A LOOK AT MY 3 TYPES OF TOMATOES

 I TOOK A FEW PHOTOS OF MY TOMATO VARIETIES, THOUGH STILL GREEN, LOOKING VERY GOOD.

EARLY GIRL IS A SLICER.  THESE ARE LOOKING FINE.  I HOPE TO SHARE THEM FRESH WITH MY NEIGHBORS HERE IN MY APARTMENT BUILDING WHEN THEY RIPEN.

HUSKY CHERRIES ARE ABUNDANT ON THE VINES BUT STILL GREEN.

MY THIRD CHOICE FOR THIS YEAR ARE PLUM ROMAS.  THEY WILL MAKE FINE ADDITIONS TO CHILI AND MY TOMATO SAUCES AFTER I ROAST AND FREEZE THEM.

THIS WAS TAKEN FROM THE BACKSIDE OF MY SMALL GARDEN BED MEASURING ONLY 4 FEET BY 8 FEET.  THE PLANTS HAVE GROWN TALL AND ARE VERY GREEN.  I AM GETTING A BIT OF BLIGHT AT THE VERY BOTTOMS, BUT NOT MUCH YET.  MY TOMATOES SHOULD BE ABUNDANT BEFORE FALL THIS YEAR.

HAVE A GOOD DAY.

JULY 27TH AND STILL NO RED TOMATOES

 Its July 27th here in southwestern Maine and still no red tomatoes in my garden.  I have lots of green ones coming.

Here are some Early Girl tomatoes.  Getting some good growth but still green.

I have been seeing a bit of early blight and have removed the leaves.  So far it's been manageable.

Here are more green Early Girls growing.

My Husky Cherry and Romas are doing well but smaller and still all green.  It will be nice to see some red ones soon.

I hope you are having a good summer.  Our days lately have been in the 80sF and 70sF in the daytime but drop nicely to the 60sF in the nite.  I love our Maine summer temperatures.  

As for rain, we have been lucky.  I watered my garden this morning for the first time in weeks.  We have been getting enough rain but not too much.

I am thankful so our forests are staying healthy and there is less danger of forest fires.

Have a nice day.

GARDEN UPDATE END OF JUNE

 ITS BEEN AWHILE FOLKS, BUT MY GARDEN HAS NOT BEEN PRODUCING YET.  ITS DOING WELL FOR THIS TIME OF THE SEASON SO NO COMPLAINTS.

I WOULD SAY ITS VERY LUSH RIGHT NOW.  I HAVE HARVESTED ALL THE RADISHES, PLUS SOME OF THE LEAF LETTUCES.  ALSO THE THYME AND PARSLEY ARE DOING VERY WELL SO I HAVE BEEN CUTTING AND USING FRESH DAILY.

MY 2 HUSKY CHERRY PLANTS LOOK LIKE SHORT, STURDY TREES.  I HAVE NOT HAD TO TIE THEM UP AT ALL.  THE WORD HUSKY IS TRUE HERE.  THEY HAVE BLOSSOMS AMONG THE GREENERY BUT ITS HARD TO SEE THEM.

MY 2 EARLY GIRL TOMATOES ARE SHOWING MANY TINY YELLOW BLOSSOMS.  EVERY DAY ONE SHOULD SHAKE THE BRANCHES SO THEY POLLINATE.  THEY DO NOT NEED INSECTS TO DO THAT SINCE THEY POLLINATE THEMSELVES IF GIVEN THE CHANCE, LIKE A SHAKE OR A WIND.

MY 2 SWEET BELL PEPPERS ARE STILL SHORT, BUT SHOWING SEVERAL WHITE BLOSSOMS.  I AM SURE ITS BECAUSE PEPPERS REQUIRE HEAT TO GROW AND OUR NITES HAVE NOT BEEN WARM, MOSTLY IN THE 50S AT NITE.  NICE FOR PEOPLE, BUT NOT FOR PEPPERS.

HIDDEN BENEATH THESE NASTURTIUM BLOSSOMS ARE MY 3 BUSHY CUKE PLANTS.  THE FLOWERS HAVE JUMPED AHEAD IN GROWTH.  THE CUKES ARE FINE UNDER THOSE LEAVES AND I KEEP THEM WATERED SINCE CUKES LIKE LOTS OF WATER.  I HOPE TO GET A NICE HARVEST LATER IN THE SEASON.

