It's been a odd year for the garden. Or maybe I always say that. Each year is so different it's hard to know what's normal.
What's been good: the onions and carrots did well. Both are now pulled; the carrots are in the freezer and the onions are drying for storage. We may dehydrate some again as we really like them for soups and stews. The green beans did well. We planted enough just for eating but ended up putting away 14 quarts, even though we still have about 50 quarts in the cellar from last year. The leeks look great so far, and the potatoes are huge.
The peppers did nil. Only one plant looks any good. Possibly because peppers like hot and dry and what we've had is hot, humid and wet. The tomatoes are the oddest thing, though--they're beginning to ripen but the first ones were so small! The ones Larry picked today are more of a normal size, but I have never seen tomatoes do like this. So strange. They're very slow, too, even the ones we planted early, and the Early Girls. The squash FINALLY had one fruit and there are more setting now, but they have been blooming since the beginning of June, and no fruit. The cucumbers ditto. We're just now getting a few to eat but by this time last year I was making pickles almost every day.
Larry replanted squash and cucumbers and put in a few more onions for a late garden, and I may try some more beans too. Last year the deer ate all of our late garden so I hope we have better luck this year.
Then we have these mystery plants. We *think* they might be butternut squash, but they might be dipper gourds. We shall have to wait and see. They came up from seed beside the cellar, and looked so healthy that Larry transplanted a few hills worth. He also planted melons and they are looking good right now--assuming we can keep the deer, possums and other varmints away.
How is your garden doing? Anything awesome, or anything disastrous this year?
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ReplyDeleteHere in Iowa, we are not as diversified as you but the cukes and the peppers are doing well (last year we harvested about 6 bell peppers). The tomatoes are setting on but we wont have a ripe on for probably a month. Sweet corn is just now coming on. My leeks look good and the onions have done well.
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ReplyDeleteI have cucumbers coming out of my ears--and I only planted 4 plants. But, they won't last forever, so we'll enjoy them while we can. I don't make pickles anymore--we don't eat them fast enough and they always go soft.
ReplyDeleteTheresa, that was us last year! I still have about 50 quarts in the cellar. Since I started using Mrs. Wage's they don't go soft. They're delicious. This year we're struggling to get enough for even one batch of pickles. Go figure. Third planting is in the ground, but I'm not holding out much hope this year.
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