Tomatofest!

Sunday 13th July
Yet another thunderstorm hit us last night around 7-30pm and it rained heavily for the rest of the evening.
I had to rush out and rescue the Onions I was attempting to dry out in Plot 1.

I relocated them onto the growing table.
This morning the sun is shining and everything is dripping wet, green and fresh looking so it's a warm but lovely start to the day.

The tomatoes have started ripening in earnest this past week and we've had a good steady supply of all three varieties
The Giant Beefsteaks...................................

.......are living up to their name.
Some, like this Old Virginia variety......................

.....are small and perfectly formed.
Others like this Big Red..........................................

......are slightly less perfect.
But whatever the shape and size they all taste great, especially when made.........

................into something like this.
Tomatoes, onions, garlic, basil, oregano, red and white vinegar, a splash of olive oil and fresh ground black pepper to taste.
All thrown into a bowl and left to stand at room temperature for a couple of hours.
Note! Not in the refrigerator as tomatoes lose that "fresh from the garden" taste once you refrigerate them.
And, there's plenty more coming along.......

........which are almost ready for harvesting.
The tallest of the Tomato plants..................................

......must be well over six feet high I think.
I'll have to get the step ladders out to prune them if they get any higher.
I dug up the remaining Turnips and took them round to Corky.

This second crop could have done with being a little larger but were still worth the effort.
This means that Plot 4 now only has one row of Carrots and the Birdseed Sunflower in it.
The Carrots are about ready........................


......and I'll pull them next week.
But the Birdseed Sunflower.........................


...................has a home for the season. Cute isn't he?
I broke up the empty patch and will till in some compost soon to make it ready for a Fall planting. Of what, is yet to be decided.


The soil is too heavy to be worked today after last nights downpour.
Actually, there is another inhabitant in Plot 4. This guy.......................................

He's really not supposed to be in here but he's a Watermelon and he'll damn well live where he wants to!
Even the whole veg plot.............................

.....isn't big enough and he's climbing out through the fence.
Here's my poor attempt at Rainbow Swiss Chard in Plot 2.

I suppose that sharing a raised bed with the watermelons is a bit intimidating. I'm a little disappointed that this didn't take off as I've never eaten it and was looking forward to trying something new. It is, however, a contender for a Fall crop.
The Pole Beans have now started to grow rapidly.....................

.........and I pulled a few on Thursday.
I even have Pole Beans..............

...........growing on my Sunflowers!
So I've been combing the 'net for Bean recipes.
I think the Skyscraper Sunflowers.........................

....................... are beginning to form.
And the Yolo Bell Peppers.....................................

...........continue to flourish.
More cucumbers.............................

......................are on the way.
The volunteer Tomato plant which was bunking up with the potted Petunia.................

.........has moved into his own place.
I may keep him around, along with a couple of others which I've discovered, and try them for a fall crop. Well, you never know your luck?
I'm also wanting to have a go at growing some Rhubard. The problem is that it gets too hot for it here in Oklahomegrownvegland.
I had a bit of a walk round the garden this morning, checking out potential sites and I'm considering here........................

....beneath the large Conifer. This area, if cleared would get full sun for the earlier part of the day but be shaded when the temps really get up there later on. It also means I wont have to mow around them. The soil beneath the tree is quite rich and loamy. With the addition of some compost it could work.
So thats a project to get ready for the fall. I'll plan to purchase plants in the spring. Rhubarb takes 2 to 3 years to get established so I wont see any return on my effort for a while.
I've pulled around half of the Peaches from the young tree. It had far too many and I want it to divert it's energies into growing more limbs rather than straining to grow lots of undersized fruit.

The fruit I removed was small and hard and was consigned to the compost heap.
The companion plants are thriving....................

........Basil, Marigolds.............

.........and even more Basil.

And the Black Eyed Susans are in flower now too.
As is the Cilantro..............................

....which has been grown specificaly for it's Coriander Seeds
So, this is what it's all about. The hard work digging plots, saving scraps to make compost. Working out in the cold, in the rain, in the heat. Watching things grow and sometimes fail.
But now, at this time of the season, I kinda feel as if the garden is running itself and I'm just there to keep an eye on things. That rain soaked waterlogged bog I struggled in earlier is now a lean, green produce making machine.
I'm just here to keep the weeds down and the bugs at bay as best I can