Today's harvest

[pepperhead212]

Tomatoes are ripening quickly, and some of them I'm getting the first ones ripening - the Amish Gold Slicer, and Beefmaster hybrid. And those two unstriped green ones in the back are the Green Brandys from the second plant; those from the first plant were striped, so it's not true bred yet. The other striped ones in the center is Atomic Fusion, which is getting a lot of fruits on it, and ripening quickly. And that Zluta Kytice I hadn't picked in just 3 days, and this many were ripe again - almost like it was determinate! It will be interesting to see if those new flowers will be triggered by the picking.

Some of those tomatoes ripen faster than I would have guessed. I see this when I pick every tomato with even a slight blush on it, and and 3 or 4 hours later, when I go back out, it looks like I forgot a couple varieties!
Tomatoes, and one 24 oz bottle gourd, 7-10 Larger varieties starting to ripen faster, and some varieties ripening for the first time. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Zluta Kytice Gold, 7-10. After not picking for just 3 days. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

 

[Kathleen]

Two beautiful Early Girl tomatoes - I had been watching them ripen all week. Purchased bacon and lettuce. Just waiting. Lunch was going to be BLTs with FRESH tomatoes still warm from the sun. I go to pick them and see two huge pecks, one per tomato. Thirsty birds.

 

[taxlady]

Two beautiful Early Girl tomatoes - I had been watching them ripen all week. Purchased bacon and lettuce. Just waiting. Lunch was going to be BLTs with FRESH tomatoes still warm from the sun. I go to pick them and see two huge pecks, one per tomato. Thirsty birds.

Maybe you should put out water for the birds. Do you have other critters, like squirrels?

 

[Kathleen]

I have a bird bath about 20 feet away, but placed another container for water near the tomatoes tonight. Other critters? We have bunches, but squirrels seem to leave things alone unless it is corn. The bunnies and I have an agreement in that I grow clover for them and they stay out of the vegetables. The city rats are partial to trash, so they are rarely seen since a dumpster was installed in the parking lot over the wall.

 

[pepperhead212]

It was disgustingly humid out there today; so much so, that the weeds were still wet at 4 pm, though fortunately, the tomatoes and other plants had dried off, so I could trim and harvest them. I picked another bottle gourd at 8", as the 10" one I used last night was getting sort of spongy in the center - not seedy yet, but I still scooped the center inch or so out, while the first 8" one was firm all the way through. The only cucumber I harvested I knocked off by accident! There are a bunch of eggplants, and a large number of tomatoes again. That Genuwine plant is producing more ripe ones at a time than other larger ones. The Negro Aztka cherry had a lot of ripening ones, but it was the worst affected by the rain (not really that heavy), with a large number of split ones - maybe 30%. A few splits on the Bronze Torch, but that was it. The Sunsugar and Juliet had the most ripe ones, since the last harvest.
A bottle gourd, a cuke, and the larger tomatoes, the largest is a 14.8 oz Mountain Rouge. 7-13 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

About 5 qts of the cherry and other small tomatoes. 7-13 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Eggplants, 7-13 - 2 Asian Delights, a weird shaped Matrosik, 3 Ichibans, and 1 Long Purple. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

 

[caseydog]

I had a scare this morning. I forgot to water my potted basil plant last night, and it was VERY wilted this morning around 10AM . I gave it a good drink, and am keeping it moist, and as the day has progressed, it appears to have fully recovered.

CD

 

[dragnlaw]

Amazing how they sometimes recover when you think all is finished.

 

[caseydog]

Amazing how they sometimes recover when you think all is finished.

Over the years, I have found basil to have an exceptional ability to recover from wilting due to lack of water, as long as it doesn't dry to the point of brown and crispy. It was completely soft and limp this morning, but it is now back to where it was yesterday.

What really amazes me is how durable my oregano is. 100-plus temperatures, buried under snow, dry, soaking wet. It just keeps going.

CD

 

[taxlady]

My Thai basil bit the dust. Two days ago it looked fine. Yesterday it was a bit wilty and today, it's dead Jim. There were too many plants in a smallish pot. I kept meaning to repot them in several pots, but I guess I procrastinated too long. BTW, these were living indoors.

