Miscellaneous Updates
Turtle
That little guy is still around. I see him out at the garden, sometimes in the morning, sometimes in the evening. Yesterday, I watched him motoring around the water dish (which we actually put out for the birds to bath and drink from). He seemed to be hunting for pill bugs (also known as sow bugs, rolly-pollies, and potato bugs). He gets around pretty quickly for a turtle–peddles fast! Our yard is…oh quarter acre maybe, and I’ve seen him at every end. I do suspect that he tried one of my grape tomatoes–I swear the breakage screamed turtle beak! He didn’t eat it though, so he must have been expecting a strawberry (some of which are probably missing from the two or three plants, but he’s welcome to them. I don’t get enough to really amount to anything.)
Writing or Reading
Fantasy Magazine (editor Sean Wallace, magazine pub’d by Prime Books) has started an interesting column–blog for a beer! Check it out. Basically they’re looking for input on a “topic of the week” and they’ll provide you with beer (or fudge sundae) money (10 bucks) if your wisdom is chosen. It’s an interesting idea and kinda neat–give people that like to comment a chance to be pulled from the comments into the frontline so to speak.
Fruits of the Garden
The first full-sized tomato is turning red!!! No really! It’s going to be one from the “Opener” plants. I’ve had two grape tomatoes turn, several currant tomatoes–do not plant currant tomato plants, folks. They take up a lot of room and so far, the tomatoes are not even the size of a dime…not that size is everything, but it’s rather odd eating fare. You put a handful in a salad, and you can’t spear them to eat them. Then when you do get them in your mouth, they kind of roll around your teeth like they’re trying to escape. You finally nab the suckers, and they explode with a rather hefty pop. Seriously, they are the weirdest tomatoes I’ve grown. There must be 40 million on the plant, but what am I going to do with them? I can’t exactly can these suckers.
The snap peas are about done. It was a decent year, but by no means a bumper crop. I never had enough to give any away. We had enough for salads and as a side dish several times, but now the heat is starting to wither the plants. The zucchini is going strong; we’ve eaten a few already. I have two Chinese cabbage still producing. I cut a few leaves here and there when I need cabbage–put some in with the zucchini and snap peas in the shrimp/veggies for tonight’s meal in fact. Pretty good stuff.
I should have a cucumber in a couple of days–small and kinda curled–looks a bit like a large pickle, even though it’s supposed to be an eating-type. If I get lucky it will be ready at the same time as the tomato.
No takers yet on the cantaloupe, but the plant is hanging in there and snaking around this and that. I’m sure it’ll take here in a bit.
The early raspberries are coming in. May not be a bumper crop, but they are enough to snack on while I’m out there pretending to pick weeds!
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Potato Bugs! We have an unusual abundance of them this year. And that’s what I say every time I see one: oh, look honey, another potato bug. He finally asked me, why do you call them POTATO bugs? I don’t know, that’s just what we always called them when I was growing up. They do sort of look like a gray potato.
I have something of a black thumb, but I love working in the yard and have recently tried my hand/thumb at gardening. I have potted herbs set in my flowerbeds that are doing very well: cilantro, basil & rosemary (my absolute favorites, of course.)
My potted tomato has quite a few flowers on it, but it’ll be some time yet before we’re eating tomatoes. I think out there in TX, your growing season starts much earlier. I did a potted grape tomato one year, and loved it. Amazing yield for one plant and tasty grape-sized tomatoes, perfect for summer salads. I didn’t see any in the stores this year, though (guess I could’ve tried starting some from seed.)
I have two apple trees that I planted three years ago, so I’m hoping I might actually get something edible from them this year.
Comment by Trina — May 23, 2008 @ 7:27 am
I don’t know why they are called potato bugs either; mostly they eat decaying matter, although they will go after the green stuff, especially shoots and starters.
Grape tomato plants come out later than the other tomatoes–check again, they might have some!!! If not, you can generally order the live plants (I have used…jungseeds.com) They are well worth getting a plant or two–much higher yields than any other plant!!! And faster too. I like the sugar grape. Haven’t had any luck with getting the cupids to grow from seed. Juliets are not as sweet, but they are bigger and VERY abundant–the plant will get considerably larger too–it’s a real climber.
