Well we're
REALLY REALLY REALLY
close to having something to weigh in with this week. Ah the joys of being a Zone 5 gardener.....
The list of just not quite there yet is growing. I've got a handful of yellow crooked neck squash that need a few more days, same with my first crop of jalapenos. I was told the smaller they are the hotter they are so I'm going to give them a few extra days. We've had a few warm nights here too so I figure they might be pretty warm on the palate so I figure a few extra days won't hurt anything.
My cucumbers are blooming like nothing else. TONS of small yellow flowers on my straight eights and my pickling cukes as they creep along the garden. They look really good and Ill have a TON of cucumbers here soon. My pickling ones were the first to bloom and they've already got little cukes developing. I'm really excited about making pickles. I love a good crisp kosher dill pickle so yes I'm very excited about the volume of pickles I've got coming in.
My watermelons are blooming and are very happy. I planted Sugar Babies and for a while there I didn't think anything was really going to come of them. Here in Michigan its always hit or miss on whether or not we get a watermelon crop or not. Well they sprang to life these last couple weeks and this week I've got blooms. So hopefully we'll get a few watermelons. Everything I've read about the Sugar Baby watermelons are very positive so I just hope they come through for me. I knew planting them they might not develop but to me it was worth a try. I have high hopes they'll come through but if not I won't be surprised.
Now if only my cucumbers would talk to my pole beans. Talk about disappointment. I set up five teepees with Kentucky Pole Beans and figured Id have plenty of beans. Well we all know what happens when we assume.....I've got a few that are climbing but nothing really to speak off and its frustrating. The one thing I was really looking forward to was fresh green beans. My wife and I both love them. The best performing ones might be 3' off the ground. And that one or two vines too. Planted them a few days after Memorial Day weekend too. I figured Id be already picking them. Nope. Right now I'm less than thrilled with them. I planted them so Id actually get beans since the woodchucks tend to eat the blossoms off bush beans so they never produce beans, and I thought it would be nice to spread my crop out over the season and not just get a glut of beans and then be done. Next year I'm going to do both types bush and pole to cover all my bases.
On a better note I do have a bunch of tomatoes developing. I found one growing on my Lemon boys, and a found one so far on my Green Zebra and more on my Early Girls, and Better Boys. The Romas are doing well also. I haven't looked that hard either on my non-traditional tomatoes but both are blooming well and should produce.
My cherry tomato that's up by the house in a pot is just going bonkers. Its loaded in blossoms and when they all set fruit we're going to have A LOT of cherry tomatoes. If the Lemon Boy experiment goes well I'll plant a yellow cherry variety up here along with the Super sweet 100 that I've already got going to give us a little variety.
So other than my pole beans everything looks really good. The pole beans are the most insulting too because the teepees are just bare rods and you can't hep but realize something should be growing there.
I don't know if I'll make the next weigh in or not, we're going camping next week so I might miss a week. If that's the case I'll post it just might not be linked.
Your garden sounds a lot like mine this week. *Almost* there... I'm just hoping the deer don't find my tomatoes before they turn! My bean teepees are currently bare as well. What will probably happen is everything will come on all at once and I'll be up to my eyeballs in things to can. LOL
ReplyDeleteHave you tried starting watermelons indoors? They won't tolerate being potbound for long, but giving them a 3 or 4 week headstart can get you some early melons. Keep us posted on how those Sugar Babies turn out.
Well I don't feel so bad now knowing your south of me and still at the "almost there point", and I will admit I'm relieved to hear its not just my bean teepees that are bare. I thought it was just me.
ReplyDeleteMy watermelons were a few weeks old. I started them in peat pots and transplanted them. I started them the same time as my pumpkins and they were started a couple of weeks early. I've become a believer in the peat pots. Ill have to do a write up on those one of these days.
They didn't do anything when I first planted them, they just sat there that's why I didn't have a lot of hope in them doing anything. I think it was just too cool at night or the ground temp was too low or both. But with the warm weather that's moved in they've suddenly found a purpose and are looking fantastic.
I promise to keep you updated on them its my first year with them so we'll see.