It All Started With Tomatoes

Seedlings!

2013-02-25T21:27:00.000-08:00

Hello,

I just wanted to post a quick update with the seedlings that are have made it through so far. I will probably need to find homes for many of these.

	Veggie	Qty
1	Peppers-Red Mini Bell	8
2	Peppers-Chocolate Habanero	7
3	Peppers-Patio Red Marconi	9
5	Peppers-Poblano	2
6	Sweet Peppers Mix	1
7	Eggplant- Black Beauty	4
8	Eggplant-Red China	2
9	Eggplant-Round Mauve	6
10	Eggplant-Yellow Egg	2
11	Eggplant-Long Purple	2

Tomatoes
	Name	QTY
1	Violet Jasper	4
2	San Marzano	3
3	Old Yellow Candy Stripe	4
4	Topaz or Huan U	3
5	Chocolate Purple	3
6	Yellow Pear	8
7	TJ's Cherry Tomatoes	7
8	Roma	4
9	Beefsteak	4
11	White Cherry - Seed Savers	5
12	Tomatillo - Purple Cobalt	1
13	Plum Lemon	3
14	Purple Russian	3
15	Striped German	3
16	Green Zebra	3
17	Jubilee	4
18	Black Krim	6
19	Kolb	3
20	Large Red Cherry	6
21	Moneymaker	4
22	Early Girl Hybrid	5
24	Tomatillos - Green	5

That's it for now. I will be posting a bigger update soon.

Luis

Farm Update: 2/10/2013

2013-02-10T21:35:00.001-08:00

I have been doing short posts about the seed starting but I realized that I had not taken any pictures of the garden itself.

The first shot for this update is of my celery bed. Yes, I have now added celery to my list. I bought a six pack, according to Twitter, on Nov. 10th for my fall garden but I failed to see that the plant tag shows 90-120 days to maturity. I don't know if I will be leaving it in that long but it will just depend on the weather. I may pull early to add in the spring/summer crops.

A six pack of Red Russian Kale was also bought that day and it is thriving in this weather. We have more kale than we do know what to do with. I bought this six pack because the wife started making veggie shakes for breakfast and asked for kale. I found a single, beat up six pack at the nursery and it has flourished. I don't know if I had ever eaten kale before growing it but I am in love with it. I may not be getting a six pack next time and will be happy with a few less plant.

Up next is my lovely pair of artichoke plants. I had been hesitant about planting it because of their sheer size. I didn't think I would have enough room for it and didn't want to take up a whole bed for just artichokes. These are perennial and a plant can last, under the right conditions, 6-7 years. I bought the first seedling at a local grocery store, partly, because it was on sale. I also figured that if it died, I wouldn't miss it much. The plant wasn't very big and it really only had a few good leaves. There were other leaves but they were yellow. I clipped off the yellow leaves and planted it. I added a sprinkler for it on the irrigation system and it has gotten huge. The second plant was picked up at my local nursery and it has doubled in size. Obviously the soil in that area is good for the artichokes and we hope that it will bear fruit in the springtime.

This year is full of firsts. I am growing the Blue Jade Corn again this year but not in a raised bed. It did so well for me last year that I figured I would try it again this year. This time they are not going in a raised bed but in plastic totes. I know they may be a bit overcrowded but I can always figure it out as the season goes on. I love this corn because it it only grows to about 3 feet tall and it tastes great. It is also blue and it will be good to add color to any dish. These are small enough to grow in containers and produce 3-4 ears each and the weather agrees with it, at least in my region in Southern California.

Here is the photo that you have all been waiting to see. These are my seedlings for this year and many of them have survived. I think I have only had a few casualties but I still have time to make some of those up. I wasn't able to get the little potato cucumber to sprout but I'm sure it won't be an issue once the weather warms up. I know for a fact that I won't have enough room for all of these plants and may need to donate some of these to friends and/or family. I also have many saved seed from last year and those will be going into coin envelopes and will be donated and / or traded. We'll see how that all works out.

Until next time,

Luis T.

YouTube Gardening Channels

2013-02-09T21:49:00.003-08:00

Hello Everybody!

I am back with another blog post and this is one is all about YouTube! I watch many many videos and learn new things all the time. I know that many of you also do the same thing and I figured I would share that I watch and may get more suggestions to other channels.

If you watch gardening videos on YouTube, you know about John Kohler and his channel.

