It has been an odd year for weather. Very hot, long periods of no rain then days of rain followed by searing heat. The cicadas started a month earlier than usual and I heard on the radio that our July was the hottest on record.
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The tomatoes are doing well, although this picture shows you more how NOT to plant tomatoes. When i thought I was not going to have a garden this year, I took all the tomato plants a co-worker gave me and planted them in one of my raised beds. They have grown into this dense forest and tomatoes in the center have a hard time ripening but we are getting several ripe fruits a day. If they were planted better, we would have more.


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We have a couple volunteer tomato plants – those who have sprung up in random places from seeds from years’ past. I always let them be and see how they turn out. Here is one in our corn patch – we didn’t even have tomatoes in this area last year.


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The winter squash is slowly taking over its area of the garden. Lots of blossoms. I also planted 8-ball zucchini and tried it in rows, a first for me. These plants are actually contained and are doing well in their row. The yellow summer squash I planted in a traditional mound and it too is putting out several squash a day.


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There is nothing like fresh broccoli! I think it is my favorite veggie.


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My poor eggplants. I always mistreat them so. I plant them as “trap plants” — they attract bugs that would otherwise decimate other crops. In this case, I have planted them by the broccoli and the flea beetles have descended on the eggplant leaving the broccoli pretty much unscathed, except for the one at the end of the row far away from the eggplants. It is a quick and natural trick though if you want to keep your plants untreated or are hesitant to use remay or other row covers.


Radish, beets, onions and peppers are doing well. My beans should are finally starting to blossom and I hope to get a good crop to can. There’s nothing better IMO!