Today's harvest

[pepperhead212]

As I said, I would harvest tomatoes today! I also had some from a couple of days ago, getting ripe; this is the same thing I did today - I picked anything with even a blush on them, yet today, at least on the cherry tomatoes, some were already fully ripe, in just 2 days! This made it worth it, being out in that 75° dewpoint weather for a while.
Tomatoes, 7-18. Two smaller bowls of reds are Surrender, a determinate. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Tomatoes from 7-16, ripening up well on 7-18 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

 

[pepperhead212]

I went back out one more time, before the rain comes (I'll believe it when it happens). Got a few more things, in addition to the garlic chives and basil I needed for my salad.
One WS 58 and two County Fair cucumbers, an Armenian Cucumber, and a bottle gourd, 7-18 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

 

[pepperhead212]

I watered my weeds today! I know, we do that all the time, when we water anything, but these are the garlic chives that I only grow as weeds - about 8 clumps behind my shed, a couple behind my composter, and a few others here and there. Except when it is very dry and hot, like it has been lately, I don't water them, and they look like they were just watered, and fed! Since the ones on the perimeter of those clumps were starting to get a little yellow, I dumped some water on them, along with some other things back there - some fig trees, and that Syrian oregano - and refilled the saucer, I keep there for the birds. They seem to be leaving my tomatoes alone, since I've been giving them water in that. I put about 3 gal water in a 5 gal bucket 3 times for all those things. That was the only sunny spot I was in today, and it was hot!

I was out to pick the beans, and some of the tomatoes. And one more bitter melon. But that was all in the shade, and I came back inside for the day! Now, I have to do something with all these veggies!
A few more tomatoes. 7-20 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Mostly Blauhilde, a few Rattlesnake beans, 7-20 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

 

[pepperhead212]

More veggies today, though I didn't spend much time out there, and the heat is terrible.
Well I just had a surprise! A very loud thunder clap, and it wasn't showing in the forecast today (though they did point out those spotty TSs are always possible with this humidity). Not even those pop-up storms that show up in the radar, then disappear, were on their radar, which is obviously what this must be. The rain is coming down hard, and as I was looking at my rain gauge it quickly went up from .05 to .10 as I looked at it! It was hazy, from the rain, but is clear now, so it has more or less stopped, and the gauge seems to have stopped at .12". I still hear the thunder, but I see the sun again.

It was 94° when I was out there briefly earlier, and 74° dewpoint, so I didn't stay out there for long.
A few more beans and tomatoes, and a couple of cucumbers underneath, 7-21 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Still early for peppers, but some are starting to ripen, and the much later ones are starting to produce peppers. So far, superchilis and a few jalapeños are all I've picked, when I wanted something for a dish.
One of the 3 Superchili plants, showing the ripening, 7-21 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

The largest Superchili plant, ripening later, but a lot of peppers! 7-21 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

 

[pepperhead212]

I had the last of my varieties of tomatoes ripen today - Spears TN Green. It was the latest one to ripen - most varieties beat it by a couple of weeks, at least. Haven't tasted it yet, though one of these ripened even more just sitting on the counter since this morning. I got a few more of some others, plus the cherries, of course. I also picked 6 more County Fair cucumbers, though these are something else, I think, as they are shorter, and have a gritty surface on them, which I have never had on any others. Usually the spines on the surface are much larger, and fewer in number. They scrub off easily, however, and the cukes are good. Maybe this is the old pickling version of the County Fair, before it was improved?
First ripening of the Spears TN Green tomatoes, 7-22. Plus a couple of Sambar Cucumbers, and one County Fair...maybe. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

And something good that I noticed today - no spotted lanternflies, on any of the plants they are usually all over - the cukes, okra, bitter melons, and eggplants! I'm wondering if the heat has done this - if so, at least there is something good about it! Have you noticed this out there, anyone else infested with SLF?

 

[larry_stewart]

No issues with spotted lantern flies.
Only thing being me this year ( as far as insects go) are aphids on my kale.
Im no a big lover of kale, and is my lone remaining plant, so I haven't really been on top of controlling them. Focussing on keeping. the rest of the garden healthy.
I've managed to control all pests on my cabbages, potatoes and even cukes
No issues with vine borers or wilt on the cukes yet.
did get some powdery mildew , but not out of control.
Tomatoes just kicking in. all except one vine looking pretty good.
So far, failures would be zucchini, eggplants and my originally planted peppers. Peppers and zucchini usually pretty predictable, but this year took a hit. I was able to purchase some more mature pepper plants ( not the varieties I wanted , but all I could do this late in the season). These new plants appear healthy.
Zucchinis did so well last year in this spot, so I tried again with almost complete failure( already ripped them up). Seeing this coming, I was able to start more from seed, and as long as I can keep them healthy, ill get a late season harvest out of them ( did not plant them in he same area as the ones that crapped out). Eggplants, I almost never have luck with them, so there was never any high expectations.