Growing Your Greens
Growing Your Greens is the most watched gardening show on youtube. It's a fun and enlightening show on how to grow food at your home and beyond. John provides you with tips and tricks as well as shares his experiences growing food at his urban homestead. John is dedicated to helping you sustainably grow your own food in your front yard and beyond. Don't forget to subscribe to keep up with all the latest episodes.

John is full of great information and is great fun to watch. He can make anything interesting by just talking about it. He is always talking about rock dust, adding trace minerals back into the soil or simply answering viewer questions. He includes field trips, DYI projects and events into this channel and he is simply a joy to watch.

Up next is Luke and his two channels. His first one is: MIGardener and his motto of "Grow Big or Go Home." I don't remember how I found his channel but I am sure glad I did. I love watching this channel and just wish he would have more Zoey in it. Zoey is his cute little dog that the wife and I love.

Grow Big or Go Home!
Welcome to MIgardener! my name is luke, and I love urban farming. I grow with 100% strictly organic methods. I will teach you all you need to know about self sustainablility, gardening, and how to have fun while doing it! virtual tours through our garden, weekly garden updates, tips and howto's, and hopefully you will find me entertaining as well as informative.

The second channel is The Micro Garden. The title really says it all and the description is nice and concise.

A "Little" Fun for Everyone!

Welcome to the MIcrogarden channel. This channel is devoted to growing Dwarf plants of all types and varieties both edible and non-edible.

Up next is Ray and his two channels: Praxxus55712 and The Voodoo Garden. I like both channels and the Praxxus Pepper Pruning Method is one that I can't wait to try once my peppers seedlings get large enough.

Dance in the sunshine!

Join me in the sunshine!

*Gardening help

*Gardening tips

*Delicious Easy Recipes

*Fun for the whole family!

Titlis Garden:

Welcome to my garden!
This is a vlog of my garden. In it I'll share with you the things that happen and the changes that come with the seasons. You'll see what grows - and what doesn't. You'll see things that grow too much and my attempt to keep them under control. You'll see flowers and fruits and vegetables. You'll see sunshine and rain, wind and snow. You'll see my triumphs and my failures!
I'm not an expert gardener so please don't ask me how to solve your gardening problems... but maybe some of you can help solve mine!

Indoor Harvest Gardens:

We share our mission encouraging growing your own food, educating organic growing through our trials, and promoting sustainable, earth-friendly growing methods.

Gary Pilarchik

I shoot mostly videos about tomato and vegetable gardening. I cover everything from seed starting to vegetable harvesting. The videos cover all aspects of gardening. Dig around! Join my groups below to learn and for Q & A.

The Plano Gardener

I can't do this post without adding the official YouTube pages for my favorite seed companies:

Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company:

Welcome To Bakersville
COME SEE OUR PIONEER VILLAGE!
Enjoy our many festivals. Listen to traditional folk musicians. Learn historic crafts and gardening. Shop at our seed store, mercantile, apothecary and more. Enjoy the history of one of Missouri's oldest homesteads, located on the headwaters of the Gasconade River about 5 miles from where the Little House books were written.
We hope you enjoy these sample videos of our festivals!
http://www.rareseeds.com

Seed Savers Exchange

Those are all of the youtube channels that I am subscribed to but willing to check others out. I am sure there are others out there and this is where you come in. Let me know what you think in the comments.

Until next time,

Luis T.

Seeds are Sprouting!

2013-01-10T21:46:00.002-08:00

Hello again,

I am back with fantastic news! Almost all of my beans and tomato varieties have sprouted! Many of them were off and running within a few days of planting. Like I've said, many of these seeds are a few years old but they are still viable. I learned from a Master Gardener that the larger seeds have a longer time frame where they are viable. I also saved some tomato seeds and those are sprouting. I also have some seeds that were packed for 2013 from Baker Creek and Seed Savers Exchange and those are looking good too.

I know it would be easier to tell you what hasn't sprouted but I am so excited that I don't mind showing off.