MY 2 EARLY GIRL TOMATOES HAVE LOTS OF YELLOW BLOSSOMS SO I KEEP GIVING THEIR BRANCHES A SHAKE TO POLLINATE THEM.  I HOPE TO SEE MANY SLICED TOMATOES FROM THESE 2 PLANTS.

AS FOR MY 2 PLUM ROMAS, ONE OF THEM WAS ATTACKED BY SOME CRITTER WHICH CHEWED OFF AT LEAST 3 BRANCHES.  I FELT ALL ALONG THE BRANCHES FOR TOMATO HORNWORM, BUT COULD NOT FIND ANY.  I MOVED MY WIND SHEETS AROUND THE PLANT TO DETER THE CRITTER AND MAYBE IT WORKED SINCE IN 2 DAYS NO FURTHER DAMAGE.  I HOPE THE PLANTS ARE NOT FURTHER HURT.

AS FOR FLOWERS, THESE ARE BEDS ALONG OUR GARDEN PATHWAY THAT FILL WITH COLOR THRU THE SEASON.  THIS IS JUST ONE SECTION. WE HAVE MORE AROUND OUR PATIO.

I AM ENJOYING THIS SEASON OF GARDENING.  I HOPE TO ENJOY LOTS OF FRESH VEGGIES THIS YEAR WHICH I WILL SHARE WITH OTHER RESIDENTS, PER USUAL.

MY LITTLE 4 BY 8 FOOT BED BRINGS ME JOY AND HEALTHY FOOD.  WHAT COULD BE BETTER THAN THAT.

HAVE A LOVELY SEASON EVERYONE.

MY SWEET PEPPERS ARE IN TODAY 5/27

MR SWEET PEPPERS ARE TRANSPLANTED.  ITS A BIT EARLY FOR THEM, BUT THEY WERE GETTING TOO BIG IN THEIR POTS.

THEY ARE THE TWO BESIDE THE GREEN STAKES.  LOOKING NICE AND HEALTHY.

THE REST OF THE GARDEN IS DOING WELL.  I SHOULD HAVE SOME RADISHES TO HARVEST SOON.  I LOVE FRESH RADISHES.

HAVE A WONDERFUL MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND.

STRAW IS ADDED TO GARDEN BED

 WE GOT A HALF INCH OF RAIN YESTERDAY WHICH IS GOOD.

I MANAGED TO ADD STRAW TO MY GARDEN BED, SOME AROUND THE TOMATOES ALREADY IN, AND IN THE CUKE AND PEPPER AREA WHICH COMES SOON.

I ALSO ADDED AN EXTRA WINDBREAK TO LESSEN THE EFFECTS OF THE HARSH WINDS BLOWING LATELY.

MY FAIRY IS IN THE FOREFRONT NEAR THE CHIVES AND MY 2 PEPPERS ARE BEING HARDENED OFF BESIDE THEM.

THIS CLOSEUP SHOWS THE RADISH ROW.  THEY ARE GROWING NICELY.

HAPPY GARDENING.

MY GARDEN IS STARTING FOR THE SEASON

 ITS FINALLY SPRING ENOUGH TO START GROWING IN MY GARDEN BED.  I ADDED SOME GOOD SOIL FOR THIS YEAR AND STAYED AWAY FROM THE BLACK KOW COMPOST.  I WAS VERY DISSATISFIED WITH IT LAST YEAR.  THERE WERE SO MANY CLUMPS IN IT I HAD A DIFFICULT TIME BREAKING UP THE CLODS.  

THIS YEAR I ORDERED MY PLANTS ONLINE FROM HOME DEPOT.  THEY ARRIVED SAFELY WRAPPED IN PLASTIC CLAMSHELLS FOR SAFETY.  THOUGH THEY ARE SMALLER THAN IF I BOUGHT THEM MYSELF AT THE STORES, I AM NOT ABLE TO GET OUT SO THESE I AM SURE WILL WORK FINE FOR ME.

