of mulch for the winter. If you're in a southern state, I understand you can plant in the early spring for a crop that season. Check on the Internet to see what the causes might be for your failed crop. That might give you an idea of what you could do differently. Good luck!
Win a few; loose a few. That is my garden comment most years. No matter what you do sometimes things just don't do well. Your garlic bulbs are beautiful.
I'm thinking I watered it too much, now that you mention it. I'm in southwest Pennsylvania. I think I'm going to try again this fall. See what might come of it. Thanks for the advice!!
Betsy - Well, they do say we harm more plants by watering them too much rather than not enough!
Glenda - That is so true! On the whole, my garden has done really, really well this year so I'm not really complaining. If anything, we have an over-abundance to take us through this coming winter season!
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