Pics of my 2013 Gardening Season in NJ.

[kath]

You have a wonderful way of capturing the beauty of your gardens, Alfredo. It's a reminder to me to be more observant and not to be so focused on bugs, bad leaves, etc. when I'm in my own- thank you!

kath

[Alfredo]

Originally Posted by TNTiger

Such beautiful gardens! It looks so inviting and peaceful.

Sorry about your pine tree but I had to laugh because I tend to see every available spot as a new place to plant something! As some of my summer plants are nearing their end I am not as sad when I realize I can start a new plant in that spot!

Thanks TNTiger

You're right though, even when a plant/tree dies, there's an opportunity to grow something new in it's place.

~Alfredo

[Alfredo]

Originally Posted by kath

You have a wonderful way of capturing the beauty of your gardens, Alfredo. It's a reminder to me to be more observant and not to be so focused on bugs, bad leaves, etc. when I'm in my own- thank you!

kath

Thank you Kath for the very nice words.

All gardens are amazing places of wonder aren't they? I love the whole process of how things grow.

~Alfredo

[LDx4]

Originally Posted by Alfredo

Thanks riceke! SJOELLA does indeed have a nice garden...as many fellow tomatovillians on here do,... TomNJ and LDx4 come to my mind at the moment, both have REALLY beautiful gardens uuuf , they have different styles from each other but without a doubt some of my favorites that I've seen on here. You should check out their garden pics when you get a chance. Hey I'm sure your garden is beautiful too btw. I always felt that all gardens, no matter how big or small, organized or not, were a place of wonder and beauty. And they tend to improve with time (well unless the gardener/farmer moves elsewhere then the place is shot to h%$ with the next owner if they're not into horticulture )

There's a whole lot of outstanding looking gardens that I just haven't seen pics of yet on here, so many members ...it's great! Maybe I'll eat a worm too to join you...

~Alfredo

Alfredo -- thank you for the kind words! I somehow missed seeing that post before. You, sir, have a wonderful garden! So green and lush and peaceful. What a wonderful place to relax and enjoy nature. I especially like your photos of the tomatoes in the rain.

Originally Posted by Alfredo

I need to just really make some oil paintings of some of these tomato varieties. Some of them are utterly amazing in the way they grow.

I think your idea to paint the tomatoes is a great one - I took a look at your work on your website -- very impressive!! (My artistic skills are less than none )

Now I need to go eat a worm

Lyn

[Alfredo]

Thanks LDx4 (Lyn)!

Yeah I love the design of your garden/greenhouse style set-up...Really built well and just aesthetically pleasing to the eyes.

I'm always out in the garden in the rain to sow more seeds and take some pics, thankfully I haven't damaged my camera taking those photos in the rain.

And thanks for taking some time to check out my artwork on my site. Glad you enjoyed it. I seriously have to make a series of oil paintings of these tomato varieties. A homage to the heirlooms of the world or something...

Another worm eater?!

Just kidding.

~Alfredo

[Alfredo]

Some more photos for 2013:

IMG_1086.jpg Heirloom New Big Dwarf tomato.

IMG_1089.jpg San Marzano Redorta tomatoes.

IMG_1091.jpg KC-146 tomatoes.

IMG_1092.jpg Guatemalan Blue Banana Squash.

IMG_1093.jpg French Climbing Bean with Grandpa Ott's Morning Glory.

IMG_1096.jpg Zinnias.

IMG_1098.jpg "California Dreamin" Rose.

IMG_1099.jpg Wildflower garden area in the back, with vegetable plants in the foreground.

IMG_1100.jpg Wildflower garden area.

IMG_1102.jpg French Heirloom Jaune Flamme.

IMG_1103.jpg French Heirloom Jaune Flamme.

IMG_1104.jpg Morning Glories above a tree.

IMG_1109.jpg

IMG_1110.jpg

IMG_1111.jpg Heirloom Red Brandywine Landis Valley tomatoes.

IMG_1112.jpg Grandpa Ott's Morning Glories in the morning.

IMG_1116.jpg Heirloom Red Brandywine Landis Valley tomatoes.

IMG_1117.jpg

IMG_1118.jpg

IMG_1119.jpg Heirloom Red Brandywine Landis Valley tomatoes.

IMG_1122.jpg Rosita Eggplant.

IMG_1124.jpg

~Alfredo

[ginger2778]

I am really looking forward to your posts of garden pictures. Thanks for including us in your beautiful wonderland.

Marsha

[Alfredo]

Originally Posted by ginger2778

I am really looking forward to your posts of garden pictures. Thanks for including us in your beautiful wonderland.

Marsha

Thanks ginger2778 (Marsha)

~Alfredo

[Alfredo]

More pics...

IMG_1125.jpg Belle Blanche Datura.

IMG_1128.jpg Belle Blanche Datura.

IMG_1130.jpg

IMG_1131.jpg Danvers and Dragon Carrot top foliage.

IMG_1132.jpg Heirloom Grandpa Ott's Morning Glory.

IMG_1133.jpg Chocolate Mint flowering.

IMG_1134.jpg Red Brandywine Landis Valley tomatoes growing against my Old Rose Alba Maxima rose bush. Tomato plants love the support of rose bushes. And the thorns on the roses help keep critters away from ripening tomatoes.

IMG_1136.jpg Heirloom Grandpa Ott's Morning Glory.

IMG_1137.jpg Daily morning walk through the garden.

