Thursday, July 08, 2010

Dispatches from the vegetable garden

I wanted to record some progress in the vegetable garden just in case we have a bad storm and it gets destroyed. It's unlikely, but you never know. If a hail storm develops over us we could lose the plants. And it would be a pity, because this year's garden looks very promising.

The first roma tomatoes. Get ready for sauce!

We did have a big thunderstorm last week and I thought the garden might have taken a lot of damage. Many of the plants were on their sides after the wind and heavy rain. But with only one exception, they all came back and look great. The tomatoes and squash are covered in blossoms and there is already some fruit. The peppers are getting their blossoms now; the eggplants have a little more growing to do.

A new zucchini blossom just opened up.

The second crop of radishes is coming along nicely, and the corn gets a little taller every day. If we're lucky and the weather cooperates, as it has so far this season, we'll be in for a great harvest.

Nasturtium volunteers under the towering zucchini plants.

In cat news, just after midnight last night I heard some rather frantic meows outside the window. I remembered that Bertie had not come home at bedtime; he was out and about. The meows grew more intense, almost like howls, and I realized there was more than one cat out there. Then bam! Cat fight. I threw on a pair of shorts and sneakers, grabbed a flashlight, and headed out. There they were, Bertie and one of the other neighborhood cats face to face in pouncing positions, almost growling at each other. Then they pounced and I watched the roiling ball of caterwauling cats roll a few feet across the grass.

Red- and yellow-stemmed Swiss chard (and a few weeds).

I got them separated and the neighbor cat ran. Bertie wandered around a little and finally came toward me. I scooped him up and took him inside to his bed. This morning I went outside and noticed twenty or so tufts of gray and white fur where the cats rumbled the night before. No black fur. I hope that other kitty is ok...

11 comments:

  1. I hate cat fights. I hope Bertie got the best of his foe and the foe won't try again.

    My zukes don't look good at all compared to yours. I do have some good tomatoes though. It's fun to watch a garden grow this time of year.

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  2. Well your garden looks great. I've never tried growing Roma tomatoes. How are you controllig pests - or is that an issue at all?

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  3. Jeepers! You have all kinds of animal things disturbing you at night this summer!

    The garden looks LUSH! Chapeau bas!

    Judy

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  4. Walt - we bought "French breakfast radish" seeds to plant in our garden this fall. I hope they are as good as yours.

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  5. Roma tomatoes! In Australia they were so popular. I used to bake them with a sprinkling of brown sugar on the top. Unfortunately I can't seem to find them in the UK.

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  6. That zucchini flower is beautiful. That'll teach the neighborhood cat to invade Bertie's territory.

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  7. Gorgeous garden Walt.
    You are right, it is warming up. I am checking out your gage and it is 84 degrees at 10.30 pm.

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  8. I love these posts - I miss gardening and I get to see yours.

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  9. I love these posts - I miss gardening and I get to see yours.

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  10. vtt, it's a good year.

    evelyn, Bertie was in at a reasonable hour last night. I hope you're right!

    diogenes, no major pests to report so far this year. I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

    judy, country life, eh?

    lynn, cool! Good luck!

    scottsabode, I think they like the warmer climes...

    starman, I was amazed at how much fur was on the ground!

    nadege, we're having a warm spell, that's for sure!

    michael, you should come and taste at harvest time!

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