2012 PNW gardens progress

[Tania]

DoubleJ, I think everything may be just fine - if this weather holds up for a while, we'll all be tomato happy, perhaps a bit later than usual, but there is a very good chance! Worst case, you'll get cherries and Black Sea Man to ripen, but I think it'll be better than that.

Sun came out in the afternoon, and it was nice and warm (almost hot) again.

I've discovered several baby fruits on my KBX plants, and this means I have a good chance to get a ripe KBX this summer, yay!!!

Matina and Al-Kuffa fruits are almost ready to pick, I can't wait

Last year I had most of my tomatoes dead by this time. I am so happy to have healthy plants now.

[Jeannine Anne]

I have a few tomatoes well coloured now. Tania one is a Queen of Hearts so keep your fingers crossed. We ate our first red tomato on Wednesday, so things are looking up. but boy are the weeds growing.

XX Jeannine

[Tania]

Jeannine, this is great! Was the one you ate a Queen of Hearts?

Just looked at the forecast (which they changed again!), and it shows quite a bit of rain starting today with some thundershowers, with 10 mm on Wednesday. I hope not...as P.O.P is low, perhaps it will not happen... It is funny how I am getting to be afraid of any rains when my tomato plants are in the garden!

[plainolebill]

A couple of pictures of the tomato plants in our 'best' bed (most heat and sun).
One close to ripe Jet Star buried under the back. You can see that I neglected to prune/pich the vines back.

[Tania]

Absolutely gorgeous looking plants! Nice basil too.

Most of you guys seem to be ahead of me!

I picked a basket of cucumbers today, and lots of broccoli, but left the tomatoes to ripen on the vine for another day or too.

It was quite cool today, 16C, not a very pleasant day. Lots of mosquitoes too.

[janezee]

Well, I've been in the garden all afternoon, and lots of my leaves have holes in them from the hail/rain storms, but no major damage was done, and I'm so relieved.
I couldn't go out there for two days because of the storms, and they didn't really stop before I had to go to Seattle yesterday.

It was wonderful to see how sturdy they are! All the pots of tomatoes that were under the low tunnel have done so well this past week that I took all of them out and replaced them with the ones that I potted up today.

In six weeks, all of them have grown thick stems and have flowers or buds. If all goes well this week, they will have trellises to climb, or Florida weave holding them up. I'm finally very optimistic about getting some fruit this summer.

The weather is certainly not cooperating. My high temp today was 61º! Low was 55. And it's predicted to stay under 70 all week! Looks like the coastal PNW is getting clouds/rain, too. I figure all my tomatoes are going to have to be under cover of some kind for the rest of the summer. I don't know how I can accomplish that, but I'm working on it. Wish I had started as soon as you, Tania.

Plainolebill, you're putting the rest of us to shame! Those are some beautiful plants.

j

[Tania]

Jane, I do hope we'll get ripe tomatoes this year. Looks like your weather is very similar to mine. I wish it was warmer... I was wearing a wool pullover when I went to pick cucumbers this afternoon. Sun never came out today.

[plainolebill]

We're doing well with the tomatoes but we cheat with some of them and buy them in 8" pots then haul them in and out of the house while the weather is still cool - a little light and fresh air during the day then back in shelter during the night.

I don't expect any cucumbers other than a couple of lemons for a few weeks, we got them in late and plant middle eastern cukes which run late anyhow. Almost time to put another planting of them in. We're dehydrating a bunch of blueberries right now, we have a very good crop this year compared to last.

It's just warmer here in the summer than Washington or BC and that's the primary reason I moved here 23 years ago after retiring from the Coast Guard. The winters are about the same or maybe worse than the Puget Sound area.

Anyhow, I'm hoping all you hardworking gardeners get better weather soon.

[janezee]

Whoa! My blueberries are just little white nubbins!

I love this weather for my health, but it really is trying as a tomato grower, and don't even get me started about the peppers!

Smart move if you want to grow. It sounds like a much friendlier spot to garden.

j

[Tania]

Some pictures from today and yesterday:

1. Tanja cucumbers
2. Japanese Long
3-4. Cosmic Purple carrot
5. Peacevine cherry
6. Matina

[janezee]

Tania, I know what you mean. I went out in my fleece, but had to change into shorts after a while because there was no wind, and 95% humidity, so working was wet work. Gee, how I love a hot shower after a day like today!

My cukes are a ways from bearing, but they're getting bigger every day. This year had really taught me a lot about earlier planting and getting things out under cover. Next year!!!!!

j

[janezee]

Oooooh, they look so good! Do you make pickles? Or do you really love cucumbers?

j

[Tania]

We really love cucumbers. 8 of those were consumes immediately after I photographed them

Here is another Poona Kheera, a beauty!

[dice]

but boy are the weeds growing

I hear that. I was standing looking at a bed with clover and alfalfa
in the paths today. The tomatoes looked no larger than yesterday,
but the clover and alfalfa looked like they had grown a couple of
inches in the same time.

It turns around a bit when it is up in the 80s F, the tomato plants tend
to keep up.

[plainolebill]

I love cukes, especially with tomatoes, onions, vinegar and oil.

Our weeds grow pretty fast around here too, not only the wild ones, but my wife likes borage for the bees - that stuff will reseed itself in a New York second. It's everywhere - mission accomplished - bees happy.