Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Graden Buzz, Today's Harvest

It is hard to believe my gardening season is coming to an end, since the melons and winter squash won't be producing things should start winding down soon . Time to start thinking about where to put the cold frame, and what to plant in it. I am thinking Chard and carrots. Speaking of carrots, check out the photos below:

This is the potato/carrot bed back in late June. Going from left to right we have some herbs and a few measly carrots coming up; potatoes; sweet potatoes and my son's sunflower from school in the corner.

Wow have the carrots grown in! Anyone remember how frustrated I was by carrots earlier in the season? LOL, no more! (These photos were taken from inside the garden unlike the one above.)
And here is the gargantuan sunflower and the sweet potato vines, which are reaching over into the now foliage free potato bed. I still have some potatoes in the ground, maybe just over half have been harvested to date. What a change compared to the first photo huh? I find it funny to see the formerly full section empty, and the other two full of green.

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The onions are done. Quite a bit smaller than I was expecting, nothing close to those grocery store sweet onions. Better luck next year I hope! (That is if I decide they are worthy of their garden space.)

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I pulled 4 carrots up- here they are below in order. Finally, a winner!!!


I found a few more lovely carrots in the 'carrot jungle', along with lots of tomatoes, a large zuke, a couple cukes, some chili peppers and another super-tasty Carmen sweet pepper, and a handful of beans the beetles didn't beat me to. Oh, and some basil,.........

....and the first Red Cloud potato harvest!


Very exciting stuff here folks!
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On to the garden buzz:
The Orb spiders have taken over my garden. It is getting tricky to pick around their webs.

I always have the urge to rub their cute, fuzzy, bumble buts, however after doing this once as a kid I now resist said urge.

My little man's sunflower is in full bloom, it's gorgeous!
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Lastly, some pictures of what Late Blight looks like on a tomato plant:
These are two affected leaves from the top.
The tell-tale powdery underside of the water stained looking lesions:


I ultimately decided not to spray for blight since removing affected leaves by hand seems to be keeping it in check. It is of coarse continuing to spread, but at a controllable rate. Eventually this will change and the whole lot will require immediate disposal.
The SVB are slowly destroying my precious squash. The fruit is shriveling and rotting right off the vine. Very sad. I took some pictures but find it too depressing to look at. Also very sad is the fact that my female muskmelon flowers continue to rot instead of forming fruit. The bumble bee pictured above was on a blossom, so lack of pollination shouldn't be the culprit. Maybe there is some disease that causes this that I am unaware of??
I ripped out most of the cucumber plants and bolting lettuce today. The beets I sowed along with the carrots many weeks back have failed to germinate. That or I pulled them thinking they were weeds. Anything is possible. 8) I am very curious to see what comes home with me from the CSA today, last week was pathetic once again. I brought only a plastic grocery bag with me, and it wasn't even full when I left. I will greatly miss the blueberries though, I am figuring last week was their finale.

Edit: The Farmer's Almanac is showing 27 days until Autumn. (Me frowning.) Also,Today in History:
The Nineteenth Amendment was adopted, granting women the right to vote. It was nicknamed the "Anthony" amendment in recognition of the lobbying efforts of suffragette Susan B. Anthony, 1920.
Thanks to Susan B. Anthony and all others in securing me the right to vote!

6 comments:

Erin said...

The pics are great! I too, love the garden spiders. My grandma always said they were good luck to have in the tomatoes! My onions were teeny too but still yummy. I am anxiously awaiting my carrot seeds' germination, they just went in but it is so stinkin hot I think they are taking their sweet old time!

Ruth Trowbridge said...

you do have a way with a camera! i haven't had a ripe tomato yet, and fall is coming soon. It has been a weird year. Love that vote tidbit, my kid did a report for school today and the theme was "men are the ones discriminated on" in today's society. Yep times they are a changing. Indian summer is around the corner, my fave. - peace all

Thomas said...

Very impressive harvest! Your potatoes are beautiful. It still feels a long way off until I can harvest anything. :( I was contemplating growing Chard as well. Maybe add some spinach, lettuce and asian greens to the cold frame?

Kelly said...

Thanks ladies for the compliments, someday I would LOVE a digital SLR.

I am hoping the onions taste good, I know before week's end!

Thomas, funny you mention spinach. I had zero luck with spinach this year, and I mean zero. I did three different sowings. It would either grow way too slow, or bolt right away. Maybe I just need to try another variety. I found the Chard to be much easier to grow and when harvested young it is a great sub for baby spinach in salads. Have you grown Chard before? It does some of that cut and come again which is nice!
(Confession: I do not like asian greens)

Thomas said...

Haha. You are too funny. I'll have to send you a recipe for delicously sauteed. Asian greens. I've never grown chard before...should probably add that to my list. Thanks for advice about my unknown garden pest. I'm setting out some stale beer tonight in case slugs are involved and am also expecting some row cover in the mail. I'm sure this is only thew first battle of many!

Kelly said...

Ok, I will gladly try your recipe, but I can't promise anything!