- This topic has 167 replies, 10 voices, and was last updated 2 years, 11 months ago by
Mike Nolan.
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August 1, 2021 at 2:21 pm #30789
Gorgeous tomatoes, Mike! I bet they're juicy and sweet, too.
August 1, 2021 at 3:06 pm #30790Sigh. We are still waiting for our first red tomato.
We have two spaghetti squashes. One is yellow, the other green. both are a good size.
We have two small honeynut butternut squashes starting.
August 1, 2021 at 3:57 pm #30791Other than my five 4th of July plants, which are one of the earliest varieties available, I think I've gotten 2 Rutgers, 1 Brandywine and 1 Italian heirloom from the other 19 plants. I think by next weekend we may be getting ripe fruit on another dozen or so plants. The Amish Paste tomatoes have a nice crop going, but none are showing color yet. They are determinate and tend to be an 'all at once' variety, big pear tomatoes that make great sauce.
We've gotten 2 or 3 eggplants and there should be a few more shortly. (My wife doesn't really like to eat eggplant, except occasionally in ratatouille, but she likes to watch it grow, so we have two plants and will probably give nearly all of it away.)
August 1, 2021 at 6:06 pm #30793We traditionally don't get a ripe tomato until I leave for 2 weeks of travel in August. This year, I leave the 13th, so my husband will likely pick the 1st ripe one about the 15th, and have BLTs for dinner most nights. All of my Celebrity and Roma plants are loaded with green tomatoes. I have quite a few bell peppers ready to eat, and lots more coming. Tons of yellow squash, but no zucchini yet. We have plenty of broccoli and cabbages ready to eat. I'm not sure how many winter squash we have, nor spaghetti squash, but quite a few. Those won't be ready for picking until October, around the time of the first frost. We are picking quarts and quarts of blackberries, and a few cups of raspberries so far. The blueberry crop is poor, as last spring we cut a lot of branches back to the ground trying to rejuvenate the bushes which I had neglected. But I have picked a quart and more to ripen. The beans on the deck are finally producing beans! We'll have all we can eat, hopefully some before I leave. I've started a 2nd crop in another planter. Of course, the beets and lettuce and spinach are doing great.
August 1, 2021 at 6:08 pm #30794Mike, your tomatoes look beautiful!
Ironically our beefsteaks weren’t that much bigger when Will had to pull them because of the bacterial wilt. They were good, but not juicy beefsteaks - sigh
August 1, 2021 at 8:32 pm #30802If I lived as far north as you do, chocomouse, I'd want a greenhouse to extend the growing season. When we were in Scotland back in 2006 (near Glascow), many houses had a small glass greenhouse in the back yard, maybe about 6 x 8.
August 1, 2021 at 8:53 pm #30803I agree Mike the tomatoes are beautiful!
August 2, 2021 at 2:29 pm #30810Those are beautiful 4th of July's, Mike. Those are my favorite small tomato.
August 2, 2021 at 2:41 pm #30811Mike, I've thought about a greenhouse numerous times. Honestly, I'm usually glad when the weather puts an end to the gardening season. I do sometimes use cold frames to start tomato and pepper plants in the spring. In the fall, we throw tarps over some of the berries and tomatoes if frost is predicted, and row covers over the planters on the deck. My average last spring frost is May 15, and first fall killing frost is October 2, which gives us a decent growing season, although everything comes ripe at the same time.
August 4, 2021 at 8:45 am #30851Has anyone grown spaghetti squash? We have two that have developed. One was yellow from the very start and continues to grow. The other one was green from the start with stripes. It is also large. My husband planted seed from a spaghetti squash that I bought last year at the farmer's market, probably from a couple who sells some of the excess produce from their garden. He is thinking maybe the seed was a hybrid.
I have googled spaghetti squash and read about ten articles. I know that it takes 90-100 days before it can be picked. These would be just past 60 days. The yellow one cannot possibly be ready, even if it is yellow. According to one site, they are ready when the stems start to crack.
My husband--who has charge of the garden--was not happy with how the spaghetti squash were trying to take over, although he anticipated the issue, planted them on the perimeter and trained the vines onto the fencing. I do not think he will plant them again.
August 4, 2021 at 10:13 am #30852I grow spaghetti squash, but it is slower this year to develop than usual. Mine are now about 2 inches in diameter. I agree with your husband - you've got a hybrid. I usually plant winter squash around Memorial Day, and harvest in mid-late October. It should be a nice orangey-yellow. I don't know about the stem cracking, but I'll look this year. I think it's early for one to have turned yellow. I don't recall having any stripes on mine when they were green. I don't know when you planted or what your growing season is like, but I think you'll be buying your spaghetti squash at the famers' market again this year!
August 4, 2021 at 7:44 pm #30857My husband thinks that we should cook them when they are ready and then see if they are edible. That yellow one is very large.
August 5, 2021 at 6:53 am #30859I went to the garden on Tuesday to pick some flowers to take to my Mom's "box" (she's in a columbarium).
It's in very sad shape, but so are many of the other gardens. The cosmos and zinnias are doing great. The sunflowers have succumbed to whatever mildew they get, but I loved them - I found. true dwarf variety that I could even grown in a container. The hot peppers are still growing and the eggplant - I had gotten a trio variety from Renee's Garden and those all have done well. There is still some basil - I forgot to check the thyme. I suspect we will be done within a few weeks.
We're looking at putting some planters on one side of the condo since we are an end unit. Of course I have to run it by the HOA, but they're pretty relaxed on most things as long as it's well taken care of.
August 16, 2021 at 11:41 am #31020I had a nice harvest of tomatoes yesterday. They are in very good shape this year, I have not had any blossom end rot or insect damage. The plants, however, are showing wear.
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You must be logged in to view attached files.August 16, 2021 at 12:18 pm #31023What a splendid haul from your garden, Len!
As of last week, we have been getting tomatoes. Although not as sweet as the ones we got last year, they are superior to what we could get in stores. I have been happily eating turkey bacon and tomato sandwiches.
Hybrid Squash Report: the yellow squash is now orange. It is looking more and more like some kind of pumpkin. The other one is still green with lines (no ridges) and it also looks like some kind of pumpkin. Those would be elongated, fat pumpkins.
Snow peas are done for the season. Green beans keep coming. Pepper plants in pots have peppers. Pepper plants in ground have not done so well.
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