Garden Harvest & Update July 15

Heat and critters and pain. That pretty much sums up the past week. It's been hot, we've been battling a woodchuck, and I dealt with kidney stones last week. Fun times. For now, it appears we are winning the battle against the woodchuck and my pain will go away. The heat? Well, there's nuttin' anyone can do about that.

Bryce and I planted some "Kentucky Wonder" beans today along the back fence and in a new spot-along the chain link fence. The woodchuck ate my beans to nubs, so I need another crop.

I've got some harvest photos today-yay! I need to get out my harvest photo basket to make me look good. For now, you get to see my messy kitchen and outside.

We harvested our first cauliflower today, too--over 1.5 pounds! I wasn't so great at the blanching thing, and I think I probably should've harvested them smaller because the heat wave burned the leaves. They are more purple and cream colored  instead of store bought white, but they actually have FLAVOR which the store bought kind does not.

We also picked 3 more banana peppers. I'll cut those & freeze 'em, hoping to make some pickled pepper rings (mild) at some point.

I picked & ate my first tomato of the year! That was July 14--earliest EVER for me. I know, I know, plenty of folks have been eating tomatoes in my zone for a couple of weeks.  I'm just glad I'm getting 'em early! It was a cherry tomato and it was yummy! I put it by the sunscreen to show it's size.

Here's a shot of the full garden. On the left side low fence are my honeydew plants. They are so green & bushy and they just smell so sweet! On the other side of the low fence are my watermelon and cantaloupe plants. They are going CRAZY in this heat and I have multiple watermelons that are about 5lbs each. (Last year at this time, I only had a few ping pong ball sized watermelons.)

This is a shot of the cukes climbing up the back fence. I didn't grow many this year, no real reason. The brassicas are starting to recover from the woodchuck attack (yay!)

Now for some transparency in blogland. I like when bloggers show what the "rest of the picture" looks like, so here's the back of my house. Brown lawn. Yard waste bag. Assorted perennial plants dying out.

Some pretties:

Perennial Candytuft--heirloom seed from Landreth. It's PURPLE!!!!! From seed to flower in just  3 months!

Click here to see the garden this same week in 2011. 

Lastly, my harvest totals for last week:
Total Harvested 2012: 13 lbs 6.5 oz (as of 7/15/12)
Banana Peppers 5 oz
Chives 4 oz
Cilantro 2 oz
Carrots 2 lbs
Cauliflower 1lb 7 oz
Garlic 14.5 oz
Lettuce 2 oz
Peas 8 oz 
Spinach 1 lb
Strawberries 6 lbs 2.5 oz 
Tomato (cherry)  0.5 oz

Broccoli-ZERO, thanks woodchuck
Brussel Sprouts 
Cabbage
Celery
Cucumbers
Green Beans-ZERO for now, due to woodchuck
Onions
Canteloupe
Honey Dew 
Watermelon
Bell Peppers
Spicy Peppers (Anaheim, Chili, Jalepeno)
Tomatoes (slicing)

Basil 4.5 oz
Cilantro
Dill
Mint
Parsley
Rosemary 2 oz


Linking to Daphne's Dandelions


                  An Oregon Cottage