The Harvest

[dale2242]

The asparagus and artichokes are done for the year.
Both with good production.
Raspberries are ripening, with decent crop.
The leaf lettuce -the only kind I plant- has been producing well.
I just pick the lower, mature leaves and it keeps making more until the heat causes it to bolt.
Waiting for the cukes, squash, tomatoes, carrots, corn, peppers to mature.
Gardening has been a great hobby since retirement. When its too hot to cast boolits...dale

[Wayne Smith]

We are in the middle of the blueberry harvest, cukes and green beans are producing well. Asparagus is maturing it's root system. Eggplant just flowering as are the squash and cantelope. Very small garden - mostly herbs. Already dried oregano.

[Blackwater]

Indeed, this is a most special time of year for us country boys! We have a local produce purveyor who has locally grown and vine ripened fruits, like tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, etc., and it just so happens that my favorite summer time meal consists of those 3 things, plus a little piece of meat of some kind. I like my tomatoes sliced, raw, with pepper and mayo, and I like my cucumbers peeled, sliced and soaked for a few days in cider vinegar and a little pepper. The squash? I'll eat those any way at all! Mostly, we eat them stewed here, with some onions, a good dose of butter, and some black pepper there as well. YUM!!!! Some cold (for me unsweetened) ice tea, maybe with a little lime in it to spice it up a tad, and I am one HAPPY CAMPER!!!!

Our asparagus, that come from my wife's grandmother's old plot, haven't done that well this year. Anybody got a tip to get them to produce better? We normally have fairly acidic sandy loam soil here, if that helps. Ain't much like freshly picked home grown asparagus! Add in a good cut of beef, and whatever else seems good that meal, and ..... again, just YUM!!!

Folks who don't grow their own, or have ready access to the home grown and vine ripened stuff, really can't know what they're missing. I can't really tend a garden now, and this is one of my greatest burdens to bear these days. But I DO know where I can get "the good stuff," and Lordy, Lordy! Is it ever more GREAT!

Now that I can't eat as much as I've always liked to and done, what I DO eat seems to be even more precious than it's ever been. As long as I can push away from the table feeling like I've had a good meal, I am much more satisfied, and CAN keep to a good diet MUCH more easily and consistently! And that ain't no small thing for me these days, too!

You guys always make me HONGRY!!!

[farmerjim]

" We normally have fairly acidic sandy loam soil here, if that helps."
Asparagus like a high ph soil. 7.5 is good, 6.0 is too low.
Lime the soil in the fall when they die back.

[Blackwater]

Thanks, Jim. I'll try it. She really loves the fact they came from her grandma's old place, and we both surely love the fresh taste. Don't want to lose them. Thank you for the advice.

[MaryB]

Mostly lettuce and onions doing well for me, radishes were bust, went to seed before forming bulbs due to the goofy weather. Tomatoes are slow going, as are the cukes and the squash. Peas are just flowering and they were planted may 10th... green beans are slow starting too this year. Deer ate all my cabbages and broccoli...

[Driver man]

Had to look up cukes and found it meant cucumber. Watch the deer don't get your tomato's , they ate all mine just before picking last year. Never bothered with them the first 30 years. Must have developed a taste for them.

[CHeatermk3]

I cut chicken wire in pieces big enuff to cover my tomatoes but small enuff to lift off to do weeding and picking...got tired of that hassle so found a deal on 8-foot tall Hog wire and wrapped up the whole garden last spring--no more deer in the garden here; I kinda miss the taste of tomato-fed venison tho...

Shaping up to be a Tomato year for sure here west of the Cascades but have only picked Mustard, Kale and Herbs so far.

[MaryB]

last year the deer ate 6 of 20 tomato plants!

[Fishman]

The deer ate most of my garden this year including the tomatoes. They hadn't bothered the tomatoes before either. I have an electric fence and they just don't care, the place looks like a feedlot. I'm going to have to put up an 8' fence if I want to keep gardening. I've had a few issues in the past including one drought year where they knocked the 6' fence down and ate everything but this has been a bad year for them. Frustrating.

