It’s been too long since I’ve posted, and for that I apologize. Sometimes life gets in the way  of the all important blog posting. Perspective is important I think.  Anyway, the heat continues here but is supposed to break late tonight with some powerful thunderstorms. I hope the forecast is correct!

This post will help me track what’s happening when I go back a year or more from now. Hard to believe we’re probably only 45 days away from frost. The season seems to go fast!

The Roma tomatoes are about done while the tiny Sweet 100’s are still producing but for every perfect one, there must be ten that are split. That’s a little disappointing.

Green beans have been a split success this year. The bush beans produced some but not as much as I had hoped. The pole beans are Romano – a wide flat beans that produces large pods up to 8 inches long. This one is not full grown but it shows the typical shape.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unfortunately  they have contracted mosaic virus which discolors the leaves as shown below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

While my research indicates it can impact production, I’m not so sure it has impacted the crop in my garden. Last week I picked over 10 lbs of beans in just three days. Every time I look there are more.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saturday I blanched and froze 3 lbs and pickled 7 pints. With just the Accountant (she’s no longer the Student… she passed her CPA!) and myself we’re probably getting close to bean overload, but then they go so well in soups and as a side dish… I might be in the market for a freezer at some point!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eggplants keep producing, here’s two of the six in the eggplant patch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The most vigorous summer crop right now are the chillies – or peppers.  The Fatalii’s are ready for another harvest.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One thing I learned this year is not to trust the labels on plant starts. The Fataliis above were mislabeled as Habanero, but that is OK as these are fiery and tasty at the same time. Other peppers includes these birds eye or Capsicum baccatum. Don’t let the small size fool you! They are hot!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These chillies were labled as tabasco but I think not. They are pretty and should provide enough dried chillis for all the stir-frys and Thai curries I could desire for the next year! With their color and upright habitat they remind me of Christmas ornaments.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are other chillis but they are not ready yet, I expect a large harvest as we head into autumn. There are also the sweet bells that are doing well,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I foresee several pounds of these as well.

The Squashes are  almost done, I’m waiting for this big one to be ready to harvest. It’s more than a foot long!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The last shot is the fall broccoli and cabbage that went in back at August 1st or so. Hopefully we get something useable.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I didn’t include any pictures of the carrots, potatoes, chard, spinach or Brussels sprouts in this picture heavy  post, but they are all doing well. I’m closing in on last year’s total.  I’m not sure what  the final tally will be but I expect to be in about the 250lb mark for  the year.

To date I’ve frozen 4.5 lbs of green beans and canned the equivalent of 86 pints of produce, not to mention a bunch of winter squash.

How is your garden doing now that the days are growing shorter?

Until next time, Keep Digging and Eat Well!