The weather at night has cooled, there were two good days of rain and the garden revived. The heat and drought returned but there is still good news to share.
There will be green beans after all! It won't be as many as I had wanted (because a rascally rabbit stole most of my seedlings late one night) but there will be a harvest! The row in the front of the garden that he missed is beginning to produce.
The quickly purchased Strike green beans which were advertised to be ready in 45 days have tiny blooms. In last month's post they were about six inches tall so there just might be a decent harvest before frost. It looks like the seed catalog might have been right for once.
These tomatoes were all started from trimmed suckers in the spring by just shoving them deeply into soggy ground. It was easy until the heat arrived and then it was impossible to get anything to root. Lesson learned. Next year the experiment will continue because it was an easy way to get fall tomatoes.
The shaded area under trees in the back with empty spots caused by the naughty rabbit, was planted again with more green beans. It is beginning to produce, although a bit spindly, but it answers whether beans will grow in the shade. The wasted space will, at least, produce some beans. I would prefer to get a puny yield as opposed to letting weeds run rampant.
This experiment has been a success. Okra slows and drops leaves as the nights cool so lettuce was planted in the shade underneath. It didn't immediately bolt and it was a useful way to use an empty area.
The squash under the cherry tomatoes on the edge of the shade is finally producing. Other squash planted during past years further back in deeper shade didn't do well at all. It seems the edge of shade will be the dividing point from now on for squash.
The bell peppers under the lima bean arch that were planted in the massive manure pile from two years ago, have all gone wild. That manure pile has been the gift that just keeps giving.
The branches are beginning to break causing the peppers to dry on the vines. This is the second time we have stripped them down.
My freezer is full, so these will be chopped and dehydrated for long term storage. Next year, fewer bell peppers will be grown and instead in their place, jalapenos. They will be needed for pickling because they haven't been grown in three years. The supply is dwindling. Also, I want to search for a sweeter paprika for spice since I want to learn how to do cold smoking. This year isn't over and I am already planning next year's garden.
One of the wax melons developed a hole. The seed catalog ranked them as one of the most difficult things to grow. They weren't kidding.
This massive one seems to still be doing fine. All I want is one to survive to maturity to see if we like it.
Since it won't live much longer, we decided to cut the rotting one down. The stem was still green so it wasn't ripe.
It had the texture of cantaloupe which made sense, it is a melon but it lacked any flavor. It was bland but juicy. There was a tiny hint of sweetness. It wasn't bad but it wasn't good either. It definitely needs to grow longer.
Even though we weren't impressed, we decided to get a second opinion. It failed the sniff test.
Summer hasn't ended and fall hasn't arrived. I'm ready for cool days and a slower life. It hasn't happened yet but it will. I'm so ready.
So happy you're getting beans despite it all. It's always a pleasure seeing what's growing in your garden.
ReplyDeleteI do sound obsessed with the green beans but it feels good to win against the universe for a change. I want the pantry full of a variety of choices going into the winter because we had times of redundant meals. I can take or leave green beans but hubby loves them. He lets me get a serving then he finishes off the bowl and I'm glad of it.
Delete"Wascally wabbit" indeed! Look at all those delicious green beans, cucumbers, tomatoes, and peppers! I only grow tomatoes in my current garden, but those four crops are so wonderful and delicious, and I grew them in a previous, sunnier garden. Congratulations on your harvest!
ReplyDeleteI canned my first harvest yesterday. There was only one quart but yes, I ran the canner for one jar because I was so proud to get it.
DeleteMy, my, that spoon looks mighty shiny. Did you polish it just for the picture?
ReplyDeleteOf all the things mentioned in the post, you notice the spoon? The spoon! The least important thing of all!!! No! I didn't polish it but your Dad took it from the kitchen when he went out to cut the melon down. He wanted something clean and didn't trust me. You have seen how he winces whenever I pick something and pop it straight in my mouth without washing. He doesn't appreciate it when I say, "more microbes for good gut health!"
DeleteOooh, you are a lucky girl, bean-wise! I got two small handfuls, with a few babies still growing...but we're due for a frost in the next few days. Once it realized it was okay, the garden grew -- but mostly leaves. (sigh) No wonder few of my friends -- who normally garden -- didn't this year. They said it would be too dry. They were right.
ReplyDeleteI wish I had friends who could have warned me this year it would have been too dry. We have watered the whole garden almost daily for months now. It takes about 1 1/2 hours to do that. We have a fantastic well which is what has made it possible. We have discussed setting up irrigation but have seen how much work is involved and am not convinced it would be better. It seems fantastic if it works. Kind of like technology - it is fantastic when it works but is a nightmare when it breaks. You start watering and can't stop because it will all come tumbling down. The weathermen always predict ran in a few days so you keep waiting...and waiting. Oh well. We finally got a rain a few days ago and (third one this summer) and the garden sprang back to life! I canned four quarts of green beans and another half gallon grew by the next day!
DeleteIf we had know it would be this dry we would not have planted a garden. If only we could see into the future. Sigh. I will just celebrate my green beans and not look back. Guess I really need my morning cup of coffee. My mood seems to improve after that.
Your beans, tomatoes and capsicum/peppers look wonderful. I've now seen inside the giant melon and, like the horses, am not impressed. Hopefully you will get one to full ripeness and its flavour will be rewarding for your all your efforts.
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