My, my, my, it's been an entire week since I've blogged. That must mean the gardening season is running down, or maybe the gardener is just getting tired. This gardener is, that's for sure! I've had a busy week, and it's going to get busier yet, because...............
In three short weeks we'll be heading for Arizona. I've been trying to dismantle some garden structures, pull slow or non-producing plants, and do some general garden cleanup in preparation for winter. I've given up on the summer squash and cucumbers, neither of which earned their keep in this year's garden. They will be brutally uprooted this week. I still have some very nice tomato plants, but they are ripening slowly now. That's fine, as I'd like to take a box of green fruits south with us, to ripen through the next month or so. Beets have just a short time to mature to a good, edible size. They're about as big as golf balls right now, so I'll definitely be pulling some to eat before we leave. If they're large enough, I'll pull them all and take them with us. If not, my youngest son will get the bounty. Carrots are still sizing up beautifully, and there are quite a few of them left out there. I didn't even get pictures of the lovely bunch I pulled today, as they came in and went directly into a pot of stew. The peppers continue to blossom and fruit. It's sad that they'll soon freeze, just as they are finally growing so well.
On with the week's harvest.......
Harvests are definitely slowing. Our temperatures plunged from the mid 90s earlier in the week, to the high 60s today. Forecasts are for low to high 70s this coming week, with lows dipping down into the 40s.
Harvest Totals September 19 - September 25
Beans, bush - 1 pound
Carrots - 11 ounces
Cucumbers - 4 ounces
Lettuce - 13 ounces
Peppers, sweet - 1.5 pounds
Squash, summer - 1.75 pounds
Strawberries - 12 ounces
Tomatoes - 11.38 pounds
Total harvest for the week: 18.13 pounds
Total harvest for the year to date: 483.82 pounds
It's touch and go whether I'll even break 500 pounds this year. It's all up to the tomatoes, beets, carrots and peppers.
Please join in the Harvest Monday at Daphne's Dandelions!
Beans, bush - 1 pound
Carrots - 11 ounces
Cucumbers - 4 ounces
Lettuce - 13 ounces
Peppers, sweet - 1.5 pounds
Squash, summer - 1.75 pounds
Strawberries - 12 ounces
Tomatoes - 11.38 pounds
Total harvest for the week: 18.13 pounds
Total harvest for the year to date: 483.82 pounds
It's touch and go whether I'll even break 500 pounds this year. It's all up to the tomatoes, beets, carrots and peppers.
Please join in the Harvest Monday at Daphne's Dandelions!
Are you sure you are ready for the weather here? We are still hitting 100+. At least in Maricopa County. Wish it would finally cool off.
ReplyDeleteOh yes, Susan! We're quite used to those 100+ temperatures! We're right next to you in La Paz County. We got spoiled here in Eastern WA this year, the first year since records have been kept that we didn't break 100. We normally get 100+ from mid-July to mid-August.
ReplyDeleteThat's slowing down? Your slowing down harvests are my large harvests! I hope you'll have internet when you go to Arizona this year. Last year when you were without it, we missed your blogging!
ReplyDeleteArizona already!? I can't believe it. Those tomatoes are looking great!
ReplyDeleteI had a horrible year for cucumbers too. I usually have to pull the plants because I just don't need any more! I did get a big basket of pickling cucs at the farmer's market on Saturday. Now I am finishing my pickles for the year!
ReplyDeleteIt's been a tough gardening year for sure! I am so jealous of your strawberries...and I don't want you to go to Arizona! Hopefully, you won't have internet issues there this winter.
Go Granny Go...you are close to 500 pounds...you will do it :)
ReplyDeleteYou should be well rested by not blogging for a week .I wondered what you were up too! I guess the harvest kept you going pretty good in the meantime...
ReplyDeleteHere too, I've been having trouble switching gears to the new season, and the 7 days of rain hasn't helped a bit since I haven't been able to plant! Your tomatoes are still looking lovely, I'm sure your upcoming migration has you pretty busy, I sure hope you are able to get an offer on your place down there this season.
ReplyDeleteMeems, internet in AZ is kind of like this year's garden. Iffy. ;-) Even the company that used to provide dial up has discontinued that service.
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Ribbit, I'm so tired of tomatoes. I always canned my extras before, but not enough to fool with this year, and the freezers are full,so we've been eating a lot more of them. I've pulled out all of my cherry tomatoes already.
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Robin, can you believe I plant the same number of seeds each year, and in 2009 I got 102 lb., 2010 I got 47 lb., and this year I got 9 1/2 lb.!!! Does that mean that next year I'll harvest one lone cuke?
I was in such a hurry for that picking of strawberries, I forgot to photo them until they had been cleaned and sliced. They were really big and pretty, probably the largest berries of the year. That's a 2-cup measuring cup they're in, so Mr. G had a big shortcake and I got fresh berries in my yogurt.
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I don't know, Sarada. The beets are awfully small, but the carrots might be heavy enough to push the total over the top.
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Ginny, bite your tongue! There is no rest around here. I wish I had time to rest, but I'll have a whole winter to do it soon. I'm not going to garden in AZ (so I say now, don't hold me to it).
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Erin, I hope so too! Our neighbor called yesterday and said the place looks good, weeds were not prolific this year due to the high heat and no rain, and that I must have had the sprinkler system timed just right 'cause the plants are all looking really good. That's a relief, as I always worry the irrigation timer will fail and all will die, and I'll never forget the year the weeds grew 2' high over the entire property. He also said he talked to a couple who wanted to buy it, but just couldn't come up with the money. I really don't want to be saddled with financing it, but might have to. You can't get a loan on a mobile home that old, but the price we're asking is equal to the price of the land alone, so I'd think a bank would loan that much.....I have no idea.
I like that your "slow winding down harvest" is larger than any of my big harvests!
ReplyDeleteI can't believe that it is already time for you to travel back to AZ again. I hope you don't have internet problems again this year!
LOL, Nartaya! I think next year my harvest will be smaller by choice. I grow way more than we can use. Although my kids do enjoy the fresh produce IF I do all the planting, growing, picking, harvesting and cleaning!
ReplyDeleteThose of us that have followed your blog for sometime really do know this is slowing down for you....but your slow is most peoples summer peak! LOL!
ReplyDeleteYou are still getting a good amount of really nice looking tomatoes. Our cukes took forever to start really producing. Got the best harvest Saturday morning but expect it to really taper off again as the weather suddenly turned cool and the plants are losing the battle with powdery mildew. I really need to be more proactive spraying the organic anti fungals next year.
wonderful harvest glad to see you are still harvest lettuce, Mrs. Lettuce :)
ReplyDeleteKitsap, this year's yield was about half of last year. It was still enough, although I wish I'd had more large tomatoes for canning. I ended up saving them for small batches of sauce for the freezer, but diced or crushed in jars could have been put to better use.
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Mrs. Pickles, did you doubt my abilities to keep the lettuce harvest coming in? I am to lettuce what you are to pickles ;-)
Such a happy healthy harvest. I'm seeing colorful salads in your future.
ReplyDeleteJody, I'm actually enjoying colorful, healthy sandwiches! Those sweet red peppers are delightful for extra crunch, and the lettuce is always a welcome addition.
ReplyDeleteOh Grannie.... I hate to think that you won't be on much again in just a short time. But, I know you do enjoy your time there. Do try to keep us posted!
ReplyDeleteBarbie, I always miss you guys in the garden blogging community when I can't read you each and every day. I'm not enjoying the trips south as much any more. It's too bad we didn't buy where there were more nearby services, like grocery stores and internet providers!
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