Yup, you should get some apples this year! Four years is about right. What kind of apples? I like Golden Delicious, but heck, I’ll eat any of them. I like the cooking kinds too–they make such good pies!
The growing season in Texas is pretty long and starts pretty early. But by the time you’re eating tomatoes, a lot of my plants will die back (all the early growers). There’s usually a month or more in there where the plants don’t produce (July/Aug or Aug/Sept). Then if I keep them alive, they start again in the fall and can go as late as December depending on freezes. I used to do a winter garden, but it can be a real pain to be covering plants all the time and trying to keep them alive.
I actually have a pretty black thumb too, but it doesn’t even slow me down. I replant, I talk to them, I urge them right on, half dead or not!!!
I LOVE cilantro. I grew some this year, but it has a very short season here (Jan to about March). Can’t grow it in the heat. We hit 100 on Monday and are due for 100 again today. TOO EARLY for such brutal temps!!! It has killed back the snap peas, much to my sorrow.
Oh–another thing you should try–Blueberries!!!! They are really easy. Get some for your area and they will do really well. I know a place where you can order them if you can’t find any locally. They require water. Nothing else really. They are pretty bushes (you can get short ones or very tall ones.) In the fall they turn such a pretty red!!! The blossoms are quite pretty and the berries are soooo awesome…
I only got about 7 berries this year, but I’m ever hopeful for next year. I haven’t had them quite long enough to really be producing!!!
Okay…enough outta me!
Comment by Maria — May 23, 2008 @ 8:24 am
Omigosh! Too weird…I almost mentioned something about how I’ve been seriously considering growing blueberries. The only berry I love more is the strawberry, but it seems a bit too high maintenance for me. Looks good, takes care of itself, and it’s something I can eat…you’ve convinced me. They were in the stores a couple of weeks ago–maybe a little too late this year, I’ll see. While I’m checking, I’ll look for a Grape Tomato plant, too.
Last year, I planted six tomato plants behind our detached garage, and they were producing until well into October! The plants looked horrid (good thing they were behind the garage)and my husband complained because they were falling all over the lawn (despite my attempts to stake them) making it difficult to mow, but it was awesome having fresh tomatoes in the fall. In fact, there were too many tomatoes, I tossed a lot over the fence for the critters. That’s why this year, I only went with one in a nice, neat pot on the patio. (But there’s always room for another pot of Grape tomatoes!)
Apples…my favorites are Granny Smith and Red Delicious (so of course that’s what we planted-plus I read you need at least two trees to cross pollinate) I like a nice crispy apple. I really do hope we get some decent sized apples this year. My husband LOVES apple pie, and I’d love to make him one with apples from our “orchard”.
Oh, and I have a fig tree that I planted about two years ago. I planted it in the dog’s fenced in area because I had read how much the birds love figs (thinking the presence of dogs would keep them away.) And every year since I planted it, I see figs start to grow and then they mysteriously disappear. I think my “guard” dogs are falling down on the job.
Comment by Trina — May 23, 2008 @ 9:21 am
Staking tomato plants is a true art form!!! But yeah, well worth it. You can freeze tomatoes–peeled or blanched or not. If you don’t peel them, the peeling comes right off after thawing. If you blanch and peel them, they squish better and take up very little room. Great in a winter soup. You can also take extras to the senior citizen places–they LOVE the donations there.
Blueberries–study what kind you want if you have the opportunity and selection. There are a lot of varieties–the short bush that I told you about that can even be planted in a large pot is called Sunshine. I’ve had the berries from it–GREAT berries. Check out this website: http://www.ediblelandscaping.com/ They have a lot of good info on blueberry plants. I’ve ordered from them–they’re a bit expensive, and if you can still find some locally, you should be just as good, unless you want the short kind or some other kind in particular. The main thing is how tall it will get (some will get 8 ft) and how cold tolerant you need. Sunshine is a good all around, but the other two I planted down here (rabbit eye and…something) are southern blueberries. I don’t think they’d do well where you are. I cannot express how much I love blueberries…they are my favorite. Absolutely, positively! I think I like them as much as chocolate!!!
Sounds like the dogs are doing a bit too much sleeping in the sun…
Comment by Maria — May 23, 2008 @ 9:56 am