Saturday, June 7, 2008

Garden Report: 07 June 2008

It’s hot and dry and it’s been this way for a few weeks now. The garden, however, is doing well.

We ate the last of the lettuce in mid-May. The Parris Island and Capistrano Romaine grew best into April and May, the other varieties bolting soon after it warmed up in March. The Freckles Romaine did well and looked good in the garden but didn’t grow as large or as thick as the other Romaines.

My garlic bulbed and has been harvested, but never grew as large as last year, and most of my onions have flowered and never bulbed.

We planted five blueberry bushes and three blackberry bushes.

Most of our tomatoes have been potted up into three gallons or are planted into larger containers. We have about sixty plants. Last year that was just about the right amount. The Giant Tree Tomatoes have been planted along the north fence and are trellised. We have two eggplants planted into the garden and they’ve been producing for about three weeks. There are several more eggplants elsewhere that are a few weeks behind. The peppers are doing well. They’re planted into the garden in various locations. The Sweet Bananas, College 64L, and Jalapenos have been producing for a few weeks as well.

We added an eighty square foot raised bed along the south fence. It currently has nightshades and herbs growing in it. Most of the herbs are growing very well: the Basil, Dill, Chives, and Cilantro growing best.

The cucumbers are doing very well. The Bush Champions may be the best variety of cucumbers I’ve tried.

The squash has been producing since mid-May. The Early White Bush Scallop Squash is more susceptible to stinkbug damage than the yellow or the zucchinis. The Burpee’s Hybrid Zucchini is again this year an amazing plant. We only have two plants and that’s more than enough. There have been very few problems from stinkbugs, squashbugs or vineborers. I’ve removed some yellow and white squash plants due to bug damage. Today I planted New Zealand Spinach in the place of the former squash.

That’s about all we’re growing right now except for the flowers all over the place. Pretty soon I guess we’ll start thinking about the fall garden.

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