IMG_1138.jpg Heirloom Grandpa Ott's Morning Glory.

IMG_1139.jpg Canadian Heirloom Sophie's Choice still pumping out tomatoes.

IMG_1140.jpg Morning Glories in the window box with Chocolate Mint.

IMG_1141.jpg Sunrise Serenade Morning Glory.

IMG_1142.jpg Heirloom Grandpa Ott's Morning Glory left free to trail up one of the Moreton F1 Hybrid tomato plants in the wildflower garden area. Does double duty for me by not only being an ornamental flower to attract more pollinators, but also as a vine that will help tie up the tomato around the stake.

IMG_1143.jpg Heirloom Grandpa Ott's Morning Glory growing with the Moreton F1 Hybrid tomatoes.

IMG_1144.jpg Elephant's Ear plants.

IMG_1147.jpg "California Dreamin" Rose.

IMG_1145.jpg View through the window of the wildflower garden.

IMG_1148.jpg Butterfly Bush.

IMG_1149.jpg Dwarf Sweet Sue tomato, she's a beauty.

IMG_1150.jpg French Heirloom Jaune Flamme tomatoes.

IMG_1151.jpg Yucca Plant.

IMG_1152.jpg "California Dreamin" Rose.

IMG_1153.jpg Red Brandywine Landis Valley tomatoes.

IMG_1154.jpg Rosita Eggplant.

IMG_1157.jpg "California Dreamin" Rose.

IMG_1158.jpg

IMG_1159.jpg

IMG_1160.jpg Saving some tomato seeds.

IMG_1161.jpg Making some garden tea.

~Alfredo

[RayR]

Nice pics Alfredo, What has been your experience with Rosita Eggplant as far as productivity and taste? I'm growing Rosa Bianca and Applegreen myself and am looking for a new variety to add next season.

[Alfredo]

Originally Posted by RayR

Nice pics Alfredo, What has been your experience with Rosita Eggplant as far as productivity and taste? I'm growing Rosa Bianca and Applegreen myself and am looking for a new variety to add next season.

Thanks RayR,

Can't give you feedback yet on the Rosita Eggplant as i'm waiting for some fruit to get to size, in a week or two i should have an idea of how it tastes. It's a big plant though, I have several that are 4 ft in height. Seems to be a bigger plant than the standard Black Beauty Eggplant, which I've grown well several times, so looks like it'll produce bigger fruit, and hopefully be just as productive as Black Beauty has been for me. I'll be sure to get back to you though on how productive it is/and it's flavor.

~Alfredo

[Alfredo]

More photos of the garden for 2013:

IMG_1170.jpg Butterfly hanging out in the garden.

IMG_1189.jpg Kosovo tomato.

IMG_1190.jpg One of the Rosita Eggplants I have growing.

IMG_1192.jpg Golden Pothos.

IMG_1193.jpg French Heirloom Jaune Flamme.

IMG_1194.jpg Female Guatemalan Blue Banana Squash flower pollinated.

IMG_1195.jpg Female Guatemalan Blue Banana Squash flower pollinated.

IMG_1196.jpg Orange and Red Habaneros growing.

IMG_1197.jpg A homemade personal pizza made with fresh tomatoes, Olive oil, muenster cheese, salt, pepper and fresh Basil.

IMG_1198.jpg Some cut flowers from the garden.

IMG_1199.jpg

IMG_1201.jpg Kosovo tomato.

IMG_1202.jpg Kosovo tomato.

IMG_1203.jpg Kosovo tomato.

IMG_1204.jpg

IMG_1205.jpg

IMG_1206.jpg

IMG_1207.jpg Early Wonder Beet.

IMG_1208.jpg Early Wonder Beet.

IMG_1209.jpg Heirloom Black Krim tomatoes.

IMG_1210.jpg And my surprise gift from my garden to me this season. The unknown tomato seedling that came up by itself is none other than the Italian Heirloom Costoluto Fiorentino.

IMG_1211.jpg More Costoluto Fiorentino tomatoes.

IMG_1213.jpg San Marzano Redorta Tomatoes.

~Alfredo

[NarnianGarden]

Wow, there really is a plant named Elephant's Ear? That's how I have been calling kale - the seedlings I gave to my mom have grown huge and really do resemble ears of a Loxodonta Africana!

[efisakov]

Originally Posted by Alfredo

Butterfly hanging out in the garden.

~Alfredo

If I were you, I would not be so happy and inviting to these creatures. They (caterpillars) eat not only leaves but stems and tomatoes as well. I had one plant eaten with only about 10 inches from the ground remained last year. Now I am vigilant.

[Alfredo]

Originally Posted by NarnianGarden

Wow, there really is a plant named Elephant's Ear? That's how I have been calling kale - the seedlings I gave to my mom have grown huge and really do resemble ears of a Loxodonta Africana!

Yeah that's the name most nurseries put the Alocasia Odora bulbs under.

What I like about them is that they grow smaller plants off of their main bulbs after some time growing them. I divided/cut off 2 smaller Elephant Ear plants off of the first original plant I had earlier this spring and repotted them in their own containers.

In fall, I don't cut the foliage back to store the bulbs (which is an option), I instead bring the whole plant indoors as a houseplant to go dormant during fall/winter. Then in spring I slowly acclimate it to the warmer temperatures of spring and it resumes growing.

Oh I love Kale, I usually grow it in fall to overwinter, and it resumes growing in early spring. Which variety of Kale is the one you grow?

~Alfredo