[farmerjim]

" I'm going to have to put up an 8' fence if I want to keep gardening"
The full grown deer jump my 8 1/2 foot fence with ease.
In a small area it is easy to put up a double fence. one 6 footer and the other a 3 foot single strand 3 to 4 feet onside the 6 foot. Single fences need to be over 10 feet

[dale2242]

I have a 6' fence around my garden.
4' hog wire and 2 strands of barb wire.
I have deer in my yard every day and have never, I repeat never, had a deer jump my fence.
The broccoli is producing with blooms on the tomatoes, squash, melons, and peppers.
I can`t wait for the zukes to produce......dale

[Hickory]

My peas were done, so I tilled it up and planted cabbage where it was before the rain last night.

[dale2242]

The zucchini are finally developing.
I am not seeing many bees trying to pollinate.
I started pulling a few onion that have started falling over....dale

[square butte]

Tomatoes and potatoes are going to be the winner of this year ( if some natural disaster doesn't get em ). Pepper were pretty much nuked by slugs and probably a total loss. Lettuce was great early- but bolted now. Garlic and leeks are mediocre. Still waiting to see if my field pea trial is gonna work - They got hit pretty hard by slugs too. Just too much rain at the wrong time. I have killed three wood chucks so far this year. One dived under the wood pile too die, so kind of stinky back there now - I'll find his remains this winter

[MaryB]

My lettuce is still producing, but a few varieties are starting to bolt. Onions are still going strong, potatoes look good, some of the tomatoes look good some may not produce(stunted from that late frost). Squash and cukes may be a write off due to that frost. Strawberries I planted from seed are setting flowers so I may get a few berries to eat this year! Need to replant radishes and cabbage(bok choy type) to see if they will do better second time around.

[Thundarstick]

Is great reading these post. The things y'all are talking about are but a faint memory from my garden this year!
Tomato running out of ears, along with squash, corn, green beans, cantaloupe and water melon coming in. The second planting of green beans are breaking through the ground now and it'll be time to start seed for brussel sprouts and chinese cabbage soon. I never realized just how blessed we are here to have such a long growing season, from about mid February to mid December!

[PaulG67]

We have been picking zukes and cukes and green beans for about 2 weeks. My potatoes are looking good, did something different this year with them I planted them in boxes 2 feet square, 4 plants in each box, 62 plants total with 1/2 inch hardward cloth on the bottom to keep the moles and voles and other little digging ******** out. For the last few years I have been picking empty potatoes skins because of them. I planted red and Yukon gold. I planted them May 1rst or 2nd, about a month early but we lucked out and no frost so hopefully I will be harvesting very soon. The yukons are so very good when fresh out of the garden. Tomatoes are looking great got many green ones right now, if they ripen all at once we are going to be very busy making sauce. This year we planted some garlic but it may not be doing very well, and the carrots are always iffy.

[farmerjim]

I picked squash, eggplant, and okra this morning, getting ready to go pick corn and watermelons. The season is almost over (except okra) till fall.

[MaryB]

Peas are almost done, replanted radishes, going to pull some of the lettuce and replant it, tomatoes are loaded with baby green tomatoes, potatoes look really good still, carrots are doing well, and 2 rows of white onions are doing well. Plus my strawberries I planted from seed are setting a few berries!

[Handloader109]

Just picked first okra today. Have had squash and zucchini and a few cukes for a couple of weeks. Tomatoes are struggling. Peppers have produced week so far but heat is hurting and no rain for about 2 weeks now. Purple hull peas are blooming and small peas showing up. Another week and it'll be okra and peas! With side of cornbread!!! Daughter found a good recipe for zukes. Peal,slice and bread in your favorite breading. Use egg wash if wanted. Sprinkle well with parmesan cheese and bake for 20 min eat hot!

[CHeatermk3]

Handloader--if you take the Zucchini as you describe above and then layer them into a casserole alternating with tomato(spaghetti) sauce, then zukes, then Mozzarella cheese, then a few fresh Basil leafs; continue layering until your casserole is as big as you want it to be; top with more grated Parmisan and bake covered at 350 for about 40 minutes then uncovered until the top is as browned as you'd like it's really good eatin'. some pasta on the side--I can smell it now...

