Monday, July 1, 2013

Week Four - Garden Shot Saturday (I really should rename it GSM!)

I know here in the Northeastern part of the country, this early summer has been one of the wettest on record. My garden shows it, for sure. The peas did not survive, the corn never came up. The cucumbers I planted didn't emerge, but plenty of compost cukes did. Just under half of the beans got eaten. Some things remain though.


Row of Radish

The radishes remain strong. I've thinned some out and have managed to harvest a mixed handful. I love planting a seed variety for this reason, especially in smaller gardens, it seems to work well.


Dill

The dill also continues to grow. Hopefully it will thrive along with its cucumber friends so that it can be made into some yummy dill pickles come fall!


Eggplant?

The eggplant continues to blossom. Given its proximity to the bees, I hope they're pollinating them well!


Cherry Tomato

The cherry and paste tomatoes that didn't get chewed off are starting to produce. If only I could get on the garden to weed them out a little!


Pepper Baby

There are some more baby peppers. They seem to have become accustomed to the high amounts of rain, and after initially looking like they wouldn't make it have bounded back.


Beans

Some beans are thriving despite being chewed on a little. The black beans are doing the best of all. I think next year, there may be a garden fence instituted. There also may be a greenhouse come late summer/fall.


Cucumber Invasion

The cucumbers continue to be the winners this year. Tendrils have emerged and they are beginning to climb all over their friends and neighbors, carefully avoiding the trellis I gave them!


Apple Trio

Apples are another thing thriving in this weather. There has been almost *no* June drop. I've gone out and shaken a few branches, but got less than a dozen apples to drop off - everything is developing. I have some branches that are so heavy they are almost on the ground!


Cherry Hurrah

Despite all the rain, cherries had a bumper year. We got a total of 8QTS off the tree, in a span of a week and I was able to put a lot up. This year I tried something new.


Homemade Marashino Cherries

Yes, those are homemade marashino cherries. I cannot wait until later this summer to open them! I also made some chocolate cherry preserves and a QT and a PT of pie filling, so I'll have cherries throughout the winter!


Mulberries Ripen

The mulberries continue to ripen. Aside from grabbing some when I walk by, there really won't be a ton to eat this year. The birds will take care of them, but more will come as the tree grows.


Looking like Wine

The wild grapes are really starting to look like grapes at this point. They'll have all summer to fill out some more, too. I am curious to see what kind they'll end up being.


Bigger....bigger

The blackberries also are tolerating this rain rather nicely. For blackberries, it can rain up until they start to turn, then only little bits with lots of sun, please and thank you.