Here is the list:

Tomatoes
1	Violet Jasper	13	Plum Lemon
2	San Marzano	14	Purple Russian
3	Old Yellow Candy Stripe	15	Striped German
4	Topaz or Huan U	16	Green Zebra
5	Chocolate Purple	17	Jubilee
6	Yellow Pear	18	Black Krim
7	TJ's Cherry Tomatoes	19	Kolb
8	Roma - American Meadows	20	Large Red Cherry
9	Beefsteak - Urban Farmer	21	Moneymaker
11	White Cherry - Seed Savers	22	Early Girl Hybrid
12	Tomatillo - Purple Cobalt	24	Tomatillos - Green

Beans
1	Roma Bush
2	Soy Bean - Envy
4	Tom Thumb
5	Pea - Dwarf Gray Sugar
7	Henderson's Baby - Lima Bean
9	Purple Fava Beans
10	Contender Bean
11	Tendergreen Bean
12	Royalty Purple Pod
13	Sugar Ann Peas
14	Kentucky Wonder Beans
15	Black Garbanzo Bean
Cucumbers
16	Lemon
18	Marketmore
20	Spacemaster
22	Muncher
23	Straight Eight
Corn
24	Blue Jade Corn
25	Blue Jade Corn

I know that not all of these will make it but that's what gardening is all about. I know I will not be able to grow every single tomato plant and may end up with extra but I don't want to count my chickens before they hatch.

I know I still have some time before I can even think before putting out the tomatoes in the garden but the beans should be find to do next month or so. Besides, I don't know how much longer they can be indoors.

This is just a quick update but stay tuned for more.

Luis

Seed Starting Time Already!

2013-01-01T22:10:00.001-08:00

Hello fellow gardeners, readers and future gardeners. It is a new year and I am here with great news! I live in Southern California and have the luxury of a long growing season. Seeds are started usually at the end of December and this year is no exception. I have been organizing my seeds and have started them in standard cell trays and newspaper pots.

I have never tried newspaper pots but figured I should at least try it out. I somehow have 15 different varieties of beans and didn't want to plant something in the garden that wouldn't work out. Some of it is old seed but not all of it. If it doesn't germinate, it won't go out to the garden. If it does germinate, the roots won't be disturbed much since I would just plant the whole pot. I know that peas and beans are more susceptible to transplant shock because the roots have been disturbed but not all vegetables are like that.

Most other vegetables have no issue being transplanted, provided they have been hardened off properly. Hardening off the plants should not be an issue, at least it hasn't been for me. As the plants get to be too big, outside they go into a protected area and slowly acclimated to the weather. My only other issue is choosing which varieties will be going into beds directly or into containers.

The selection process will not be easy. I have 24 varieties of tomatoes, 15 different beans,7 cucumber varieties, 6 pepper and 6 eggplant. I don't know if they will all make it but that is part of the joy of gardening.

In order to keep all of these varieties in order, I created an Excel Spreadsheet. Below is the list of every seed that has been started. I know that it is too early for some of these seeds, but this gives me time for a second round, if needed.

First up: Peppers and Eggplants

1	Peppers-Red Mini Bell
2	Peppers-Chocolate Habanero
3	Peppers-Patio Red Marconi
4	Peppers-Sweet Banana
5	Peppers-Poblano
6	Sweet Peppers Mix
7	Eggplant- Black Beauty
8	Eggplant-Red China
9	Eggplant-Round Mauve
10	Eggplant-Yellow Egg
11	Eggplant-Long Purple
12	Eggplant-Burpee Hybrid

Beans:

1	Roma Bush
2	Soy Bean - Envy
3	Gold Rush - Garden Bean
4	Tom Thumb
5	Pea - Dwarf Gray Sugar
6	California Cowpea
7	Henderson's Baby - Lima Bean
8	Burpee Green Snap Bush Bean
9	Purple Fava Beans
10	Contender Bean
11	Tendergreen Bean
12	Royalty Purple Pod
13	Sugar Ann Peas
14	Kentucky Wonder Beans
15	Black Garbanzo Bean

Cucumbers:

16	Lemon
17	Little Potato
18	Marketmore
19	Straight Eight
20	Spacemaster
21	Fanfare Hybrid
22	Muncher

Tomatoes:

1	Violet Jasper	13	Plum Lemon
2	San Marzano	14	Purple Russian
3	Old Yellow Candy Stripe	15	Striped German
4	Topaz or Huan U	16	Green Zebra
5	Chocolate Purple	17	Jubilee
6	Yellow Pear	18	Black Krim
7	TJ's Cherry Tomatoes	19	Kolb
8	Roma - American Meadows	20	Large Red Cherry
9	Beefsteak - Urban Farmer	21	Moneymaker
10	Beefsteak - American Meadows	22	Early Girl Hybrid
11	White Cherry - Seed Savers	23	Bucks County Hybrid
12	Tomatillo - Purple Cobalt	24	Tomatillos - Green

I know that this is way much more than I need and not all of these will make it but gardening is about experimenting. Stay tuned for more news and I hope to keep up with this blog more than I have been.

