Hello all! I still have more stunning views to share from our Asheville trip, but in between travel posts it is time for a garden update. Summer is still full on here in Atlanta, but it's about time to start thinking about getting seeds started for the fall before it gets too late! We're always a bit bad about our timing, but I'm hoping I can get a few things going since we won't see the first frost for a long time yet.
Until then, we're still getting a few things from the summer plants, along with the very exciting first figs! Our tree exploded with growth this year, so it is great to finally see some of the fruits ripening to enjoy. We pulled or first one yesterday and shared it, but it looks like quite a few more are getting there.
The new fig cutting I had bought at the beginning of the year started to outgrow its pot, so @dksart just put that in the ground a few days ago. Perhaps not ideal to plant it this time of year, but it was either that or let it grow into the ground where it was through the pot anyway. It's actually fun to see the two trees next to each other since our older one was about the same size as the new one just two years ago.
Fingers crossed we get double or even triple the amount of figs in a few years once this other one matures. Especially since they are different varieties. The plum trees are growing slowly but surely, as well, but nothing exciting enough to share pictures of on that front.
We are also FINALLY getting some cucumbers. Mostly the lemon cukes, though we did get a few regular cucumbers earlier in the season. This year has had some strange weather patterns, and our cukes didn't take off until we got some rain in July. It is going to be a much smaller harvest than in years past, but we're happy to be getting some to enjoy. The bees also love the flowers, so if nothing else I'm helping the pollinator population.
My patty pan is still going strong, with a number of waves of harvests. I pulled some before and after we went to Asheville, then after some trimming recently we should have more coming in the next week or so. I've been able to share some in addition to eating plenty! As long as I keep up with the pruning they should produce for a while longer.
Out of our two watermelons, one started to rot, so I have one left on the vine that I'm keeping my fingers crossed grows and ripens enough to actually eat before the deluges of rain cause it to rot, as well. My sister got a 16-pound one off her vine! No, of course I'm not green with envy.
As for our other squashes, many of those are finally coming along. I still have one lovely little Jarrahdale on the vine that seems like it should make it. I'm not sure how much bigger it will get, but it's a solid little fella.
The sole Candy Roaster at the moment looks promising...
You may also recall the Zucchino Rampicante of 2021 fame...
I also thought we had butternut squash growing initially, but I believe it may either be a hybrid or more of a Seminole Pumpkin. They started out a very dark green before maturing into the more standard orange skin. This one below is going to be massive.
I pulled the first one off yesterday, so I'm using it to meditate on manifesting an abundant harvest the remainder of the season. 🧘🏻♀️ For fun, I'll send 3 HBD to the first person who guesses in the comments how many times I had to try to take that selfie using my camera timer without busting my beautiful squash.
Ooh, and can't forget a photo of my gorgeous heirloom tomatoes that showed out in July either...
We got a good showing out of all three varieties of the cherry tomatoes, and I even finally got some of my Cherokee Purple larger heirlooms, too. They're on the downswing now, but hopefully a few more to pluck before the season is completely over.
That's about all for now, but it has been nice to have some more goodies to enjoy this month. Hopefully lots more to come, especially since the squash will keep for months ahead! Thanks @riverflows as always for keeping the Garden Journal fun going for another month.
Happy gardening, my friends!
I loved seeing all that variety of pumpkins, watermelon and so many other plants, your garden looks amazing to me.
Thanks so much! I love getting to try different heirloom varieties from time to time. They don't always work out, but it is awesome to grow something you can't find in the stores!
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I love seeing your garden! Always have. I'm sort of jealous of what you have going on XD. The place I live doesn't have land for growing very well and so I would have to build garden boxes but wood in these parts are quite expensive. It will have to wait until I know I am not so busy and can put money aside for it. I haven't been home much this summer and the summer last as well. Winter is where I am most still. Anyhow..
Those tomatoes look fabulous! How's it taste?
Wood everywhere seems so expensive anymore! That's why we end up using so much "found" stuff to make beds, trellises, and such, haha. Dave will do anything not to spend money.
