Tuesday Harvest 15 lbs of goodness

I suppose it is the IT  manager in me that wants to measure, to compare, to categorize. Maybe some day I  will be able to be a bit more mellow about it and roll smoothly with good and bad instead of hyper-analyzing what is happening. But as it is only the second year, I think it'll have to wait.

Tonight was a good harvest. The tomatoes are coming in fast. Sadly the Dark Prince seem prone to splitting, while the Celebrity are not so much. There has been some BER in the Romas but it has not been terrible. The romas are clearly determinate, they are coming all at once. Sauce or salsa is in the immediate future.

By the way tonight had 5# 11.4 oz of tomatoes from the SFG, and 5#6oz from the Growboxes. They continue neck and neck.

Anyway, here is the bounty.

Until next time, Keep Digging & Eat Well!

The Gastronomic Gardener
Garden blog http://amidwestgarden.blogspot.com/
Cooking blog http://ihopeyouarehungry.blogspot.com/
Twitter - www.twitter.com/DavidPOffutt
http://www.facebook.com/TheGastronomicGardener
email: thegastronomicgardener at gmail dot com

Growing method Comparison - Early August

When we last looked at the different growing techniques, there was not a big difference between between the Growboxes and the Squarefoot gardening methods.

As of this weekend, there is also not a huge difference in production, but there is a surprise.

The Growboxes are still lush but the cucumbers seem to be slowing down and yellowing.

Growboxes do require daily filling of the water reservoir in hot weather. The tomatoes are doing pretty well but I'm finding there is some BER which is a little surprising considering there are nutrients in the covers.  One thing I have learned is next year I will have to stake them up. The jalapenos are loaded and flopping over as well.

The square foot garden is going like crazy!

The cucumbers show no sign of slowing down.

I have no pictures of the veggie plot but it is a neglected mess. But it's not all about looks. It's about production.

So far to compare the tomato production:

Squarefoot garden:   8.28 lbs
Growbox                   6.90 lbs
Veggie plot                8.81 lbs

Grow box could catch up with two tomatoes, they are big. The veggie plot, I'm harvesting them green as any that start to ripen rot, or are pillaged by some critters.

So the verdict is still out.

In other news, the Brussels sprouts are sprouting.

I removed the last of the carrots, radishes, and beets. I'll be putting in some fall crops this weekend.

How does your garden grow?

Until next time, Keep Digging & Eat Well!

The Gastronomic Gardener
Garden blog http://amidwestgarden.blogspot.com/
Cooking blog http://ihopeyouarehungry.blogspot.com/
Twitter - www.twitter.com/DavidPOffutt






http://www.facebook.com/TheGastronomicGardener
email: thegastronomicgardener at gmail dot com

Sunday Harvest(s)

I made a trip over to the veggie plot. It is terribly over grown and the only thing surviving are the peppers and tomatoes. Not sure what happened to the vines (zucchini, cucumber) but they are shot. The tomatoes, though over grown, are prolific. Sadly any ripe tomatoes were chewed and/or rotted. I picked almost 7 lbs of green tomatoes! We'll see if they ripen on the shelf.

When I got home it was finally cool enough (83F) to water. While watering I saw plenty to pick. So I did.

Here is today's haul. It's more than 13 lbs of produce. I'm pretty happy with that!

Meatless Monday should be a snap!

Until next time, Keep Digging & Eat Well!

The Gastronomic Gardener
Garden blog http://amidwestgarden.blogspot.com/
Cooking blog http://ihopeyouarehungry.blogspot.com/
Twitter - www.twitter.com/DavidPOffutt
http://www.facebook.com/TheGastronomicGardener
email: thegastronomicgardener at gmail dot com

Chilies and first tomatoes

It was happy to have a cool breeze tonight after dinners as I  poked around the garden. What a break from recent days. Let's take a look at the peppers (or chilies if you prefer).

Cherry pepper

Early Bell - these are huge

Hot banana

Hot Red

Jalapeno

Any finally, the first couple pounds of tomatoes. Celebrity and Black Prince. The ones on the left asre from the grow boxes, one the right Squarefoot method. I'll be tracking production throughthe harvest.

Until next time, Keep Digging & Eat Well!

The Gastronomic Gardener
Garden blog http://amidwestgarden.blogspot.com/
Cooking blog http://ihopeyouarehungry.blogspot.com/
Twitter - www.twitter.com/DavidPOffutt

http://www.facebook.com/TheGastronomicGardener

Weekend Harvest

The day I returned from Tennessee I picked over 9lbs of cucumbers. More pickles or at least relish seems in order.

