July has seen great yields from the vegetable garden. Our new harvesting containers are these "Peach Baskets", and now it is taking three or four baskets to bring in all that is ripe.
July has been the month of the tomatoes, cabbage, onions, garlic, green beans, potatoes, zucchini, cucumbers, and now peppers and okra.
Regardless of what else is in the basket, there are always tomatoes. The extra-early tomato plants have done very well - we are now at 400 ripe tomatoes picked! The main season tomatoes are beginning to come in and my wife says it is time to stop counting the number of tomatoes harvested. I'll probably still try to sneak a count though.
Every time we bring a basket in, our cats Macy and Maggie have to check out what is new.
I can't let them look for long because they soon begin to want to sample the veggies. See Maggie licking her lips?
We quickly put everything away in the kitchen and set the baskets down to be ready for the next harvest day. Sometimes the cats think they can get a head start on us by hanging out IN the baskets!
July has gone by way too fast! I have been overly busy. Sorry that I haven't been able to post or comment on other garden blogs. My normal job has been very busy. I work in management at a large television production company and we are in the process of moving our entire operation to a new building - hectic! I will be working the next couple of weekends as well.
I have still had time to tend the garden though, and it is doing very well. I have many pictures and a few stories to share when I get caught up.
I have a few posts in my mind ready to go and pictures to go with them. Please let me know which one of these you would like me to write first. Maybe I can squeak out one or two of them in the midst of the move. Here are the posts I have in mind:
- How my corn is doing and the extraordinary pest deterrents I am employing.
- How my new experiment with extra high raised beds are doing well and why.
- My first attempt at worm composting. The success and failure and surprises I've seen.
- This years tomato support systems.
- How great the trellises are doing now that they are covered with pole beans.
- This years chronicle of a nest of baby robins growing up in front of my camera.
- Another garden insect photo safari.
- An update on the potatoes in the garbage can.
- My plans for the Fall garden.
See, I've still been active in the garden and thinking about posting. I just haven't been able to do it.
So what is the main one or two items in the above list that you would like to read about and see pictures of? I will begin posting these things in about a week.
Thank you for your continued patience and happy gardening!
The corn post and the potatao post, please!
P.S: LOVE the pictures of your produce.
Posted by: July 26, 2008 at 11:02 AM
Another vote for the potatoes! We're thinking of doing the trash can thing next year, and I'd love to hear your tricks. Plus, I can't wait to see just how many 'taters were hiding out in there.
Posted by: July 26, 2008 at 03:46 PM
Your harvest is beautiful. I, like the cats, am getting hungry just looking at the veggies.
I like the trash can potatoes. I am thinking of doing that next year. ~ksp
Posted by: July 26, 2008 at 05:45 PM
....we're doing worm composting too and our fall planning is happening now...i vote for those..
Posted by: July 26, 2008 at 05:45 PM
I would love to hear about the extra high raised bed system. And the potatoes. And everything else but those would be my first two.
Posted by: July 26, 2008 at 06:01 PM
How to choose??? I hope you find time to write them all, but how about the raised beds and the Fall garden plans first? Thanks for your blog, it is always entertaining and informative.
Posted by: Lori Phillips | July 27, 2008 at 03:34 PM
WOW!!!! 400 Tomatoes!!! I hope I get one this year! I found your site earlier this month and love it. It took me a day or so to read the whole thing. I am all excited and want to try and do my own seedlings this winter. But I do have a wedding to plan as well.
Posted by: July 27, 2008 at 07:09 PM
Can I be really selfish and greedy and say that I am really looking forward to reading all those topics? I am a fellow Kentuckian raising my first big garden and have borrowed many of your ideas successfully. I can' t wait to learn more.
P.s. Your cats are adorable.
Posted by: Tiffany N | July 28, 2008 at 03:14 PM
I vote for a post on why you like the extra-high raised beds. I'm going to be making some of my 6 inch deep beds into 10, 12 or even 18 inch deep beds next spring. Convince me that it's worth buying and moving more than 1 truckload of black dirt! :)
Posted by: July 28, 2008 at 05:42 PM
Fantastic photos, and I just LOVE those peach baskets - and I see so do your cats. Any further movement on your veggie garden info site? I miss reading the updates.
Posted by: July 29, 2008 at 10:46 AM