Garden Update, Early July, 2014
An update of my garden in early July, 2014, US hardiness zone 6a.
The weather has been fairly hot here recently. It cooled off (thankfully) for Independence Weekend, and we had some rain earlier this week and last, so much of my garden has really taken off.
Those are my earth box tomatoes above. My main problem with the earth box to date is that if it rains the mulch covers prevent the plants from being watered. Now, this is both good and bad. On the one hand, the plants can’t be over watered. But, on the other hand, I have to remember to water them!
I “thought” I could water weekly, that the system was designed to hold enough water for a week. Apparently not. For a few days my tomatoes looked wilted, so I moved them away from the garage. My first suspicion was too much sun (plants close to a garage can get over heated). Since I filled the water when I moved the tomatoes they of course revived. But, three days later… droop-city.
We had a spat of 90s which is quite unusual for western New York, especially in late June. Normally we top out around 85° in the summer, and that is A-ok with me! While the heat agreed with the plants (it cooled off at night), they were very thirsty in those earth boxes. I have been filling the tanks every 2-3 days, and the wilt quickly went away. (I know there is enough water when it starts to flow out the bottom. The box is designed that way.)
So, plenty of tomatoes on those earth box plants, and I have quite a few on my ground planted tomatoes too! I will continue to evaluate as the season progresses, but as of now it is doubtful that I will plant tomatoes again in the earth box. There is a higher and better use for these boxes I am thinking, and that includes….
Peppers! The earth box peppers (orange, yellow and green) are going bonkers, and they have small peppers growing. The ground-planted peppers? Ummm you don’t see a pic, do you? If I get anything off those four ground-planted pepper plants, I will be shocked. As of this moment, I would say peppers in the earth boxes is a must next year.
Herb island is flourishing. I have no idea what those plants are under the tree. I “think” they are some purple flower I left in last year because I found them pretty. The white flowers are ground cover that has finally decided to cover after 8 years. Figures.
And, since my basil is a disaster in the ground (12 plants planted, five survive, those are the best three), I think it will be an earth box plant next year too.
The fennel continues to exceed expectations. I accidentally broke off a stalk while weeding, and it smelled like a great big stick of licorice! I threw it in hubby’s freezer bag for no sodium vegetable stock. Should add a different flavor.
The parsley looks amazing. I will be harvesting this week and my garden post next week will deal with parsley harvesting, drying, and uses.
I decided to let the cilantro seed. If it is successful, that means coriander seeds galore. If not, well, I will rue my mistake.
The thornless blackberry bush isn’t doing so hot this year. While it continues to grow (upward), there aren’t as many buds for fruit as in the past. I had a few canes I didn’t take to the ground last year, and I suspect that may have had something to do with it. Lesson learned.
All in all, I am quite pleased the way my garden is coming alone. While a few setbacks, nothing major has befallen the garden. Hopefully, things continue to go well.
What are you growing in your garden this year? Tell me, How Does Your Garden Grow!?
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Stephanie B says
We came back from our holiday weekend away to see one of our broccoli plants was completely destroyed (I assume from an animal) but otherwise all was well. We have dozens of peppers growing and tomatoes. The tomato plants got much bigger than I expected and are choking out the onions. Whoops! Our fall crops are going in this week…hopefully they turn out well!
Ann says
What are you planting for fall, Stephanie?
Ann
Stephanie B says
I am planting zucchini, green beans and pumpkins. I read that they do well being planted early to mid July…so hopefully that turns out to be true. 🙂
Ann says
Zucchini… you brave, brave woman!
LOL
I hope it all goes well for you, Stephanie. I should plant green beans as we like them a lot. Maybe next year.
Ann
Stephanie B says
It is the first time I am ever planting zucchini, so now I’m nervous lol
Debb F says
Ann, those peppers in the earth box need to be thinned out a little. You should only have one pepper plant per about 6 inches of soil. I would look under the bigger plants and remove the smaller ones, other wise the bigger ones are going to choke out the smaller ones and then the larger ones will be using all of its energy to do that, and wont bear many fruits.
In Delaware this year with the bi polar weather conditions, we already had a heat wave of 4 days over 90 and that makes many plants want to bolt. I collect all the water from my central air conditioning and use it to water all my flowers, hey it is FREE WATER and my dehumidifier on my central a/c unit is only 6 years old so that works well. My flowers this year are kicking butt! Also my parsley plants is doing great. Had my first harvest last week and dehydrated it and a round of fresh sage already. I have gotten about 5 peppers already off my 3 different kinds of peppers, and my tomatoes are going to be coming in any day. I got Mr Stripeys and some low acid yellow ones for me and big boys for the boys. And because my marigolds I planted as bunny deterrents are thriving, the bunnies have not yet eaten my tomatoes or peppers. They love the parsley and strawberries though! We couldn’t get plants in until late because we kept getting a late freeze ( again thanks to the bi polar weather) but I am very pleased with my gardens this year. I hope to put up some salsa this year and more peppers.
Ann says
The tomatoes are the ones I should have thinned, Debb. I still may. The peppers actually are more than 6″ apart, except they are HUGE!
Sounds like your plants are going gangbusters!! I have to harvest parsley this week and dehydrate it. The bunnies have (to date) ignored my plants, but the marigolds are a great tip!!
Ann
Barbee says
Ann, I am loving your garden-you just have to know that I’m in ‘veggie garden withdrawal’ because of the upcoming move. ~sigh. I think your peppers look great-they are slow to ripen, esp the colored ones, but fresh peppers are the best!
I am so glad to see that you planted that basil. Just WAIT till you see how big those basil ‘bushes’ can get. Start cutting your basil now and it’ll get bigger and bushier. Do not let any flower stalks stay on the plant. (You can eat the flowers) Going to seed slows growth.
Your fennel is awesome. It has never done that well for me. Ann should teach a class for her humble student here. 🙂 & your parsley? Adorable lil babies! Once it REALLY gets going, they make a really nice border plant, all bushy and full. Unless you ‘juice’ you will never eat all your parsley and it’s a bonus that it looks so nice. (Be sure to leave it in the ground to over winter. Some of mine always survive and they are even nicer the 2nd year.) Coriander? Yes you will have coriander seed. And the seeds that fall onto the ground will grow you a second volunteer crop of cilantro… this fall, when it cools off. If you’re lucky.
I am so glad you did the herb garden it looks great in that spot and is doing awesome. Isn’t it rewarding to go from the idea, to planning, planting, growing and then picking and eating! I sure think so.
Ann says
Juicing parsley? Never thought of that, Barbee, but I will definitely tell Hubby. I am SURE he will want to. I hope to get out there tomorrow and harvest the first batch. (The best laid plans…)
I should pinch the basil, it looks so pathetic right now. Those few that survived are out of 12 original plants! The chives look meh, but that is a second-year-yield plant, so there is hope.
I bet you are excited for the new house! YOU should have blogged about the progress!!
Ann
Marie says
So jealous! Still no peppers here. My parsley is on the porch and is HUGE! I have way too many cucumbers, but the neighbors don’t mind. Tomatoes aren’t producing very much, 4 so far that I have picked and one that a tomato worm has found delicious. Cabbage is under the cucumber as are the carrots, so I don’t see them doing much anytime soon.
Ann says
Oh oh oh! The next two weeks I have two excellent cuke recipes, Marie. And in two weeks I will also have a cucumber recipe round-up. That should help take care of your overload.
I love cabbage now due to Hubby’s frizzled cabbage recipe … wish we had room to grow it here.
Ann