Way back on May 9th, I posted a picture of this poor little grape tomato plant. Ribbit commented " It's not ugly...it's...well, interpretive dance. That's what we'll call it." I replied, "OK, it will be known as the tomato, variety Interpretive Dance. I'm going to plant the sucker out behind the shed, just to see what happens!"
Well, I didn't plant it behind the shed, but I did plant it on the site of last year's compost pile. I figured if it was going to live, it would have the best chance there. By June first, it still wasn't dead, but hadn't made any progress in nearly a month.
Look at it today! There's not a chance it will mature enough to give me a tomato, but the little trooper will have a home in my garden for the rest of its life. Interpretive Dance lives!Elsewhere in the garden..........
It's a jungle out there!
The marigolds got so large, I pushed them over to give the tomatoes more room. Now they block the pathway to the south end of the garden.
About half the potatoes have been dug.
I'm so happy with the Tristar day neutral strawberries. I'm not getting huge pickings, but there are only 20 new plants this year. We pick every other day and get enough for the two of us to enjoy on ice cream or shortcakes, with a few left over to freeze for smoothies.
So far this is the only melon on the three varieties I planted. This one is a Savor F1 melon from Dan's Urban Veggie Garden.
This big old bumblebee needs to get busy and pollinate the melons, squash and cucumbers!
Blue skies, blue birdhouse and blue morning glories.
Mr. H looked at this cucumber and said "You're always talking about male and female blossoms.....it's a boy!"
About half the potatoes have been dug.
I'm so happy with the Tristar day neutral strawberries. I'm not getting huge pickings, but there are only 20 new plants this year. We pick every other day and get enough for the two of us to enjoy on ice cream or shortcakes, with a few left over to freeze for smoothies.
So far this is the only melon on the three varieties I planted. This one is a Savor F1 melon from Dan's Urban Veggie Garden.
This big old bumblebee needs to get busy and pollinate the melons, squash and cucumbers!
Blue skies, blue birdhouse and blue morning glories.
Mr. H looked at this cucumber and said "You're always talking about male and female blossoms.....it's a boy!"
HAHAHA! Thanks for the laughs, Mr. H!
ReplyDeleteGrow Interpretive Dance, grow! "Do a little dance, make some little maters, get down tonight. Get down tonight!"
Momma_S, ROTFLOL!!
ReplyDeleteToday I was really noticing that my garden was a jungle. I can't walk the paths anymore. I keep stepping on plants. My marigolds are much like yours. They got so dang big. The packet said they got 2' high, but they didn't say they got 3' wide too. I keep cutting them back inside the beds and just let them take over the paths along with the tomatoes, tomatillos, peas and soon to be squash. At least the peas will have to be pulled in not too long. Then I can get into that area again without doing the limbo. Of course by then the squash will have taken over the path and I'll have to dance my way through. It must be summer.
ReplyDeleteDaphne, I began stomping on my supposed-to-be-2' marigolds when they topped 3'. They and the nasturtiums have taken up way too much space in the garden, and will not be planted next year. Small varieties only! I had the perfect marigolds last year, some that volunteered every year. I saved some seed, but it wasn't very viable, I only got two plants from them. I hope I can get some mature seeds this fall. I can't get through the other side of the garden at all, it's completely filled with squash and pumpkins.
ReplyDeleteha mr. h!
ReplyDeletei love the "blue" picture and hooray for your tomato plant!
(and of course i'm so jealous of your jungle - well i guess i shouldn't say jealous, rather i'm inspired to grow more!)
Yes! Yes! Go, interpretive dancer! Go, interpretive dancer (insert image of Ribbit doing the cabbage patch dance...wait. Don't imagine that. You'll go blind)
ReplyDeleteWoohoo!!! I knew he could do it.
Those flowers are just amazing and your garden is lush and green as ever. Isn't this fun!
Kelli, those blue flowers were looking in the wrong direction! I wanted to get a picture of them with the front of the birdhouse showing, but they would only look backwards.
ReplyDeleteRibbit, I'm doin' that cabbage patch dance with ya!!! Fun, fun, fun!
ReplyDeleteThat is pretty amazing that tomato lived. Maybe you can sell it to Monsanto for big bucks seeing as it is 2,4 d resistant :-) Your garden is looking like a very nice jungle of produce. The melon looks good too. I have not tried one of these french melons before but have heard they are supposed to be the best taste melon there is. I will have to look into when they are ripe. I know they don't turn color like a typical melon does when they are ripe.
ReplyDeleteI love that Interpretive Dance lives!
ReplyDeleteLOL, Dan! You know, I've come to the conclusion the damage was my fault. I think they were just over fertilized (too much Miracle Grow).
