It was midsummer. Both my garden and local farmer’s markets were overflowing with succulent fruits and vegetables. Yet even as I enjoyed the bounty of the season, I felt anxious. How many more days would we have together? The peaches would be done in a week. The cherries were already long gone. And in a […]
Veggies & Edibles
Surly tomato
Is it just me, or is this tomato giving me the finger?
Now Harvesting: early-September
As you can see, I’m still collecting beans and zucchini, while the broccoli plants I harvested from in early summer have rewarded me with a second flush of petite heads. I love that. I’m also harvesting tomatoes, scallions, herbs and cucumbers, and am still eating potatoes from last month’s harvest. I’ve planted most of my […]
Tomato harvest 2010
I’d like to introduce you to some of the tomatoes I’ve been harvesting this year. I grow tomatoes every year, without fail. They are a must-have, even though they take up a significant portion of my growing space. For me, the major problem with growing tomatoes isn’t blight or blossom end rot. It’s choosing only […]
Time to: strip your tomatoes
My tomato plants, post end-of-summer pruning. It’s not quite time for the annual winter garden clean up (just typing that made me feel a little ill), but it’s a good idea to start to prepare for fall by planting your winter garden, and by pruning your tomato plants. Why prune? Two reasons: to focus the […]
Now Harvesting: late-August
The word harvest takes on new significance at this time of year, as the garden really steps it up. Right now I’m harvesting tomatoes, fresh herbs and beans daily, with cucumbers, peppers, and zucchinis making a semi-regular appearance. Pulled up my crop of ‘Ambition’ shallots today, too, and was impressed with how they’d multiplied. If […]
Why you should plant your winter garden in summer
Plan and plant in summer for harvests all winter long.
Now harvesting: mid-August
When I got back from holidays, it was pretty clear that my potatoes were done. The leafy tops had been dying for a while, and I’d been sneaking the odd new potato here and there, but until last week, you could still pretend the tops were green. No longer. Have you ever harvested potatoes? No? […]