Explodey

[ksmith]

Thanks to the rain and the heat, the garden has gone nuts.

The first squash were nonstarters--one started to rot because it was right on the ground. I think I picked the other one too soon. I tried to eat it, but it was pretty tasteless.



But, I did harvest the first kohlrabi today. You're supposed to pick them when the bulb is 2-3 inches across, and this one looked about 2 1/2. Not sure if I will eat it raw or cook it. You can apparently eat the greens too.



And here's the rest of the raised bed. Everything is budding. Even the garlic seem to be growing. I have my doubts about the cantaloupe, which is only a couple of inches high and in a permanent state of raggedy leaves. But it perked up when the heat ramped up, so maybe it will grow better now.

Comments

[barbarienne.livejournal.com]

Good to know that heat and humidity are good for something!

There's a lot I pass on my commute that was a giant building they tore down and filled in the foundations and covered over. Then they put grass seed over it. The whole thing went green overnight with all the rain and warm weather.

People ask me why I want a house with all the maintenance issues that entails, when I could get a really nice condo instead. I simply answer, "Condos won't let me grow things in their garden."

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

I compared today's photos to those taken the end of May. Amazing what three weeks, monsoon rains, and a wodge of heat can do.

I would say that if you had a condo with a balcony or patio, you could container-garden, which isn't quite the same but gives some of the same results. I will say that my touchy Black Crim didn't seem to like the upside-down planter I consigned them to last summer, but heirloom varieties can be touchy. Of the four plants, two failed to thrive, and the ones that grew OMG only produced a couple of tomatoes each. This year's plants are budding even though they're only 1/2 to 1/3 the size of those monsters.

But having the room of the raised bed is nice.

[barbarienne.livejournal.com]

Well, it's more than just a vegetable garden. I want a rose garden and an iris garden, too! And an esplanaded Honey Crisp apple tree. And morning glorys growing all over a fence. And if I have the room, I'll grow other other fruit trees.