Until next time,

Luis T.

Bounty of Seeds!

2012-07-21T13:50:00.003-07:00

Last weekend was my birthday and my lovely wife surprised me by taking me up to Northern California. We love the Redwoods and have been dying to go back. We had my birthday dinner at the Samoa Cookhouse right outside of Eureka, CA. The best dinner birthday dinner ever and the split pea soup is phenomenal there.

On the drive up, I realized that we would be going near Petaluma, CA. Home of American Graffiti fame but also home to the Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company! We were both excited for completely different reasons. The store is closed on Saturdays and we told ourselves that we would have to make a pit stop on the way back, on Sunday. We needed to be back in Oakland, to catch the flight home, in the very early afternoon. We left our hotel in Arcata, CA around 6am or so.

When we got to Petaluma, I took off for the store and she walked around town. I spent over an hour in the store, alone. I put some seeds back but still managed to end up with a $60 tab.

I am now going to share with you what those $60 amounted to:

Tomatoes:
Old Yellow Candy Stripe
Plum Lemon
Purple Russian
Tomatillo: Purple Coban
Topaz or Huan U
Violet Jasper
Chocolate Purple

Eggplants:
Red China
Round Mauve
Thai Yellow Egg

Peppers:
Chocolate Habanero
Patio Red Marconi
Red Mini Bell

Beans:
Bush: Royalty Purple Pod
Fava: Extra Precoce A Grano Violetto
Kabouli Black Garbanzo

Brassicas:
Kale: Dwarf Siberian
Lettuce: Mignotte Bronze

Other:
Swiss Chard: Rainbow or Five Color Silverbeet
Beet: Early Wonder
Carrot: Shin Koroda 5"
Cucumber: Lemon

That's what $60 in seeds look like and I plan on trying to grow them all at some point or another. I will try to save as many seeds as possible. I don't know what I would do with all of them but we'll see. I won't have to worry about it for a while since most of these are for Spring 2013.

Until next time,

Luis

Farm Update!

2012-06-28T23:05:00.002-07:00

I was walking around the garden yesterday and was inspired to pull out the camera. I wanted to show off how well everything is doing in the garden.

The first shot shows about 10 tomatoes on this one section. There are other blossoms on the plant above this area but no actual tomatoes.

Of course, I don't know what variety this is yet but should know shortly. They actually look like they will ripen yellow which means they are Jubilees. The wife and I split a ripe one of these today and they are very tasty. The texture of this variety feels like I am eating peach. The flesh just feels that way and it is a mild flavor.

The first tomato variety that I ever tried to grow was Green Zebra. I was taking a biology class as part of the coursework. I don't remember what the reason for it was but it piqued my interest in gardening. Of course, I ended up killing that tomato plant and didn't get any fruit from it but I wanted to grow that variety ever since and I can now say that I have.

I bought this plant as a seedling at a local plant sale and it has just taken off. The fruit is simply gorgeous and we ate the first one last week but it is just a bit too tart / sour for me but the wife loves it that way. This plant is producing well and I will try and save some seeds to add to my collection.

After killing the first tomato plant ever and moving into the new home, I decided to really try and grow something. One of the plants in that first garden was squash, Spaghetti Squash to be exact. I had no idea what I was doing and just threw some seeds in the ground. Two seeds sprouted and grew long vines. I ended up with 3-4 squash that first time around.

I saved some seeds from those first squash and planted them this year. It is going extremely well. The trellis is 3 feet wide by 6 feet tall and has 4-5 squash already. I have already harvested a squash that is just over 6 lbs and there is one in this photo that seems to be bigger than that already.

The wife and I go out for sushi sometimes and we love the Edamame that is brought out that the beginning of the meal. While shopping for the Blue Jade Corn seeds at Seed Savers, I found some soy beans that can be eaten as Edamame. This variety is Envy and I and ready to start picking these shortly. This variety only grows to about 2 feet tall and as you can see, is a very good producer. I haven't picked any because the beans don't look to be too big. I will probably just pick a couple to try out. I planted many of these in various areas in the garden. I included it in the beans I planted in what used to be the corn bed. I will be posting as to what I find out.

I know this has been a tomato have post but I am very happy with the results of the heirloom varieties and have been enjoying these delicious fruits for about a week or two.

Overall, I must say that I am very pleased with this year's garden and hope to keep improving, All of the produce from the garden is being eaten. Two people can only eat so much, so it will be shared with family and friends.

