June Garden Update
Stuffed squash blossoms are the BOMB! Note to self, there is a lot of damn squash in the garden this time of year, so don’t freak out about eating the blooms so much. *grin* On the other hand, the Cucuzzi Caravazzi aren’t really doing a whole lot of producing… Also, since I seemed to miss it on the seed packs, here is a note regarding ‘climbing/vine’ vs ‘bush’ squash:
Climbers (and how!): Buttercup Squash, Cucuzzi Caravazzi, Butternut Squash, and Spaghetti Squash
Bushes: Straight Necked Squash, Crook Necked Squash, and Giant Zucchini*
Regarding tomatoes: PUT THE DAMN CAGES ON BEFORE THE GET SO BIG! *gah* I am going to loose a bunch of ‘maters to the scraped and broken vines I got trying to get the little buggers to use the cages after their big growth spurt. Also - next year I would like to try using the PVC pipe watering method (for deep root watering).
About cucumber: The mesh climbing sections work well, but the plants need to be started up them earlier. Given that their original plant bases are obscured by the vines pretty quickly, I should use the same PVC method on these.
Cantaloupe: Need to create/stock up on some sort of thin boards to put under these so they don’t rot in the mulch.
Bell Peppers: “To My Bell Peppers, I am sorry I didn’t put you in more sunlight. I will do better next time!”
Sugar Snap Peas: Plant more of these, like all along the fence. They are great! But the plant is starting to die off (remember to save seed pods!).
The bush beans (Contender and Edamame) aren’t doing much, but I think they got overshadowed by the squash. Need to work on placement. Still waiting on the pole beans to come in….*tic**toc**tic**toc*
Broccoli: I need to learn more about this plant before putting these in again. I think I let them ‘go to flower’ and so I haven’t seen much in the way of broccoli from the garden…*rolls eyes*
Eggplants: Plant Sex Works! These little beauties are coming along nicely after some finger pollination (tried this some more on the butternuts this morning as we have only had three good veg from these two plants thus far this season).
Water canning the loquats worked well and the ginger/loquat jam has had rave reviews. Need to start using the borrowed dehydrator to store extra summer squash for winter soups and casseroles. Looking forward to canning tomatoes (then again, I can’t predict what a chore that may become with all the plants I’ve got going)!
*these little beasties take a lot of water!