Secret Farm: A garden blog

First Tomatoes '07!

Well, it's official - I've picked my first tomatoes of '07. No pix yet, sorry - perhaps if I get up early enough tomorrow I can take some and post 'em before going to the cabin.

I actually picked my first two a few days ago, last sunday to be exact. They were 2 "Cherry Romas" and not quite ripe, but wer were leaving for a few days and I wanted to make sure we got to eat the first tomatoes and not the squirrels! Good thing too, 'cause I found a half eaten half ripe one on the ground when we got back last night. (A tomato, not a squirrel silly! Gross!)

The winner this year then was technically a Black Plum Paste tomato, but it had blossom end rot, so I didn't pick it until today. The others were a couple Tigerellas - vollunteers, and a couple of Blondkopfchens. I haven'tt tried any of them yet though, I guess I'm saving them for the cabin weekend.

Basil is also starting to go gangbusters, beans are blooming, and the squashes are finally looking like they may do something after all. It's amazing what a few days away from your garden will do. Sometimes I wonder if it's like that old "watched pot" saying, except this time it's a watched garden never grows. Or, maybe it's just the heat.

Tomato Update!

Remember those raised pot tomatoes I posted about a while ago? Well, here they are a few weeks later. They are doing quite well, almost like the ones in the ground. We'll see if they continue to fare the same - if so, I'll have to use this technique in the future.

These guys are some volunteers (not sure what variety) that I moved from the raised garden to right next to the garage, which doesn't get much sun - maybe 6 hours if they're lucky. And they also got quite trampled recently when we attempted to fix our garage roof (don't ask). They have received very little water, we've had barely any rain, and I've only done a couple of pity waterings. As you can see, in addition, they have a handicap in the form of some lovely rolled up trellises that used to be attached to the garage on top of them - yet they are still thriving! A testament to the hardiness of the tomato. Remember these guys the next time you are worried about your little pampered fellows.

Time flies...

So, how do the rest of you out there find time to both blog (or do anything else) and garden this time of year? I'm having a really hard time with that, as you can tell...those of you that are left that is.

We are heading into what I like to call; the best time of the summer however. It's that time of the season when all the deliberating, procrastinating and planting has been done. All that is left now is the feeding, weeding and - hurray! - harvesting. I've nearly finished now with planting everything - yes, I know, a bit behind - but then when am I not? I have most of the large raised garden all set, providing all the beans I just planted come up, and only have a few more spots to fill. If it weren't for all that danged volunteer dill I've got all over the place, I'd have a few more holes. I would just rip it out, but I keep thinking I might need it. Perhaps a manic pickle making phase may strike? Never mind the cucumbers are barely in the ground.

So, How do you all do it, and what do you have left to do? What's your favorite time of the gardening season?