ReplyDeleteI'm going to really watch the size on the melon, and I assume it will slip from the vine easily when ripe. I hope I can harvest it at its peak, as it is the most expensive melon seed I've ever seen! It must be good at nearly $8 for 20 seeds.
Jenn, isn't that cool? I hope he gives me at least one tomato. That was the variety I was most looking forward to growing, and I just about killed the little guy :-( Maybe I'll have better luck with it next year (if I have any of that seed left!)
ReplyDeleteOh I do hope you get at least one mater. I think you'll do fine with them next year. You've learned a load from your experiences this past year. I nearly killed both my tomatoes this year and now they're both nearing 5' and producing like crazy so there might be a chance... it's amazing how resilient plants can be!
ReplyDeleteJenn, I think I over fertilized all of them. I was giving them half strength liquid fertilizer at every watering, and I think I overwhelmed them! Learned my lesson, though. Oddly enough, all my tomatoes are doing well except the ones in the four SWCs.
ReplyDeleteWhat's going on with the SWC toms?
ReplyDeleteThe little tomato that could! You have to admire tenacity like that.
ReplyDeleteThe "blue" pic was fun. Of course, blue happens to be my favorite color.
I was stepping carefully over the tangle of pumpkin and winter squash vines that is encroaching on both the bush bean bed and the tomato patch... spilling into the side areas too. It happens each and every year. I guess I would not want it any other way - because it is a sign that the plants are happy, productive, and working on being prolific!
Jenn, two of them grew huge and green and healthy, but they are slurping water like you wouldn't believe. I have to fill the reservoirs every day, and they still wilt down terribly by afternoon. The other two were put into a different brand of potting mix (I think from Wal-Mart), and they are pale and puny and suffering from "bacterial speck". I just pruned off the worst looking stems, sprayed them with cornmeal tea and gave them a good dose of fish emulsion, so we'll see if that helps. It really must have something to do with the potting mix, as those are the only two affected, and they are the only two with that mix.
ReplyDeleteThe bucket tomatoes look healthy enough, but are much smaller than the ones in the garden beds, and not having a very good fruit set. The other 20 plants (including 2 volunteers but not "Interprative Dance", are big, healthy and full of tomatoes. Well, except the lone Roma, which looks like it might have Verticillium Wilt. The Roma, however, has more tomatoes on it than leaves! It's so loaded, it might just be suffering from stress.
That's true, KitsapFG. But some of these nasturtiums have got to go! I've already pulled quite a few, but there are still too many taking up precious veggie planting space. I need the room for my fall plantings.
ReplyDeleteA very productive jungle it is too! Your tomato plant was just pretending to be a twisted elm (we have one on Mrs Soggy's side of the garden) - it seems to have reverted to type now quite happily doesn't it.
ReplyDeleteInterpretive Dance! Love that, LOL. I just love the look of your veggie jungle. So much green and growth! I'm jealous!! :)
ReplyDeleteI had the same issue with my marigolds. They took over the bottom row of a 3x4 box and hung out the sides and everything. I'm planting them on the corner squares this fall. But they were nothing compared to the borage that I planted with the strawberries. That sucker almost took over the whole 4x4 box and was 3ft high.
I love the cartoon about the dog being undertall. I have one just like that!
ReplyDeleteMy morning glories are taking over!
But they are so nice to see first thing in the Am. I love the little tomato that could!
Heskie, it did look a bit like a twisted elm, didn't it?
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Crystabel, I have four borage plants in a 1' x 6' area in front of the pole beans, and they are huge! I think I'd pull them if it weren't for the fact they attract the bees so well. Next year I'll know to give them their own large corner of the garden!
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Basil Becky, poor little Annie...everything she eats goes from her lips to her hips, but she's a happy little dog, and we love her.
I wish my morning glories would take over. I planted them in a container, and they are rather sparse. Next year they will go in ground and I'll plant twice as many. I just love the color of the flowers.
If there's ever a time we don't hear from you for a couple of days Granny, we're sending a search party into the depths of your garden. It really is a big beautiful jungle.
ReplyDeleteLOL, Desert Dame....around the end of October, I'll be begging you to teach me how to make a jungle in Arizona!
ReplyDeleteIt was pretty pricey seed. I read in one of Coleman's books it is one of the best varieties to grow. The other french variety, I think I sent some of them too, was $2.75 for 50 seeds. We shall see what one tastes best, probably the cheaper one :-)
ReplyDeleteDan, it might be the only melon I grow. Neither of the other two varieties I planted has set any fruit. I'll be checking that precious melon daily, so I can hopefully pick it at its prime.
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