This season has been a little tough with some crazy weather, but I'm always grateful that we have such a long season to keep on trying. It doesn't seem to help much with my food budget, but I'll keep trying.
The tomatoes are delicious, though some of them are a little on the bitter side. That might be because we do tend to pick them early so the pests don't eat them first, and I'm not always patient enough to let them ripen all the way. My favorite were the Bumblee Bee (yellowy ones), though the Cherokee Purple that I didn't share a picture of are absolutely delicious! The epitome of what a tomato should taste like--I can eat those cut into chunks with just a pinch of salt and be in heaven!
I should be hitting the garage sales for sure. Something is bound to come up.
Cherokee Purple sounds wicked! Reading what you wrote makes my mouth water and crave tomatoes nos XD
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Hahaha - six??? (haven't read other responses yet) - thanks for always going to so much effort!
Funny how some years there's a glut of one veg but not another. Weather's been so wierd globally, just at a time when we really want to grow as much as we can because of inflation and that recession you're not having!
Go the squash though - what's next? Juggling squash under a waterfall?
Haha, no one has hit on the right number yet, so I'll keep my lips sealed to see if anyone else hits on it. ;) Always fun to try to come up with a different planty pose.
Even speaking with my farmers, they've been having a tough time of it this year. And our climate is still much more favorable than many parts of the world. At least we have rain, if too much at times. I still think that's preferable to some of these awful droughts around the world!
We'll see if I can't get some more of those zucchinos to comply this year for at least one monthly selfie, haha!
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You've got figs! Please tell me you will make figgy pudding with it.
My cucumber's seem to have given up the ghost for the year. I'm happy with the output, but hoping to do more next year. Making plans already.
Annnnnd... I've got two baby watermelons on the grow, too! I'm so pumped about that.
Love seeing the growth you've got!
Haha, well we will have to see if we get more than a few at a time this year. It seems they all ripen on their own sweet time, so tough to do more than just enjoy them when they come!
Glad you got some good cukes out. It can go either way with those. We usually only need 3-4 plants to get plenty for us, but this year they just didn't push out as much as usual. I'm afraid if we planted more then they would really go ham and give us too many! Though there's always room for homemade pickles in that case...
I hope your watermelon make it to maturity! I'm holding out hope for this one. The other one we cut off when I saw the end rot and hoped it might be close enough to eat. No such luck. It was barely pink inside.
Now to go through the autumnal variety seeds to see what I can start planting for the next round!
Your garden looks great and you must be super excited about getting some figs. The fig tree looks really healthy and in a few years you should be in fig heaven!
We just don't have any luck with watermelons, the vines grow like crazy, a few set and grow to the size of a tomato and then die. Your sister must hold the key to growing them, 17 pounds, at that weight just a few would do.
It's strange how from one year to the next, different veggies will do great while others won't. I just made our first quart of garlic dill pickles and at the rate they are coming in I may have to buy some more Mason Jars.
You always come up with the best selfies. I know that our camera only goes to 10 seconds on the self timer, so unless your camera can be set at 30 seconds or more I would suspect that getting everything set before the flash went off took you at least a dozen times. You should have made a video of the whole process, that would have been hysterical seeing all of the attempts.
Thanks @thebigsweed! I was quite giddy about seeing that ripe fig. I'm about to go check today as I think I'll get a few more to go along with breakfast. Hoping that young one grows just as well as the older. There's a tree around the corner in our neighborhood that is absolutely massive! I need to go for a walk again and see if those figs are starting to ripen. Some are so high you'd need a tall ladder to harvest.
I might just need to leave the watermelons to my sister. It's fun to try, but we just can't seem to get the environment right. I think I'd rather use the room for something that is more likely to actually produce.
Glad you've got some pickles! I'm a bit envious since we haven't really had enough to do that. I still need to plant some more dill, as well. Nothing beats the homemade ones!