 

[caseydog]

My Thai basil bit the dust. Two days ago it looked fine. Yesterday it was a bit wilty and today, it's dead Jim. There were too many plants in a smallish pot. I kept meaning to repot them in several pots, but I guess I procrastinated too long. BTW, these were living indoors.

I now grow my basil in a pot, and the pot sits outside most of the time. If I go out of town for a few days, I move it inside, and it can go four or five days on the kitchen window sill. I move it indoors for the winter months, and it survives. It just doesn't look as full and deep green as it does in the summer. It does still taste good, at least.

CD

 

[taxlady]

I now grow my basil in a pot, and the pot sits outside most of the time. If I go out of town for a few days, I move it inside, and it can go four or five days on the kitchen window sill. I move it indoors for the winter months, and it survives. It just doesn't look as full and deep green as it does in the summer. It does still taste good, at least.

CD

Yeah, there's a few potted herbs that really should be living outside. But, I have to bring them in when there is threat of winds. There's often threats of winds in summer when we get thunderstorms.

 

[Kathleen]

We may get our first cucumber tomorrow!!!!

 

[pepperhead212]

More tomatoes, and eggplants, and a couple cukes I picked later.
Another 2 qts of tomatoes, plus the larger ones. 7-15 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

2 Matrosik, 2 Ichiban, and 3 Asian Delight eggplants, 7-15 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

 

[Marlingardener]

We picked five pumpkins. We have never had pumpkins in July. They usually are a mid-September crop. We have one vine, perhaps more, growing in our compost pile. Since the vines have a lot of blossoms, we will likely be harvesting more!

 

[taxlady]

We picked five pumpkins. We have never had pumpkins in July. They usually are a mid-September crop. We have one vine, perhaps more, growing in our compost pile. Since the vines have a lot of blossoms, we will likely be harvesting more!View attachment 70007

How big are those pumpkins?

 

[pepperhead212]

I wasn't even going to go out there today, it's so disgustingly hot and humid, but that never happens, and I had to get some herbs to cook with, that are behind the shed. On my way out there I found my first few Rattlesnake pole beans - 8 of them, almost on the ground, and I only noticed them because of the flowers on the upper parts of the vines. Still too early for the long beans, but the vines are taller than I am!

 

[dragnlaw]

Marlingardener, those look like sugar pumpkins - yum for pies!
If you have lots of blossoms check for male and female and pick a few that you have the most of - always wanted to stuff and batter them... or...
I understand the male flowers usually blossom first and the girls later. So depending on how many pumpkins you actually want... Grab a few of the males and pollinate all those girls (before the boys wilt too far)- then harvest the good boys - (sorry guys, you're toast).

 

[dragnlaw]

pepper, I would/could just NOT plant those pole beans - on principle only.

I've seen some 'mange-tout' almost ready for picking. Been raining so hard lately haven't had a chance to grab the few I do see.

Guess I should pick the jalapenos while they're still all in one piece. (afore bugs/slugs/rot/etal get them)
I would like to try and leave a few to go red but with my track record... not likely.

 

[caseydog]

pepper, I would/could just NOT plant those pole beans - on principle only.

I've seen some 'mange-tout' almost ready for picking. Been raining so hard lately haven't had a chance to grab the few I do see.

Guess I should pick the jalapenos while they're still all in one piece. (afore bugs/slugs/rot/etal get them)
I would like to try and leave a few to go red but with my track record... not likely.

Hmmmm, there is nothing round these parts that will mess with my jalapeños. Are yours really hot, or pretty mild. Mine are mild in the spring, but scorching hot by the end of summer. If something eats into one, it will probably go up in a puff of smoke.

CD

 

[larry_stewart]

Each year I always grow one or two new crops that I find interesting or am just curious to grow. This year was "Zucchini Rampicante" . Got the seeds from Bakers Creek. These vines grow very long and very rapidly ( at least 20 feet so far). The young squash ( 15 inches or less) are compatible to zucchini, and the mature squash ultimately turns butternut squash colored and is eat like a butternut or winter squash. I just harvested one that is about 15 inches. I left a few others ( which are at least 2 feet (and growing) for later in the season harvest.