End of June Garden Update

Wow, lots to update, just on the garden.

1. Carrots. I've thinned them, but there are still a few that are clumping. I pulled one today (smallest of a large clump), and it was 4.5in long! They are growing well. (Somedays, you have to take a measuring tape with you to photograph stuff).

2. Tomatoes. Wow, they are growing great. I had to use bamboo stakes to extend the height of my tomato cages! The tallest, a Red Plum Variety, measures in at 6ft, 1 in. It's the tallest member of our family. The vines all are making green tomatoes, and I hope they will wait to ripen until I get back in town a week from Tuesday.

3.Beans. I think I am close to 1.7gallons of snap beans collected. That's a lot. Maybe I planted too many.

4. Summer Squash. The battle is on, and I am much more on the winning side than I was last year. That's right. Squash bugs. Or, at least what I am calling squash bugs. (I think there are about ten+ kinds of bugs that all do the same thing to squash vines - kill them. Last year, I lost all my vines after only a few squash. This year, I have already harvested that many squash (Did you see my harvest counter to the left?) and the vines are still healthy! I am going out 2-3 times per week, picking off all the bugs I can find, and then killing them with my foot. Spraying water laced with pepper and garlic helps deter them, and this week I started putting small containers with a mixture of 2 tbsp molasses, a splash of cider vinegar, and a pint of water out. It attracts some of them, and then they get stuck in the water. But, we have squash growing!

5. Berries. I have a few berry plants, and my wife and I have been enjoying the occasional fresh raspberry, blackberry, or strawberry. There's never enough at once to make anything, but they taste good. But, since they are young plants, the berries are all small...

6. Peppers. The bell pepper plants are slowly growing, and maybe starting to show signs of peppers. One of the cayenne pepper plants is amazing. It must have 50 baby peppers on it... yum, spicy goodness.

7. Herbs. Well, the herbs are growing. The large amount of basil I planted seems to be sprouting and doing well. Rosemary, parsley, oregano... They will go well with those tomatoes!

Well, there is bound to be a huge harvest soon. I'll keep you posted!