Seed Bed:
Squash, Peppers, and Tomato-Spillover Bed:
Tomato Bed:
Now for some more detailed photos of the individual beds...
The Tomato Bed, northernmost end...
The third tomato from the end in the front is not doing well. We're also having problems with one of the tomatoes on the other side of this bed-- and the cherry tomato we planted between the side doors of the garage. That cherry tomato's the worst of the bunch and probably ought to be pulled and destroyed... Next year, we definitely need to rotate the beds. No nightshade family plants in this one for two or three years to come.
Note the nasturtium. It's one of, oh, about four that are still hanging on. Not thriving, but alive.
The Tomato Bed, southernmost end...
Not much to say... We've harvested a handful of cherry tomatoes and a couple of small 'Early Girl' tomatoes, but most of them are still not ripe. Something took a big piece off of one of our nicest, biggest still-green tomatoes, this past week. No idea what did the damage.
Squash, Pepper, & Tomato Bed, northernmost end...
Two more 'Sweet 100' cherry tomatoes, here. Seem to be doing okay.
Next year, we might try to get a few taller tomato cages for these cherry tomatoes, since they grow so much taller than the other tomato plants. The standard cages we're using now could be used instead for peppers or zucchini.
Squash, Pepper, & Tomato Bed, middle...
There are four bell peppers here, with a single jalapeño in the middle. They all look pretty good, so far. (See further down the page for closer-up photos of the peppers themselves.) I picked the first jalapeño, this week. I've yet to do anything with it, though... Mexican cornbread, maybe?
Squash, Pepper, & Tomato Bed, southernmost end...
And here are the squash plants (or at least some of them). It's amazing how easy it is to miss a squash, under all those leaves! They can get big before you spot them. So far, we're still not producing that much squash, but it's plenty for the two of us. Still, next year, I'd love to try tromboncino squash instead of the yellow crooknecks. They grow vertically, which is an appealing attribute, in addition to the fact that they're supposed to be sturdier plants in this climate.
Seed Bed, southernmost end...
The chives are finally filling in a bit. The lettuce hasn't bolted, but Donald found it already a little bitter, so I'll probably pull it out. Maybe plant another row of... something? Green onions? Maybe more red radishes, if it's not too late for them. The existing radishes are nice and tall.
Seed Bed, middle...
The Swiss chard has gotten a bit overwhelmed by the neighboring zucchini. Some of it might still do ok. If it's not too late in the season, I could put some where the lettuce is now. The zucchini has really taken off! We've harvested and eaten our first zucchini, and there are another couple getting ready to pick, too.
Seed Bed, northernmost end...
The Little Pepper That Could is making flowers!
The zucchini is threatening to shade out some of the okra seedlings. Oops! Donald cut off the leaf that was the worst offender. Next year, we need to remember that zucchini and squash sprawl out further than you might think. Also, I want to plant my okra at the southern end of a bed, next time. It can probably use all the hours of sunlight it can get...
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Cherry tomatoes:
Bell peppers:
Jalapeños:
Zucchini (as in this photo) and squash blooms and leaves can be pretty. I particularly like the golden yellow with that rich emerald green.
The 'Willamette' raspberries are living between the blueberries and the fence. I think Donald said they need to be pruned back after fruiting, so we ought to see about that soon. These are firmly in the experimental column for us, but they were bought on clearance, so it's not a huge investment, either way.
Next to the two raspberries is a thornless blackberry someone from work gave Donald. It's small, but looks healthy enough.
The blueberries have been ripening a handful at a time. (So we guess neither of the surviving shrubs is 'Climax'.) Donald baked a batch of blueberry muffins from the first pickings, once we'd saved enough.
There are still plenty of berries on the bushes (particularly this significantly larger of the two), but as you can see, most of them aren't quite ripe, yet.
...And I think that wraps it up for this vegetable/edible update!