I ORDERED 6 TOMATO PLANTS, 2 SWEET PEPPER PLANTS, 2 THYME AND 2 ITALIAN FLAT-LEAF PARSLEY.  THEY SENT ME 2 EXTRA PARSLEY PLANTS, PROBABLY TO FILL THE SPACE IN THE CARTON.  I WILL SHARE THOSE WITH MY DAUGHTER.

WITH FROST WARNINGS, I COVERED UP THE RADISH ROW I SOWED ON APRIL 28TH.  I LAID A TOWEL OVER THE ROW AND THEY CAME THRU JUST FINE.

AN ONION CHIVE PLANT OVERWINTERED IN THE CORNER.

I DID NOT WANT TO PUT OUT MY PLANTS TOO EARLY WITH POSSIBLE FROST ARRIVING.  IN MY AREA, WE USUALLY WAIT TO TRANSPLANT TOMATOES AFTER MEMORIAL DAY.  THIS SPRING, WE GOT EARLY WARM WEATHER.  

MY PLANTS NEEDED SOME TIME TO HARDEN OFF ANYWAY, SO I TAKE THEM OUT A FEW HOURS EACH DAY.  THE WORST BIT IS THE WIND.  ITS BEEN SO DARN WINDY THE PLANTS PRACTICALLY SNAP IN HALF.  

TO PREVENT DAMAGE, I PUT UP A SHEET BORDER TO HELP KEEP THE PLANTS UPRIGHT.  IT WORKS.

MY RADISH ROW, CONSISTING OF CHERRY BELLE, SPARKLER WHITE TIPS AND FRENCH BREAKFAST, ARE DOING WELL.  I STARTED MORE IN ANOTHER AREA NOW THAT THESE ARE COMING ALONG SO WELL.

ALSO, WHEN I WENT TO RE-SOW MY CARROT ROW, I SAW SOME GREEN TIPS THRU THE NEW SOIL I HAD SPREAD ON TOP. YOU CAN JUST SEE THEM ALONG THE SHORT-SIDE OF THE BED ON THE UPPER RIGHT.  NO NEED TO RE-SOW AFTER ALL.

I ALSO SOWED SOME LETTUCE SEEDS IN MY PLOT.

OUR LILACS ARE BEGINNING TO BLOOM AS WELL.  WE HAVE 2 IN OUR PATIO GARDEN AREA AND THEY ARE GIVING OFF SUCH LOVELY AROMAS.  ITS A PLEASURE JUST TO SIT ON THE PATIO AND ENJOY.

I PLAN TO TRANSPLANT MY TOMATOES IN ANOTHER WEEK ALONG WITH THE THYME AND PARSLEY STILL TO TRANSPLANT.  I WILL HOLD OFF ON THE PEPPERS TIL EVENINGS REACH THE 60S IN TEMPERATURE.  THEY LIKE IT WARMER.

ENJOY YOUR SPRING.

My 2023 Veggie Garden Ideas

Its that time again.  Gardening is in my future.  I have a raised 4' by 8' garden bed which is calling me.

Today I ordered garden soil mix and veggie and herb plants.  I was nicely surprised that our local Home Depot delivers.  I was wondering with whom I could make plans for chauffeuring me to get plants.  Now that concern is behind me.

The soil mix is expected today but the plants themselves not until the 12th.  That's just fine since these plants are usually transplanted outdoors no earlier than Memorial Day.  Its been a very warm spring so far here is southwestern Maine without any frosts for days.  I think I may be able to transplant my tomatoes and some others before then.  As long as I watch out for any sneaky frosts and being prepared with covers for said plants.

This is my plot.  I have been weeding it out but at this point I could not get all the mess cleared.  In the darker wet areas along side of the bed I sowed some radishes and lettuce.  I also sowed some Little Finger carrot seed along the top edge which is out of the frame.

Today I cleared out all the rest of the weeds and sowed some red Alkindus lettuce seeds along the bottom edge.

I was amazed that my onion chives survived the winter in their upper right-hand corner out of the frame.

I will try to get better pix this week after all the rain we have scheduled this week.

I am hoping for an abundance of tomatoes, peppers, cukes, parsley, and thyme along with the tucked-in crops of radishes, lettuce, and carrots along the outside edges of the bed.

I hope you have a nice day.