That's it for now and I will be back soon with more updates!

Luis

P.S.: There are more garden photos in the Flickr Set for this update HERE!

Farm Update!

2012-06-13T22:07:00.000-07:00

I'm back with another update! There has been many things going on in life and in the garden.

Here is the newest garden decoration that is just hanging out. It looks right at home.

This is the first ripe tomato of the year and there are many more to come. Of course, I don't know what variety this is. I just know it will be tasty. There are many large heirloom tomatoes all around but the heat has not really kicked in to ripen them. This one was just clipped today and will ripen a little bit more in the kitchen.

When making your own compost and if everything is not fully broken down, you may end up with some volunteer plants. I do not know exactly that plant this is but it is obviously a gourd of sorts. There is only one way to find out. I have only seen one bloom on it and it was a male bloom, I need both at the same time to make some magic.

This plant has been mistaken for other things. I first thought this was broccoli but "heads" never started forming. I was going through seed packets to decide what to plant in my mom's garden and came across a siberian kale packet and it looked like a match but not quite. I then remembered that I had an excel worksheet that I had thrown together. The final verdict came in and we are enjoying some collards.

The last shot for this update is of my "spacemaster cukes" and there are many blooms on it but no cukes yet. I've got other plants that will, hopefully, be putting out more than we can eat. I'd like to see trellis full and heavy with fruit.

I will try and post soon with any new developments.

Until next time!

Luis

P.S: The photos for this update can be found here!

May Garden Update

2012-05-07T22:32:00.004-07:00

I'm back with another post to show off what I have growing in the garden. I'm trying a few new things this year. The first major thing is the 3x3 bed full of corn. I found this little furry spider on the corn but was not able to ID it. I know the photo is not that great but it is the best one I got since this is a fast little creature. I checked my newest insect book to no avail. If anybody else out there knows what it is, please help me out.

I am happy with the way the garden is going this year and figured that I should finally share it in a post.

Before we get to the new photos of the garden, here is a great way to start seeds. This is a half gallon milk carton that was cut open and drainage holes were added. I learned how to do this at a class I took over at the Natural History Museum. There was a great series of gardening classes with a Master Gardener.

The bottom three are Nasturtiums, the middle row are radishes and the top to are bush beans. I don't plan on leaving them in here. I will be leaving the radishes in there til they are done but I will try to transplant the bush beans.

I will be making more of these "seed trays". We buy our milk at Costco and one package has 3 cartons and they will all be used. I have many flower seed packets and they will be placed around the garden to attract the beneficial insects.

Here are 3 of the 5 lettuce plants for this year. I may plant some more between the some large plants to have them shaded. These have all been trimmed down but not entirely pulled. The weather will be warming up and the lettuce may bolt. I know I'm not the only one that goes through this every year.

As amazing as those lettuce look, this is the onion bed. This is a mixture of white, yellow and red onions and are some of the best onions that I have ever tasted. There are way too many for us to eat and some have been given away to anybody that will take them.

I also had some carrots, radishes and beets growing in this same bed but those are all gone. The bush beans and cucumbers have also sprouted and will be making their way up the trellis.

I've expanded the garden to the long bed along the wall here. These are 3 pepper plants that were put in. The posts were hammered into the ground about a foot and it sticks out just around 3 feet. I have loosely attached it to the posts and will keep tying it up.

Well, this is it for now but there are a few more photos for you. I have too many pictures to put into a single blog post.

I will try to be back soon!

Luis

The Flickr set for this update can be found HERE!

Farm Update!

2012-02-06T19:54:00.000-08:00

Hello out there! I am back with a post with photos! My first photo is of one of the many corn seedlings that have sprouted! I read about Blue Jade Corn in my Sunset Magazine issue from a few months ago. I went online and ordered from Seed Savers. I ordered a few other things as well but this was the main reason for the order. The corn is only supposed to be 3 feet tall with 3-6 ears per plant. I don't know how well it will turn out, but we'll see.

Of course, seeds have been started indoors and are slowly being acclimated to the outdoors. I have moved out many of the seedlings in the actual tray and have transplanted them into yogurt cups. I have started more seeds in the spaces that were opened up. There is no sense in leaving the area empty. Besides, I feel like I am running behind this year already.

I've dedicated a full 3x3 bed for the blue jade corn but also have started more seeds in trays in case not all of the seeds in the bed germinate correctly.

