"Oh, no. My brains."
Date: Monday, September 2, 2013
If one were to plot the point of my garden's life on a stress-strain curve, it would be right about here:
The garden is dying; I've ripped out many of the plants already and whatever is left is slowing down production. It was a good run, with issues I need to correct for next year, but with a lot of successes as well. In the time between the last post showing the garden and now I've been basically doing the same thing: watering during the week then picking everything on the weekend. My weekly harvests have been pretty bountiful, reaching its apex two or three weeks ago.
First week after the 7/13 harvest. I have some red onions that managed to bulb after growing for a year.
The garden looked like this at this point. So full of life and potential.
Second week. Bean and tomato production at maximum.
Boiled soybeans are a common Japanese snack. Edamame desu.
Third week. The usual plus kidney beans.
One of the michihlis that grew, but was more like a weed since I didn't plant the seed myself. These plants seem to do quite well any time of year.
Fourth week. This includes the tomatoes on the far left. Good thing I had a helper that day.
So what I thought was something called New Melon turned out to be a orange honeydew plant... I think. Actually, since I have no idea what New Melon is like, there is a chance that this is New Melon. The background behind this confusion is that I planted the honeydew first, then changed my mind, dug out the seeds, and planted New Melon. I guess the only way to know for sure is to plant it again next year.
I realized I never mentioned these pineapple plants ever again after first chronicling their rooting process. I have 5 plants now, all doing well and thriving. Ironically, the first plant I rooted is now the smallest. None have given me fruit yet and I'm waiting to see when that will be.
I managed to get a single dragonfruit flower this year. Unfortunately, you need at least two to pollinate each other, so although the fruit is still sitting there, I doubt it will form into anything eatable. Sigh, so close.
So this is what Italian squash, aka cucuzza, looks like. Everything about this plant was a complete mystery to me, including how I wound up with the seeds in the first place. Shown here is an old squash about four feet long and most likely inedible. I haven't gotten rid of it because I am going to harvest its seeds.
Fifth week. Some stuff is starting to slow down and some plants are already dying. That doesn't stop the tomatoes though.
Sixth week. Much less, but I got my corn which turned out to suck. Also at this point my melon plants were dying prematurely so I decided to pull a melon to see if it was close to ripe. It wasn't.
Seventh week. The usual. I have been getting less Sunsugar tomatoes because they were being picked throughout the week.
At this point my melon plants were dead, with a ton of melons still sitting on the vine. None of these melons were ready, but I decided to try them out just in case.
The melons were very close to being done. In fact, the texture and look of the insides were perfect, but it lacked any kind of sweetness. My melon plants were attacked by a fungus called powdery mildew, a white spore that attaches to and covers the leaves. I also suspect I overwatered them. Both these stresses were too much for the plant, and it died before its time. Hopefully I know better next time.
At least this turned out okay. I give you the Mellow Gold watermelon. Honestly, it tastes like a typical watermelon, though I'm sure that if I had a store-bought red watermelon to compare I would find some differences.
Finally, we catch up to the current week. The honeydew plant died, with a few honeydews still attached. I think this also had to do with overwatering. While not fully ripe, they still might be edible.
A 1lb 4oz San Marzano tomato on top a 23 lb mystery watermelon. I had thought the only two watermelon varieties I planted were Mellow Gold and Orange Tendersweet, but this watermelon has the characteristics of a Densuke watermelon, a Japanese variety I planted last year. I think that the Densuke plant got cross pollinated with the Orange Tendersweet from last year and carried over in the seeds. The watermelon was disappointing, this time because I picked it perhaps two weeks too soon. This will teach me to wait on the other watermelons still sitting on the vine. Live and learn, then learn some more.
The garden as it looks today. Many of the plants have been removed, having died or stopped producing. It truly is the end.... except for the tomatoes. There's not much more to be said about this season. Overall I think it did well and has given me more than enough for myself and family. I'll try to use the lessons from this year to make next year even better. And somehow, I'll figure out the process to grow melons well and to get my dragonfruit to flower. We shall see.
First week after the 7/13 harvest. I have some red onions that managed to bulb after growing for a year.