Today's haul included:

Three types of beets:  Chioggia, Cylindria, Detroit Red

Seems like a nice garden saute is in order.

Now if we can get some tomatoes to start ripening.

Until next time, Keep Digging & Eat Well!

The Gastronomic Gardener
Garden blog http://amidwestgarden.blogspot.com/
Cooking blog http://ihopeyouarehungry.blogspot.com/
Twitter - www.twitter.com/DavidPOffutt
http://www.facebook.com/TheGastronomicGardener

Tennessee Waltz

This is off topic so if you come back for the next one, I understand.

We made a quick trip to Bumpus Mills, Tennessee this week, 8 hours down, 35 hours there, and 8 hours back.  Ah, the things we do for love and family. 

While down there, I got  a chance to sit a spell on the rocking chair and let the breeze cool me down from the blast furnace that is the Midwest US these days.

Up in the Tennessee hills, away from the highways, you can hear the trees, the insects and the birds. And if you sit quietly, you may even see something you've never seen before.

Now I've seen Goldfinches, but these were fluttering so close, you could hear their wing beats.

Then they were joined, first by a Tufted Titmouse....

and then by a house finch.

And I've seen deer, though not this close.

But what I have never personally seen is an Indigo bunting. The first hints were blue smudges flitting about the first evening we were there. Early the next morning I managed to capture a few images. A little bigger  than the goldfinch, this brilliant blue bird was a thrill for me to see.

Off topic but I hope you enjoyed it.

Until next time, Keep Digging & Eat Well!

The Gastronomic Gardener

Garden blog http://amidwestgarden.blogspot.com/
Cooking blog http://ihopeyouarehungry.blogspot.com/
Twitter - www.twitter.com/DavidPOffutt
http://www.facebook.com/TheGastronomicGardener

Picture tour of Guido's Garden

A friend called this morning and told me of a garden tour being given by a garden club a few towns over. He said "You gotta see Guido's garden, it's fantastic!" I looked it up online and indeed, listed with having over 100 tomato plants I had to check it out. It's too hot to work outside, so I grabbed the camera, left The Student to her books and drove over.

The first thing you see as you approach the house is a grape arbor that spans the driveway (parking pad) between two houses.

I introduced myself, and Guido, a diminutive older Italian gentleman greeted me warmly. He said he's been gardening here since 1976, and all his work unfolded before my envious eyes.

The vines are huge, and they're loaded with grapes. Guido said he eats them out of hand, and gives many away - there are too many to eat by himself. He said he's made wine twice but wasn't happy with the result. So now he just eats them.

Walking up the drive one comes upon the fig trees and some enormous eggplants. Apparently the eggplants are from Australian seed.

As you step through the gate your gaze is drawn to a rustic greenhouse, made of recycled storm windows and railroad ties. Guido said he doesn't start plants out there, he uses his porch  for that but moves the seedlings out to harden off before transplanting.

Notice two things, one - the grass is incredibly lush. He must use a lot of water, and two - that bare stick was a fruit tree that was damaged in a recent storm, he won't pull it up until fall and after the arugula that is planted at the base is harvested.

Speaking of trees - he has all fruit trees. I overheard him tell a guest "Why would I plant any other tree than  than a fruit tree, I can't eat the leaves!" Looking towards the back of his lawn the fruit trees are many and all in fruit. He has pears, apples, Asian pears, quince and peach.

As if what I had seen was not enough, I realized that this was only the start. After all - he was advertised as having more than 100 tomato plants. "One hundred and one!", he declared with a twinkle in his eye.

Walking toward the rear of the property, a large trellis upon which grows a great wall of beans comes into focus.

I walked to the far end, through the gate and into the back garden; and oh what a garden!

Stretching out before me were the biggest onions I've ever seen in the ground, lush celery, eggplants and cabbages to the rear, a half turn to the left,

was the most orderly plot of tomatoes one can imagine. Pruned and staked, they stood tall and healthy in the hot sun.

The onions are far bigger than my fist.

Celery  growing strong.

I don't know what kind of basil this is, but some of the leaves are bigger than my hand.

 And the kohlrabi looks like  a spaceship.

I walked around a little bit more, listened to the charming Guido patiently answer tourists questions, then thanked him for his time and efforts.

I walked to my car, a little stunned by what I had just seen, appreciative of what 35 years of development can accomplish, and all the  more determined to continue developing my little garden.

Until next time, Keep Digging & Eat Well!

The Gastronomic Gardener
Garden blog http://amidwestgarden.blogspot.com/
Cooking blog http://ihopeyouarehungry.blogspot.com/
Twitter - www.twitter.com/DavidPOffutt
http://www.facebook.com/TheGastronomicGardener