Twiggybet1's Blog

We are getting a nice assortment of veggies right now.  Here is a picture of what I picked on Monday:

The peas I planted in May are for the most part finished, so I planted more for a fall harvest along the pea fence.  Most of the old vines are pulled and composted, but a few of them still had a couple of pods and blossoms, so I left them to finish up.  I imagine they will be done by the time the new ones sprout.  The green beans are still chugging along, although much slower than they were.  Those should be finishing up soon.  My green cabbage is ready to be harvested.  I will probably freeze most of it.  The red cabbage still has a little way to go yet.

I had planted a second crop of spinach when I pulled the first crop about a week or so ago (I don't remember for sure when) and it is hard to tell if what is growing there is the new spinach seedlings or weeds.  I'll let them get a little bigger before I weed that area.  I planted way too much lettuce.  I was a little bit too enthusiastic when I was picking out the seeds, and bought some of every variety that I saw for sale.  We have been trying to keep up with them by having salads every day, but they are maturing faster than we can eat them.  I really don't like waste, and I know of no way to can or freeze them, so I plan to share with the neighbors, whether they want to or not! (no, not the crazy one.  I have other nice neighbors!)

You know, broccoli has to be one of the powerhouse growers in my garden.  I'm not sure if it does well because of my efforts, or in spite of them, but as long as it keeps putting out side shoots, I keep gathering them.  I like it best fresh (and we have been having it at least twice a week since it started coming in) but I plan to make sure I freeze some too.  I got a recipe from my sister for a broccoli salad that she had made for the family reunion last year.  It's really good, and a nice change to steamed or w/ dip.

I have decided that the peppers might just take off yet.  So far, it has been a trickle of peppers.  A few here and there, but they seem to be picking up the pace a little bit.  I hope to get enough when the tomatoes come in to make a batch or two of salsa.

Speaking of tomatoes, the Sungold cherry tomatoes and plum tomatoes (I have decided that they are plums, not grapes.  They are too large for grapes) are ripening  so that I get at least a handful or two every day.  The better boy and beefsteak plants are getting some nice, big green ones.  I don't expect it to be too much longer, and then I plan on making BLT's for dinner one night!

Yesterday, I picked the first zucchini.  It was a round one, "eight ball" variety, I think.  If memory serves, I had to replant them a time or two.  Most of the wintersown vegetables died, and so did most of the ones I started indoors.  I had a seed packet of mixed varieties (always fun to have surprises!) and some of the pool ball seeds, and it seems that the ones that are setting fruit now are the round varieties.  I chopped it up raw and put it in a salad.  I plan to make some bread with the next couple I get. 

The sweet potato vines are running riot all over their area.  I have been trying to direct the errant ones back into their area.  That's something I need to keep on top of if I don't want them invading the neighboring rows.  The plants look very healthy.  I am so pleased I found a new grower when the first slips died.  I would have really missed them come next winter!

  I have been picking a few of the beets, as they get large enough.  It looks like quite a few will be large enough to pull soon, and when I do pull them, I will make a batch of pickled beets.  Hubby likes his beets pickled best.  Me, I love beet greens, with or without the beets themselves.  We have also been getting some carrots, but they never last long enough to amass enough to can.  I have never canned carrots.  I know it's possible.  But carrots are one of the favorites around here.   Sometimes they don't last long enough to make it to the fridge. 

 The corn seems to be progressing very well, as are the pumpkins and butternut I planted amungst them.  The corn is setting a bunch of ears, and they are growing every day.  The pumpkins and squash are putting out blossoms like crazy, but still mostly male blossoms.  Although I have seen a couple female blossoms.  One troubling thing, though.  I have found some holes in the ground down the corn rows.  About the size for rodents.  I also saw the neighbor's cat skulking around in the corn.  Hmm, I looked for damage to the stalks, and havent seen anything yet.  I stepped on and filled the holes, but I'm wondering if I should do anything else.  I don't know if it's field mice, or moles or something else, because I haven't seen the critters. 

I need to take more pictures.  Aren't digital cameras wonderful?  Remember having to buy rolls of film?  Boy, we sure were careful the picture was something we wanted because you only had so many exposures, and had to pay for developing.  But with the digital camera, I can take pictures of any silly old thing, and every silly old thing I want.  And print them from the computer.  And delete them if I decide I don't want them.  I need to take pictures of my sunflowers that are blooming right now, along with my oranges & lemons blanket flower. 

Until next time, Happy Gardening!