A video would have been funny. I'll keep my lips sealed on the actual number in case someone else gets it since the exact number hasn't been guessed yet. But thank you for playing along! Always a good way to see who is actually reading, haha!
I wonder if your neighbor harvests the figs from their fig tree, if not they may be up for grabs.
We eliminated a few veggies that we haven't had any luck with for the same reason, use the space for something else.
We planted two sets of dill seeds thinking that the first dill plants would be dead by the time the cucumbers came in. Not the case as the cucumbers are coming in like crazy and the first batch of dill is still hanging in there.
Reading an entire post, don't you think that is asking a little much. 😁
I walked past their tree on Thursday and it's about where ours is--just a few ripening here and there, but my goodness they're going to have a ton!
You could always pull a Yoga the Bear .
Your vegetable garden looks great, I love the variety of items you have in there. As for the figs they are a delight. I remember my grandmother had a beautiful tree in her garden and we always harvested and made sweet. She taught me to make a little cross on one end to make them more delicious. Pumpkins and tomatoes are great, I can't grow pumpkins in my backyard because my dogs eat the plants. I hope you have good crops!
Thanks @sirenahippie! The figs really are a treat. I wish we had planted a tree sooner, but I sure am enjoying them now. I'm excited for my pumpkin and all the other squash! They're always so versatile. Luckily no dogs to eat ours, haha.
You are sure to make delicious recipes with figs and pumpkins. Happy Sunday and good harvests @plantstoplanks!
When the summer comes, I am also going to plant watermelons, I hope I will be successful. Greetings from the Philippines!
I hope you are successful, as well! They are delicious in the summertime. :)
One might even daresay that you "squash" all the beefs with that meditating butternut!
Haha! Wait until I pull the next one off the vine--that one is going to be so heavy it will squash everything. ;)
@plantstoplanks you are pisser, I love your selfie so much!
I have never heard of lemon cukes before, very interesting. We stick to the pickling ones and then the salad version. Growing food is so much fun, it's gratifying to know this is good clean food.
Hope you are happy and well.
Enjoy the rest of the summer, be cool and stay cool my friend. ❤️
Well I missed the selfie fun last month, so I had to make up for it, haha. Nature is the best muse, right?
The lemon cukes we've grown for a few seasons now. They're a fun variety. We've quick pickled them in the past when we've had a ton, but definitely not enough this year for that. Maybe next year!
I can definitely use some cool weather here. Whew, this time of year is a doozy, but all the things are growing so it's a good tradeoff I guess. ;)
Sorry @plantstoplanks, I have a very sick sister and I will be out for some time but sharing the love. I love your work, great gardens and food.
So sorry to read that, @farm-mom. Sending hugs and healing thoughts your way. 💚
I tasted the first of our figs just this morning, a perfect welcoming into August :)
I can't get over the fact that there is plenty of green grass over there. Although we are (more or less) on the same latitude, everything here is dried out and we may not see fresh grass until December!
About the selfie I'll say that this was your 4th try :)
PS All your pictures are nice but that last one with the cherry tomatoes is just adorable!
Yay for figs! Just when I start getting sad about the last of the peaches and blueberries, the figs come in to remind me everything has its season.
We've had a ton of rain this last month, so it has definitely helped keep everything green. Though in December we may be flipped with more brown on our end!
I almost forgot the tomatoes, but I'm glad I didn't because they were so pretty! I loved all the different shades of colors as they were in varying states of ripeness.
Back to say you were actually just about bang on with your guess on my seflie tries! Somehow I managed to get the butternut to balance on the third attempt. I'll take it as a sign I was as one with my squash, haha. Thanks for guessing, as well, @riverflows and @thebigsweed. I think the one that gave me the most trouble over the months was actually my sage eyebrows. I couldn't tell you how many outtakes I had getting sage leaves to stick to my face on their own. 😂😂
Oh thank you, I didn't expect to win but I love guessing! I thought that an average person would need at least 10 tries but you are too flexible to be called average :)
Haha, thanks for the compliment. I think the squash was just particularly accommodating.