Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Early Summer Update

All planting done - melons starting to show some life finally - not sure what the deal is. Spinach is done. Winter lettuce is done - Heatwave blend still doing well. Pulled the spring carrot crop last weekend - another 20 pounds. radishes done (too hot). Onions and garlic - tops falling over - almost ready to harvest. Blueberries about done. Boysenberries did not ripen w/ the blackberries this year, and they are done - will be giving cuttings to a co-worker who has a daughter w/ cystic fibrosis - the berries are good for her health. Blackberries just starting - yum!!!! Have harvested lots of cherry tomatoes and a couple of larger fruits. Peppers starting to fruit well. Cucumbers finally starting to fruit. Green beans have been regularly harvested the last couple of weeks. Herbs are plentiful. Yellow squash and zucchini - overgrown and exploding in number. Broccoli is done. Spring cabbages almost ready for harvest. Strawberries are in second bloom.

Right now I focus on regular harvesting, weeding as needed, watered yesterday for the first time in a while. For bug control I spray insecticidal soap on the squash/melons every 14 days and alternate same with neem oil every 14 days. Both are organic, and I dont spray the leaf veggies or berries with them.

It got quickly hot and dry. Focus is on watering sparingly but as needed, weed control (by hand), and insect control.

Squash love this weather, as does the melons. The blackberries ripen quickly (I have to go out almost every day. Tomato fruit set will not happen any more with the heat. The green beans will not set any more either, but will double in size over night. Same with the zucchini. Crazy fast!!!

Monday, May 9, 2011

2011 Firsts

Picked the first tomato, first blueberries, first boysenberries. Sorry, no pictures - no evidence left.

On a side note - looks like the hail last week knocked the blackberries pretty good as they were in full bloom. Im thinking the prolific harvest of last year is a thing of the past - at least for another year......

Sunday, May 1, 2011

Carrots



Planted by seed last September.