Another way is to leave the peel on and slice lengthwise about 1/4 inch thick then brush with olive oil and sprinkle garlic powder lightly and broil both sides until browned just a very few minutes, until you have enough for your casserole...You can build the casserole then cover with plastic wrap pressing down to seal out air then freeze and bake later--still be great a couple of months later like around Christmas. I usually make 2 or 3 of them and remove from the casserole dish after frozen hard, seal in more plastic wrap or better yet vacuum seal. Just need to remember which casserole dish to put it back into to be baked!

Presto fresh summer flavor in January and quick and easy too.

Works with any summer squash and is especially good with eggplant either with or instead of the squash.

[dale2242]

Slice your zucchini length ways in 1/4-3/8 inch thick slices.
Place the slices in a large Zip lock bag with enough olive oil to lightly cover them, add Italian seasoning and garlic.
Add any seasoning that you like.
Shake them up and let marinade for a couple of hours.
I like to sprinkle on a little seasoned salt.
Grill until done to your liking.
Enjoy...dale

[rondog]

I'm sure I could love gardening, but we don't have space to do so and the wife is NOT interested in it.

[dale2242]

rondog, Have you considered container gardening?
It takes very little space....dale

[Geezer in NH]

We have picked 32 pounds of raspberries from 90 feet of plants. They are not ever bearing and son believes 2-3 more picks and they are done for the year. Not bad for the first year after planting them and no bird netting.

They are quick frozen and will be sold. Another 90 feet of the same in process of planting.

[dale2242]

The English burpless cucumbers are producing....dale

[Bulldogger]

Getting lots of tomatoes, squirrel nibbles withstanding, and good amount of turnip greens. A huge rain three weeks ago while on a 6 day vacation saw us coming home to two MONSTER zucchinis and one tired, worn out plant. It never recovered. I've got a few peppers, but they have not done well at all this year in any spot in the garden. Cucumber was planted very late and is just starting to flower. Turnip greens grew like wildfire, I am eating plenty of them and freezing some to cook in winter. Baby lettuce and beets are not big enough to harvest. June bearing strawberries bore in May due to early spring and mild winter, then petered out to near nothing. That patch is only 4x8 so not much. Did eat well for a couple weeks and froze two bags of berries for winter treat.

Bulldogger

[MaryB]

Started pulling up lettuce to plant the fall batch, by the time it is 2-3 inches tall it will be cooler sept weather so it should do better. Need to get a new row of radishes in too. weeded both rows of carrots, they seem to be doing well, have a few baby peppers on the hot pepper plants, tomatoes are loaded with baby green tomatoes and I really need to get in there and start tying them back to the fence.

Tom Thumb Romaine lettuce just became my favorite garden lettuce, I also plant butter crunch for a friend who can't garden because she loves it. And at least one or two rows of mixed lettuces that are usually to the bitter side of the spectrum for a variety in a salad. The mini romaine is fairly sweet and one head is most of a salad then I add some red leaf, radicchio, oak leaf, etc to it. Gives a good balance of vitamins and minerals.

[DLCTEX]

It has been a very hot and dry summer here after a too cool start until in May. I harvested a small crop of potatoes about a month ago, my first ripe tomato June 25, and began getting yellow and zucchini squash July 4. Black eye peas and okra have been coming of since then also. Peppers, bell, ancho, and jalapeño have been doing well. Now when we normally have hot weather we are in the 80's and forecast to be so for at least ten days, so maybe I can set some tomatoes on my indetermanent varieties. Watermelon and cantaloupes are getting close.

[dale2242]

The 100+ weather has caused the lettuce to bolt and the broccoli to shut down.
I see ears forming on the corn and Minnesota Midget cantaloupe are getting big as softballs.
Green beans are about ready to pick .
100* days and 60* nights are sure making the garden grow.
With this much hot weather, I could have grown okra this year....dale

[MaryB]

First 2 bean pickings, 1st I gave to my neighbor and her daughter, second put 2 meals in my freezer(plus I ate a meal of baby beans as I picked! Love them raw). Potatoes harvested, only about 20 pounds, I think the ground is to dense for them so I need to do something different. Harvested onions too, tops had laid over and turned brown. Had about 2 dozen left(we have been picking and eating them all summer as scallions). And my little alpine strawberries are setting fruit. Only 2-3 berries here and there so far but the taste is incredible! Grocery store strawberry on steroids. If I can keep them alive through this winter they should fill that raised bed with fruit next year.

