July 19. 2008

Okay, so I hadn't been to the garden in a few days...3 to be exact...and when I arrived today I was amazed to find the squash that was the size of my ring finger a few days ago was now the size of a childs forearm. Hot damn!

Did a bit of harvesting while there today. Came home with what is basically a buttload of yummy carrots, beets (3 varieties) and squash. Here is the pic including dirt imported to my back yard from Plot #68.

And here is a pic sans said dirt:

I am feeling so healthy its startin' to make me kinda sick.

--It's Fosco, Dammit!

Still July 11, 2008

OK, so here are the tomatoes. I really don't know if I'm doing it right, but the plants seem to believe in my efforts. The first two pictures are the corner marker of Plot #48 on the day of planting, followed by a pic of the same marker today.

The next two pictures are views of the plot both on planting day, May 25, and today. The nine plants closest are Romas. As I understand it, cages are not required for Romas as they are bred so as not to need them. Most of these tomatoes should ripen together and will be used for sauce which will be canned, doing away with the need for that nasty Ragu during the winter. The six plants at the back (the tall ones) are three cherry and three yellow pear. Both of these are small salad type tomatoes and will be munched on freely.

And yes, they have tomatoes. Now if I can get them ripe before the rain sets in for winter.

--It's Fosco, Dammit!

July 11, 2008

Starting to feel like a successful gardener. Growth has occured where growth is desired, and I've been able to keep the plot relatively weed free with just a few minutes of easy hoeing every other day or so. The radishes are, of course, all gone and lettuce has been planted in their place. Most of the spinach as been eaten, but one or two plants remain. The peas are dying, but a few of the English are being produced. I planted them all too late. Turns out peas are a cool weather veggie. Live and learn.


Anyway, here is the lettuce. Red and green leaf in one row and Bibb in the other. Coming along nicely, I think.


The beets are also produceing nicely. I have one row of Cioggia, which are red and white striped on the inside, and one row of an heirloom yellow.


And look at this! Real honest to God yellow squash. This one is about the size of my ring finger, and growing visibly each day. Many more are coming right behind on these two plants. Four more plants have sprouted recently on another hill and are growing quite quickly.

You should see my tomatoes! Stay tuned.

--It's Fosco, Dammit!

June 21, 2008

Today we had the stringing party for the bean rows down at the lovely Sumner Community Gardens. As you can see, the beans are planted at the base of small trenches along which Don has run lengths of PVC pipe which he has drilled with a 7/8 inch hole every 8 inches or so. Don says this is so we "Water the beans and not the weeds."

Sometime during the past week Don (The Man) has finished running the wires from the concrete posts at one end of the rows to the posts at the other end. The job of the 6 people helpful enough to show up this morning was to finish running the twine up and down from the bottom wire to the top wire and back down again, over and over and over and over and over until the bean plants have plenty of surface to cling to as they climb toward the sun and produce all those wonderful green beans for us to eat. Whenthe rows are strung it should look something like this:

Oh, hey, it does look something like that. Good for us.

Over in Plot #48, also known as Tomato Land things are looking up. The 'mater are growing,

and blossoms are blooming. Soon we should see some tomatoes.

--It's Fosco, Dammit!