Doing well this year, due to a few changes and decent weather. I tried to pick a new seed brand this year and made a point of it being a different brand. But it turned out to be the same company, different label. Maybe different source, though, labeled “organic” and this time they seem to be doing very well, from a vegetation and flowering standpoint.
Tomatoes are stars so far this year. I found a deeper, 20″ pot for the tomatoes and only bought one cherry tomato plant from Sky called “Sweet Million”, as regular sized tomatoes never ripen in time. This plant seems to have a good upright habit with strong stems and I haven’t had to train or tie them to the cage. I also haven’t had to address and mites or other pesky problems that were probably related to too small a pot. Tomatoes have deep roots, and you’re supposed to bury most of the stems of the start, which is hard to do when the pot is too short. The start had a small first spray of flowers which I took off because it was too early….the plant wasn’t tall enough. There is concern that nutrient resources would be diverted to flowers during crucial plant growth time, but I’m not sure there isn’t also a chemical feedback system that is affected by early flowers, which could result in a shorter or ultimately less productive plant. It would make sense, given the sophistication of the plants world, we’re finding. Of course, have I looked that up or done any research other than think about it? Not yet, but I will, and you just KNOW I’ll have an update. Now there are tons of flowers and developing tomatoes, some should begin to ripen I would think by the end of this month. August and September should be good tomato months!
I feed all the plants with liquid Alaska fish fertilizer every two to three weeks which doesn’t burn plants. They seem to like it fine. Last year I think the beans were mislabeled and were actually bush beans, the only way to explain their inertia and ultimate failure. The beans actually pressed themselves to climb this year, and once they reached the tallest spot on the highest pole (they in fact are pole beans this year, it seems) they started out for nearby tree branches, the mesh fencing on the sides and each other. I’m thinking of finding a pole to plant in the middle of the planter bed for some of the other new strays that are bound to come along. Bean heaven. And they’re great stir fried fresh with a little Szechwan sauce, served on a plate with tomatoes, carrots, and cucumbers. Others on track….good carrot growth but no carrots emerging yet. Actually have a dozen or so cucumbers as flowers or developing cukes, that’s a first because they haven’t liked it here in two tries. If those turn out, and are also edible, I may actually try that brand again….who knew, though they are probably different sources than the icky brand from last year. Green onions doing fine but then they’re easy. I haven’t had the nerve to eat a bunch of native onions, but I have a whole lot of nodding onions that I could afford to try sometime. I know the native people here ate them.
The lettuce is post-glory, having started to finally bolt the last week or two. We got a few meals out of it, they do produce dense heads that are relatively free of bug damage. Which is probably because it’s too tough to eat. Kind of on the leathery side. Touted as the company’s alternative to butter lettuce, it’s called honey crisp and except for its shape, I don’t think it is similar. What I did plant just last week, seven days ago, is BRUSSEL SPROUT seeds, and they’re already sprouting well! They seem like they’re hardy seedlings, which bodes well for their survival….slugs smell blood when they think you’re weak. They aren’t a very impressive photo yet, though, I’ll add one in a few days.
Some pix of the little container bed, the little veggie garden definitely not in its natural habitat but safe enough from deer and bunnies and seems happy enough with its prison. Though those beans, if they could talk. They do seem to be sending it a lot of leads, about three or so each now……
ellensgarden.us 