I sowed some root veggies in the Fall and they are doing fantastic. The photo shows some beets with gorgeous tops. I'm not sure if the tops are edible but they look amazing. This bed also has newly planted onion bulbs. Red, white and sweet onions take up most of the bed and those have started to show signs of life. There is also a small batch of carrots that were planted with the beets and these are looking look too.

We've also got fava beans growing in the garden this season and I have no idea what to expect. The seeds for these came from the seed packets that my mother in law gave me. We don't know what we are going to do with all of these beans but I'm sure they will not go to waste.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

The last photo shows my brand new babies from the nursery. I have a dedicated bed for strawberries but it is only about half full. I will be adding these seedlings once they grow up. I know that once I get them into the ground, they will take off and I can't wait.

This is it for now and I hope to update more often.

Luis

This week's photos can be found here.

Farm Update!

2012-01-08T22:52:00.000-08:00

Hello out there,

I'm back with another post without photos but I am hoping to have them for the next update. I have been working hard on the farm. I've added more beds but at half the height of the original ones and attached bird netting to keep the cats out. I could use chicken wire but it is more expensive to replace every year.

Seeds were started last week and almost all of them have sprouted. Most of the seeds I started indoors were the ones that my mother in law brought over that had been packed for 2009. I started them last Monday and most had sprouted within 3 days. I don't know how they had been stored before but they seem to be doing great.

While out searching for more bamboo poles, I found large bags of onion bulbs, and more seeds. I ended up buying a bag of red onions, sweet onions and I believe white onions. Seed packets included bright lights swiss chard, brussel sprouts, and a few others.

Not much else to talk about for this update. I hope to have pictures for the next update.

Luis

Holiday Update: 12/25/2011

2011-12-25T08:58:00.000-08:00

Let me start by saying "Happy Holidays" to everyone! I know I haven't posted an update in a while and there is more than one reason for it. The main reason is that I have been working full time and haven't had any extra time. The other reason is that the garden is pretty bare and all the updates would be identical and simply boring.

The only things really growing are radishes. It is nice weather but not warm enough to really be able to grow much without a greenhouse or row cover. I made covers for the structures that protect the beds but not really using them. I guess I just am a bit worn out this year and not much grows this time of year other than greens.

I have plans to add more beds and more structures for next year. I wanted to keep an area of the garden for direct in-ground sowing but even a 6 inch raised bed helps for keeping the cats out. I'm working it out in my head and will soon do it on paper. I just think that beds make things much easier for planning and planting.

I am working on the garden plan for next year and have many yogurt cups ready for young seedlings. The compost is looking good and will be great for the soil. I hate it but I may need to buy some potting mix for transplanting seedlings. I will be probably be buying a couple of garden soil bags. I don't buy anything fancy and just need some filler in the beds. The compost is great but I only have so much of it and needs to be spread out. Another large bin like the one I already have would be great but they are not cheap. We'll have to wait and see.

My mother in law was given tons of seed packets and brought them over and I am now the proud owner of 25 seed packets. The catch is that these seeds were packed for 2009 and I don't know how they were stored. I will be starting these early to see if they will actually germinate and will try to save newer seed from the plants that do grow.

Well, that is pretty much it for now but I will be updating if anything changes.

Luis

Farm Update: 11/12/11

2011-11-13T00:42:00.000-08:00

We start this week by showing the bed that was moved over from behind the garage. I had a spot planned for it but some tomato plants needed to be taken out. I couldn't wait and I was looking for something to do. I ended up putting it on the opposite end of the garden. I even pulled out the last pieces of landscape fabric I could find. I also had a large bag of mulch and that was added as well. I can always add smaller beds in the covered area. I would just need to move the mulch over and place the bed on top of the landscape fabric.

The strawberry bed is the one sticking out from the bottom left of this photo and the plants are growing well in it. I will probably be adding more strawberry plants once Spring rolls around. It will help fill up the bed a little faster and more berries are always a good thing.

Next bed has a single cucumber plant that will start growing up the massive trellis. We are hoping to have some cucumbers from this plant, but we'll have to wait and see. I don't have anything else planted in this bed but may be adding something this coming week. I have many seeds that could be added but it will not easy to choose.

The plant looks fairly healthy at this point and will hopefully stay this way. I believe these are Straight Eights. We had some of these during the early part of the summer and they were tasty.

The garden right now still looks pretty good considering the weather has gotten colder. There hasn't been much change since the last update and everything looks pretty much the same. The only real difference is the new bed and the seedlings have grown a bit.

I know I normally have more photos but I'm keeping this one short.