[Wayne Smith]

Lets see, haven't been here for a while. Beans and cukes done in the heat, got a couple meals from each, now nine quarts of blueberries in the freezer, the fig tree is producing and have lots of them, tomatoes still producing. Eggplant not doing well this year, need to check the fertility of the soil - probably need to suppliment.

[MaryB]

Fried a strip of bacon tonight, set it aside. Drained most of the fat(leave enough to coat the beans well) then tossed in green beans fresh from the garden. Tossed them to coat with fat, S&P put over medium heat with a lid on for 2 minutes so they steam in their own liquid. Took the cover off, added a crushed chopped clove of garlic and sauteed until the garlic was just brown and the green beans were just cooked and had a little texture yet. Splash of Franks Hot sauce for a little vinegar and heat and serve with the reserved bacon strip crumbled on top.

[dale2242]

Gotta have bacon with green beans....dale

[dale2242]

The English cucumbers are really coming on.
Faster than we can eat them.
Picked the first Midget cantaloupe.
The corn should be ready next week.
My tomatoes are producing nice big plants but few fruit.
Hopefully later...dale

[Bulldogger]

Today's harvest is wild Pawpaws. They are 2-3 weeks early this year. Maybe due to the soft spring and the good hot and wet days of summer.
Bulldogger

[MaryB]

More beans for the freezer, more beans to give away to an elderly neighbor(I feed her from the garden all summer). My cukes and squash flopped this year, weather was to hot and dry early then wet and cold late...

Planted 2 rows of lettuce, hope to get some fall lettuce to munch even if it is baby lettuce. Getting a few tomatoes here and there but the weather didn't do them any good either...

[Thundarstick]

Mary B, I had a man ask me once, "why do you grow that big Ol garden? I can buy it cheaper than you can grow it! ". My reply was, "You can't buy as much as I've given away to folks.".
Don't it just make you feel good when God uses us gardeners to bless others?

Okra, tomatoes, peppers are producing well. Acorn and butternut squash are in and the second planting of green beans are blooming. I've got kale and brussel sprouts planeed and need to plant some english peas for the fall crop.

[MaryB]

1/2 gallon of San Marzano paste tomatoes in the freezer today. I use a gallon ziplock and wait until I have 2-3 gallons before making sauce. Cut in half, core, toss in the freezer. Thawed they go through the tomato squeezer a lot easier than fresh from the garden.

I love sharing, garden is huge and can easily feed 2 families so why not do so!

[Driver man]

Id like to move in next door Mary and help you with your brewing and gardening. But seriously you make what being a good neighbor is all about.

[dale2242]

I give away 90% of the produce I grow in my garden to family and friends
I grow it because I like the fresh produce and love gardening.
I like pickling veggies also.
I am pickling carrots today.
It keeps a retired man busy in the summer.....dale

[MaryB]

I won't pick carrots for at least 3 more weeks, and maybe 6... first frost usually. Long as the tops are not dying back I let them grow.

[dale2242]

I would prefer to leave my carrots in longer.
If I leave them in much longer they split.
I`m not sure why....dale

[MaryB]

Usually to much water, some of mine have split already but that heals over. It is soggy wet here, friend backed up to my front door today so I could fix his wife's power chair(He added new batteries but it had gremlins making the power drop out). Left 2 ruts from his Suburban the lawn is so soft.

[dale2242]

Well, fall is here and the garden is winding down.
The corn, cantaloupe, onions, and broccoli are done for the season.
I am still getting a few zucchini, cucumbers, and peppers.
The tomato vines are loaded but are ripening late. Hopefully, more will ripen before the first hard frost.
Oh well, today is the opening day of deer season.
On to better things....dale

[MaryB]

Still getting a couple meals of green beans every 2-3 days, and a few tomatoes but they are ripening really slow. Getting a cup of strawberries every 2 days also from the ones I planted as seed this spring!