I’m obsessed with our garden. Not quite as much as I was before it started getting beastly hot and things were growing like crazy, but I have to admit I’m pretty damn excited to go out there and see the tomatoes ripening or a new jalapeno peeping out. I actually was giddy when I realized my squash plants had attracted assassin bugs, because I had just been lamenting about the lack of ladybugs and wondering if I needed to find a place that sold praying mantids.
So far we have harvested two Ichiban eggplant, three jalapenos, one Magda hybrid squash, a baggie full of Kentucky Blue beans, three Better Boy tomatoes, and six or seven Celebrity tomatoes (losing three to birds). Sadly the beans are done for the season, but that just means that I am now planning to put peanuts in their place.
The zucchini plants are growing like mad, but we haven’t gotten any production. From what I can tell almost all our squash blossoms appear to be male – which makes it a bit hard to get any veggies. I’m ready to hand pollinate them, but I need to poke around a bit more and see if any of the flowers are actually female. Not that I need more squash, as we’ve been getting a ton from the CSA, but it’s still exciting to watch them grow at home.
The sweet corn keeps getting taller, and I’ve noted the appearance of a few “cobs” of threads. I’m not sure if those are what result in the corn cobs but as I had read I took care to hand pollinate those. The eggplant is coming on strong now, with three growing and two or three more flowers getting ready. I really enjoy the long skinny eggplant over the fat round ones, so I’m happy that it is doing so well.
The herbs are growing, but not as well as I had hoped. Soon after planting Reese got his garden tools in the basil/chive pot and they are all mixed together now, and no strong seedling has emerged. Cilantro was doing well at first, but then most of it died. The oregano that shares the container has been growing lately, but I’m not sure how much longer it will last. A big toad has decided to make its home in the container.
Overall I’m pleased with the results of the garden so far this summer. This year is a test year of sorts. Last year all we tried to grow was two heirloom tomato plants, and they both died after we went away for a weekend. It’s the curse of the year-long growing season in Texas – you can’t take a break from tending the garden. But so far, I’m OK with that. I’m already formulating plans for next year and trying to decide where to place the next raised bed.
And fruit bushes, anyone? Growing up we had raspberries and blackberries growing in our backyard, until my brother mowed them down. I do enjoy the blackberries we get from Sweet Berry Farm down here, but a true blackberry to me is what grows in Wisconsin. I can’t seem to find much information on the different kinds of blackberries, though. If anyone has a good resource, please point me in the right direction!
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