The garden looked like this at this point. So full of life and potential.
Second week. Bean and tomato production at maximum.
Boiled soybeans are a common Japanese snack. Edamame desu.
Third week. The usual plus kidney beans.
One of the michihlis that grew, but was more like a weed since I didn't plant the seed myself. These plants seem to do quite well any time of year.
Fourth week. This includes the tomatoes on the far left. Good thing I had a helper that day.
So what I thought was something called New Melon turned out to be a orange honeydew plant... I think. Actually, since I have no idea what New Melon is like, there is a chance that this is New Melon. The background behind this confusion is that I planted the honeydew first, then changed my mind, dug out the seeds, and planted New Melon. I guess the only way to know for sure is to plant it again next year.
I realized I never mentioned these pineapple plants ever again after first chronicling their rooting process. I have 5 plants now, all doing well and thriving. Ironically, the first plant I rooted is now the smallest. None have given me fruit yet and I'm waiting to see when that will be.
I managed to get a single dragonfruit flower this year. Unfortunately, you need at least two to pollinate each other, so although the fruit is still sitting there, I doubt it will form into anything eatable. Sigh, so close.
So this is what Italian squash, aka cucuzza, looks like. Everything about this plant was a complete mystery to me, including how I wound up with the seeds in the first place. Shown here is an old squash about four feet long and most likely inedible. I haven't gotten rid of it because I am going to harvest its seeds.
Fifth week. Some stuff is starting to slow down and some plants are already dying. That doesn't stop the tomatoes though.
Sixth week. Much less, but I got my corn which turned out to suck. Also at this point my melon plants were dying prematurely so I decided to pull a melon to see if it was close to ripe. It wasn't.
Seventh week. The usual. I have been getting less Sunsugar tomatoes because they were being picked throughout the week.
At this point my melon plants were dead, with a ton of melons still sitting on the vine. None of these melons were ready, but I decided to try them out just in case.
The melons were very close to being done. In fact, the texture and look of the insides were perfect, but it lacked any kind of sweetness. My melon plants were attacked by a fungus called powdery mildew, a white spore that attaches to and covers the leaves. I also suspect I overwatered them. Both these stresses were too much for the plant, and it died before its time. Hopefully I know better next time.
At least this turned out okay. I give you the Mellow Gold watermelon. Honestly, it tastes like a typical watermelon, though I'm sure that if I had a store-bought red watermelon to compare I would find some differences.
Finally, we catch up to the current week. The honeydew plant died, with a few honeydews still attached. I think this also had to do with overwatering. While not fully ripe, they still might be edible.
A 1lb 4oz San Marzano tomato on top a 23 lb mystery watermelon. I had thought the only two watermelon varieties I planted were Mellow Gold and Orange Tendersweet, but this watermelon has the characteristics of a Densuke watermelon, a Japanese variety I planted last year. I think that the Densuke plant got cross pollinated with the Orange Tendersweet from last year and carried over in the seeds. The watermelon was disappointing, this time because I picked it perhaps two weeks too soon. This will teach me to wait on the other watermelons still sitting on the vine. Live and learn, then learn some more.
The garden as it looks today. Many of the plants have been removed, having died or stopped producing. It truly is the end.... except for the tomatoes. There's not much more to be said about this season. Overall I think it did well and has given me more than enough for myself and family. I'll try to use the lessons from this year to make next year even better. And somehow, I'll figure out the process to grow melons well and to get my dragonfruit to flower. We shall see.
Date: Tuesday, July 23, 2013
Oh, woe is me I would choose to suffer
The joy of weaning life in Summer
In Fall, in Winter, and in Spring
While watched by many beady eyes
The insects that eat everything
How beautiful the smell of earth
So heavenly the feel of dirt
Compels the roots to search below
And from the depths of sandy loam
Scented jewels revered have grown
Why must nature hate me so
To attack above and from below
To mock me with a single hole
What tragedy a wasted fruit
A riddled leaf, a rotten root
They come at me with devil fangs
They come with wings or spindly legs
They come in unrelenting mass
To steal my work, to eat my plants
Since ancient times a life of theft
Oh parasite, oh deadly pest!