Harvest Festival

tomato pie

cukes lead to pickles

hexagonal tomatoes

humongus watermelon

sunflowers and daisies

homemade Veggie juice

pumpkins came early

lavendar - foraged from neighbor

edamame

baba ganoush (eggplant dip)

tomatoes, tomatoes, tomatoes

Tomatoes were planted yesterday after the last frost (hopefully)! The trays have been outside enjoying sunshine and spending nights on the south window in the garage. We put up shelves to hold our plants over winter, but they have a use in spring as well during frosty nights.

There are over 100 extra plants - the germination rates are in excess of 90%.

Alexa's venture (Tulip Tree Innovations)is set to kick-off at the neighborhood garage sale on May 18. She has a bazillion different herb arrangements in unique, up-cycled and re-purposed containers. They're pretty neat.

We have days with temperatures in low 80's and nights with low 60's for the next few weeks. A true spring but about a month late. Last year (2012) we didn't have a spring - just jumped into 80's and 90's. It was hot!  No idea what the weather pattern will be this year.

a variety of tomatoes

Our tomato varieties:
Cherokee Purple (Ferry Morse Heirloom)
Abe Lincoln (Ferry Morse Heirloom)
Black Krim (Ferry Morse Heirloom)
Big Rainbow (Ferry Morse Heirloom)
Yellow Pear (Burpee Heirloom)
Roma (Burpee)
Sweet 100 hybrid (Burpee)
John Baur (Seed Savers - Bonny Best 1914)
Green Zebra (Seed Savers - Tater Mater 1983)
Tasty Evergreen (Seed Savers - Seedmen 1956)

Alexa really grew strong seedlings this year. This one was sown in February, transplanted after 6 weeks growth and is about 12 weeks old now and ready to go into the garden.

transplanted tomatoes and peppers into bigger pots

Transplanted tomatoes and pepperss.

heirloom seed gifts

Seeds acquired through family gifts:

slo-bolt cilantro from Todd's Seeds (Michigan) http://toddsseeds.com/

tomatoes: cherokee purple, abe lincoln (a nice USDA cultivar), black krim. and big rainbow (Ferry-Morse)

flowers (from Timo and his wife, katia of peru)

Marvel of Peru (mirablis jalapis) - 4 o'clocks (containers, as they won't winter well here)
Forget-me-nots - victoria blue (of course!)


Already preparing for winter seeding in home-made plastic houses and the greenhouse.

time and tide waits for no....

frost killed yellow squash

tiny cauliflower - started heading in late October

big beefy yellow tomatoes (heirloom)

cauliflower harvest

Some late harvest goodies from the garden.

The cold frame is doing well even with outside temperatures going sub-freezing overnight. Lettuce, arugala, and spinach gets harvested twice a week.

Garlic was planted just before thanksgiving. Twice as much as last year.

heat and more heat

Heirlooms are not doing well in the heat despite plenty of water. 

The strawberries think it is August. 

tiny fruits....

Tomatoes, jalepeno peppers, and cucumbers have all fruited. 

share the garden

We've made converts out of our friends, Dave and Fred. We helped them install two raised beds and planted some of our heirloom tomatoes. We are using 2L soda bottle as mini greenhouses for the very small plants and also to protect them from critters. Dave and Fred live on the edge of a subdivision where they get rabbits, the occasional deer and other critters. They will also install chicken wire to help with denying the critters.

. 

This brings up an interesting note. I have been thinking about starting a side business for designing and installing raised bed gardens. Small scale for urban dwellers. I've read several books about small business practices. I'm not sure I have the time or energy and we certainly don't need the money. But I toy with the idea nonetheless.

tomatoes are prolific!

Tomatoes: 18 yellow pear, 13 sweet 100's, 3 john baur, 10 green zebra, 11 romas, 5 orange, and 6 black krim. There are a dozen or so other tomato seedlings but the marker is gone...so mystery tomatoes!!


Update: We believe the tomatoes are the SeedSavers Evergreen tomatoes.