Sunday, August 12, 2018

Our Vegetable garden 2018

   
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Crazy Weather here in Chicagoland and all over the country---but finally our Midwest vegetable garden exploded this last week. We had a late cold spring...and it was a struggle weather-wise getting the garden planted by June 15th. A MONTH late.

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Yes, it is huge tender zucchini. We had a bit of rain last week (almost 3") and they have exploded.
Our peppers aren't ready yet, so I had to buy for my stewing tomatoes. 

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We have a well, and have the luxury of watering our garden. Disappoint this year is cucumbers...one picking and the vines are withering.


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The holding pattern. San Marzano tomatoes are plentiful but literally falling off the vines. Probably the excessive heat we have experienced. We pick everyday and sun ripen in the windows. 


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They are a nice size, a cousin of Romas' they are sweet and meaty. I figure these are rescued from the critters. Despite fencing the garden we have critters-who love our tomatoes as much as we do. 


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Christmas pig is in hog heaven. Amana (yellows) are small this year, but prolific, and great canners. I'll try and can some of these whole.

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One or two days in the window and they look like this.


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A new picking Saturday, sorted and cleaned to ripen further in the windows.



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These are new this year---Yellow Boys. OH, num. can't wait to make something with these. 

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Asian eggplants. We have six plants and they are nuts...with long fruit. We've already had 3 meals with them. I'm going to do some herby Eggplant Lasagna with the Yellow Boy tomatoes with maybe only two layers of noodles. I'll freeze this. Hopefully I can do this early next week. and share the recipe.


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I also grow my own herbs...cilantro, parsley oregano and basil are shown here. We have sage, Thai basil, peppermint, marjoram which is huge. We also have a huge crop of Swiss Chard greens that I will blanch and freeze in bags this week .
Last Friday we canned Zucchini in Stewed Tomatoes. See that in my next post.

How's your garden doing?  


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9 comments:

  1. You have a nice selection of tomatoes. It's been dry here in Eastern Quebec. My tomatoes aren't ready yet. I will try freeing them like you do. Thanks for sharing.

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  2. Weather has been trying this year, with such a late spring and then record rainfalls in June...no rain in july---Your photos are gorgeous of Gaspe--I have to follow you as we have never been up that way---but it is on my 'bucket list!' Thanks for visiting.

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  3. Am in Indianapolis, so my weather has been same/similar to yours. Since the time to plant was so delayed this year, I cut back and planted only heirloom tomatoes, 3 kinds of peppers and 6 herbs. My Roma tomatoes are doing great and are so good and sweet they taste like beefsteaks. I have to pick before the regular tomatoes ripen due to splitting at the top but they have ripened on my sunny countertop quite well. My herbs are quite poorly this year, due to community cats sleeping in their cool, watered dampness in the hot, hot weather. However, they must not like the smell of rosemary on their fur since they have allowed that to grow perfectly. The garden that was so neat and tidy early on is now looking tired and bedraggled. To every thing there is a season.....

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    1. Yes Pat, so much is dried up---we've been lucky. We didnt' do heirlooms this year, since we had a blight a couple of years ago, and they just aren't very resistant. Excellent tasting though. We start our plants from seed. I laughed at your cat issue---I guess the secret would be to plant a rosemary between everything else. My Marjoram is nuts this year, and sage is almost dead. I dead headed last night---and watered everything. Potted tomatoes are dying. In the ground is still hanging on. Thanks for comparing. It does help to know others have issues, too.

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  4. My tomatoes were a bust this year and seeing yours I am inspired to try again. What a harvest! I think you'll be very busy indeed managing all that!

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    1. Aw, sorry. We had a pretty bad year last year...roots never developed because of the wet wet early in the season, so they just toppled over or inside the cages...Yea, I have to do some more tomorrow...yikes, but I do throw them in the freezer...and wait until I have a whole days worth of work.

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  5. What a wonderful harvest! Thanks for sharing at Vintage Charm!

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    1. Thanks, it's pooping out though...plants are simply burned up!

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  6. wow, what a bountiful harvest! Ours had a slow start, but is just now starting to take off. Thanks for sharing with SYC.
    hugs,
    Jann

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Thank you for any and all comments. I will be happy to answer any questions or comments in replies or email! HUGS!