I will be back next week and will be back with more photos but this week's photos can be found HERE!

Luis

Farm Update: 11/06/11

2011-11-07T16:09:00.000-08:00

Another week has passed and that means that it is time for another update. The established plants haven't made a huge change but seedlings have started to emerge. The first photo shows the little change that has occurred, but there is something new in the garden.

The two beds on the right have simple pvc structures with bird netting attached and they do a great job of keeping the cats out. I have already created covers for these structures from large, thick trash bags for those frosty nights. I know there shouldn't be too many in this area but you never know what may come our way.

I mentioned new seedlings have sprouted and here is the proof. These happen to be radishes but they are not alone. The two small beds along the wall have white swiss chard, lettuce and more radishes that have also sprouted. There may be some radishes ready from these beds soon.

Enough about seedlings, and on to tomatoes.

Yes, you read that correctly. Tomatoes are still going and no sign of slowing down yet. I have been harvesting tomatoes a little early and allowing them to ripen on the window sill in the kitchen. I do this to allow the plant to put all of its energy into producing more and larger fruit.

These specific tomatoes have been picked and are ripening in the kitchen.

I am now also growing marigolds from seed, at least trying to in the bed behind the garage.

The last shot for this update is of that bed. It has been raining lately and the bed is soaked but not much can be done. I am thinking of moving that bed into the main garden area. I won't be able to until the bamboo structure is taken out and that won't be out until I pull the tomato plants attached to it. For now, it will stand alone.

I will be back with another update soon enough. The photos for this update should hold you over until next time. Those can be found HERE.

Luis

Farm Update: 10/31/11

2011-10-31T23:56:00.000-07:00

We've had more than a few blooms from the flowers out front and this is another beauty. There are more out there and more are on the way. We didn't know what kind of flowers they were when we moved in, 2 years ago today, but have loved every bloom since.

There hasn't been a huge amount of change from last week but there are a few new pieces in the garden.

Let's get started...

This is the first row cover/ cat shield that I came up with and it seems to be doing the trick pretty well. If you have been reading my recent blog posts, this is the same structure that had the blue cover on it. The blue cover was actually a plastic table cloth that I found in the garage but it just wasn't working for me. The Southern California weather is great for gardening and the need for row covers is not always as great as it is in other parts of the country. Anyways, the pepper plants were basically being steamed inside of this thing and not doing much good. I know it is hard to tell but it has been covered with bird netting and it seems to be doing the trick. I decided to do it this way because it helps shield from critters leaving a nice present and doesn't cook the plants. When it does get cold, I can just put a blanket over it at night or some other covering.

These 2 large tomato plants dominate this side of the garden. but we can see the small raised beds along the wall and a few other plants. There is a 2x2 brick bed, from this angle, next to the tomatoes, with a cover made from pvc and chicken wire. This small bed/area is currently empty and may stay that way for a while. The large tomato plants shade out this area and not much sun gets through.

The other tomato plants in this shot are the main producers for now. They are still pumping out some delicious tomatoes. I don't know how much longer they will hold out but I am in no hurry to pull them.

The small beds are showing life and we may have some harvesting soon.

The larger plants in this bed are the radishes. I can't remember the variety but I do remember it is only 29 days for these radishes. I know they aren't getting all of the sun they should be and they may take a little longer but that is fine with me.

There are quite a few other things that are also coming up in these two beds. We have carrots, lettuce, and possibly beets already showing signs of life. The other thing coming up are tomato seedlings, but I don't remember planting tomatoes in these beds. I did mix in some compost and that could be the source of the seeds.

Here is the same overview shot you see in every update. As you can see, there has not been much of a change. Peppers and tomatoes keep producing. The biggest changes have occurred in the last two beds on the right. The once covered up with the yard guard, now has the pvc cover that is shown on the last one and I have built another cover for that last bed. The cover was moved over because the yard guard wasn't allowing the cucumber plant to grow. I gives the plants more breathing room. I am excited that the strawberries seem to take up more space in the last bed. I have picked a few strawberries and they are little delicious snacks.

The last shot for this update is one of the lonely raised bed behind the garage. It was mostly cleared out and left like this for a while. I left all the cages and bamboo in it in order to keep the cats out but I spent some time today cleaning it out totally and started over. The bed has been replanted with a large portion of the seeds I harvested from the marigolds. I also tossed in some sunflower and wildflower seeds. I don't know how it will go, but we'll just have to wait and see. Once the planting/seeding was done, this was covered up with the yard guard.

