July Garden Update

We've been picking our first tomatoes, tiny blueberry size Mexico Midget although the above photo makes them look GIANT! This vine is hidden behind the fence, just inside the garden gate, where I have hopes it will climb to the top of the arbour. It's very vigorous this little wild like tomato with ferny leaves and a mind of it's own. We have also tried Chiapis Wild but so far, no fruit from that. The other tomato plants are doing marvellously as our weather has been prime for them...hot..hot ...hot. Every year I say I am cutting back on the number of T plants we grow but this year, I had an idea to put a few in the compost green bin (which grew such great pumpkins last year when I discarded them in the pile). And yes, the three plants in there have taken off...they are the Chiapis.... sprawlers.

This year, I also potted up two deep containers with tomato transplants, trellised on those wire squiggly things and kept them in the summerhouse. Moved outside about a week ago, they continue to grow well (and a fair bit ahead of those transplanted out much earlier). There's one pot on either side of the summerhouse window containing Cour di Bue and Black Plum. There might be others in there, with lola tags (lost label).

At the back of the garden, we are trellising tomatoes again this year. I tie jute to the lattice, top to bottom and wrap around the stems as they grow. Some of the garlic are back there as well; those tall scapes left for a sculptural focal point are my chin height.

Regarding the garlic, last year, when I pulled mine out, the cloves were sort of separating;and I thought the reason was, I had not dug them out but yanked them out ;-) in my excitement. But today at the Hubbards Market, a farmer from Windsor had garlic for sale. I commented on how beautiful they were and I didn't expect them to be available so soon. She went on to say, they are ready now because they found last year, they left them too long and the cloves started to separate. A light bulb moment. So I came home and dug up a few....perfect! So think mine are getting dug up tomorrow, those that have the lower leaves yellow for sure. These are two big'uns dug out to test, today.

And do you see to the left, that little shrub bean plant...unknown seed, obtained from dried beans my neighbour had left growing in his garden. Well, they happen to be the first beans we are going to eat..tonight with supper (excepting for the fava which are a totally different kind of bean in my mind))). Thanks Q.

Q's French Filet beans growing well

I'll try to blog more often now that things are really starting to produce. There's the baby round zucchini I need to tell you about....