I am planning on rearranging some of the crops next year.

Biggest surprise of the year was a turban squash. I bought one to cook with, and never really got around to it, so it dried up ( this was over the winter). So this spring, while escorting it out to the compost pile, I decided to crack it open and plant some of the seeds in the newly found area of my yard that would allow vining plants too grow freely. I now have at least 1/2 dozen of these squashes. They look kinda cool, just never cooked with them.

Potatoes, cukes and string beans above average. Okra, tomatoes pretty much just starting but so far so good.

 

[bethzaring]

Getting ready to make my first batch of pesto for the season.

 

[blissful]

Beth, I see basil and cilantro? Or is that flat leaf parsley? Pesto, yum.

 

[bethzaring]

Beth, I see basil and cilantro? Or is that flat leaf parsley? Pesto, yum.

Cilantro tastes like soap to me! It is flat leaf parsley, for its nutritional value. I generally use 1/2 parsley and 1/2 basil. I got 3 pints of pesto today. This is always an exciting time, fresh garlic, basil, and parsley from the garden

 

[dragnlaw]

beth, what are your approximations? Especially the OO. I've only ever made pesto once and it was such a disaster, I chucked the entire thing.

 

[GotGarlic]

I'm sure Beth will be along soon, but here's my pesto recipe. I started using cashews when the price of Italian pine nuts went sky-high. They have a similar buttery texture.

Basil Pesto
1 cup fresh basil, firmly packed
1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts or cashews
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, sliced
1/4 tsp salt

Place all ingredients except oil in a food processor and process till broken down a bit. While the machine is running on low speed, add the olive oil in a small stream until well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning. You may need to add a little more olive oil to achieve a smooth texture.

 

[dragnlaw]

Great! Thanks GG.



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We just picked a lot of basil for another dish but in a couple of days should be ready to be trimmed again. Our parsley is also on a boom.



Like the cashews idea! So toasted but not salted? or does it really matter.

 

[GotGarlic]

Hm, I hadn't thought about that lol. I usually have salted cashews on hand, although I used to use unsalted pine nuts. If you use salted nuts, I'd suggest tasting it before adding salt to it.

 

[dragnlaw]

I try not to buy/keep salted cashews on hand.... because they only disappear by my hand before I can find a recipe to use them in.
Actually one favourite recipe with them is Salted Cashew Brittle. Made around Christmas as gifts.

 

[bethzaring]

LOL, okay, I guess I make a lot of pesto! The recipe I use is called Chef Lyndon Virkler's Pesto for pasta. It is included in King Arthur Flours 200th anniversary cookbook.

4 cups fresh basil/parsley
2 cups pine nuts, I use toasted walnuts
4 to 8 garlic, of course I lean to the 8 cloves
2 t. salt, optional, varies if I use salted or unsalted walnuts
3 cups grated parmesan
2 cups olive oil

I can fit all this in my food processor. Put nuts, basil and garlic in the bowl and add olive oil to keep things running smoothly. Add cheese and salt last. It would be easy to cut this recipe in half.

 

[taxlady]

I usually use walnuts, toasted or not, when I make pesto. Yup, the price of pine nuts was my motivation too. Toasted pumpkin seeds work as a replacement for the pine nuts, too.

 

[blissful]

Baby turnips, two kettles of kales/turnip leaves, tomatoes, 1 our first zucchini, lettuce.
Something tall ate off the top of a couple of sunflowers today, they were 3 feet tall so we're thinking deer.

 

[pepperhead212]

A few more tomatoes today, both larger and cherries, and only one cucumber.
A few more tomatoes, plus one WS 58, 7-27 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Peppers are starting to ripen! It's still very early, but about on schedule, for the various peppers.
13 jalapenos, from one plant, 7-27 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

And a few more of the oddball veggies:
Two more bitter melons, plus another Armenian Cucumber, 7-27 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

 

[John Mullins]

The garlic gardens look very beautiful. I want to make one for myself. What kind of garlic are these?

 

[blissful]

The garlic gardens look very beautiful. I want to make one for myself. What kind of garlic are these?

If you're talking about mine, it is a hardneck, Russian Red. It has between 2 and 5 cloves to each bulb, the cloves are large.
There are many good hard necks to grow. We've also grown many types of hardnecks, music, German Red, German Mountain, Kuty, Oregon Blue and some I can't remember.