Well, we have come to the end of this update. Stay tuned for the next one.

Luis

Find the rest of the photos for this update HERE!

Planned Garden Upgrades

2011-10-31T20:58:00.000-07:00

The garden this year has been productive but it still needs a little work. I am trying to put a list together of all the upgrades I think/believe I need. I know there are people out there that may have had similar ideas and I would love some feedback.

Upgrades needed/working on:

1. Finish building covers for raised beds and in-ground garden area.

2. Possibly more raised beds.

3. Cleaning up small area along wall and possibly put in small raised beds.

4. Find items for trellis building.

5. Suggestions??

I may end up adding or removing items from this list.

Luis

Farm Update: 10/23/11

2011-10-24T10:17:00.000-07:00

As you can see, the tomatoes are still hanging on. This is one of the handful of tomato plants that are still producing. These specific tomatoes will be cooked and eaten tonight. Many tomatoes have been already eaten/given away but we have no issues with more fruit.

All but one plant, in the back bed, was pulled except for one. I originally filled this bed with only compost and it has been broken down over the season. The soil looks great and will be amended with more compost. I was thinking of moving this bed out to the main part of the garden but there isn't enough room. Some tomato plants would need to be taken out.

I am not sure what I can grow back here but I may just toss in some flower seeds and see what happens. The tomato plants back here didn't produce as much as hoped but I can always try different things.

I am happy to report that the small beds, along the wall, have started showing signs of life. There are many seedlings that have come up but I am expecting many more. These beds include some greens and root veggies. These are the beds that my dad help built and he's excited to see what comes out of it. I promised him I would share.

There are many kumquats on the tree and they will all be enjoyed. I haven't gone through and counted the young fruits but let's just say that we will have more than enough,. Of course, my wife is ecstatic about it and can't wait. When we bought the tree, it had tons of fruit on it but have only been able to eat 1 kumquat. I moved the tree into a very large container, put it in the shade, and started watering it more often. It's funny how much difference a little attention makes.

The last photo for this week, shows a poblano pepper plant. This is one of 3 pepper plants under the stand-alone row cover frame. The peppers aren't really large but they do the trick.

This brings me to my next garden project.. I am looking to build pvc frames with some bird netting. This will hopefully keep the cats out and allow the plants to get bigger. I can always put blankets or anything else on top if the weather gets a bit cold.

This is it for this update and the corresponding photo set can be found HERE!

Luis

Farm Update: 10/16/11

2011-10-16T23:09:00.000-07:00

We start this update with a shot of the small harvest from this weekend. The eggplants were a very nice surprise that were found hiding on the plant. There are many more fruits on the plant and we hope to enjoy as many of them as possible. This year has been a little low on the eggplant, especially after last year's bounty.

The tomatoes supply for this year is slowly winding down but there is a steady supply of them still. The pepper plants are still producing as well and still look good.

Here are the main beds of the garden and they are still kicking for the season. The bottom right plant is the massive eggplant I was just talking about. Also in this shot, pepper and tomato plants.

The bed with the yard guard over it has cucumbers, bush beans, and few root veggies. The seedlings seem to be growing fine with the warm weather. I just hope it will continue for a while and helps get the plants get to a decent size. I don't know how much it will produce, or if it does, but there is only one way to find out.

The whole garden is show here and everything is seen. We'll start on the right with the blue, stand-alone, row cover. This one is built with pvc, a few fittings, plastic tablecloth and some duct tape. It is a stand-alone unit that will be properly installed at some point.

More tomato plants and pepper plants around it. Like you just read, the beds are still kicking. The last bed on the right is my strawberry bed and it has started to look good. There are plans to have structures put into the beds that will be used to keep the cats out.

The last shot for this week is the tomato plant in the bbq structure. I have grown potatoes in this "planter" and had some success but this tomato plant is doing much better. Large fruits have come from this plant and it continues to produce. When I transplanted this plant into it, I sure didn't expect the amazing results.

I will be back soon with another update and will be posting more photos.

The photos for this update can be found HERE!

Farm Update 10/04/11

2011-10-02T11:45:00.000-07:00

I am back this week with more photos and news from the "farm". Two new small beds were built an added to the growing number of beds. There are sprouting seeds already and more are on their way.

As you can see, I have cat-proofed the beds by covering them and added bricks to help hold it all down. I am using an accordion like fence and 6 of the metal squares that came from a tomato cage I took apart. I bought pvc to assemble row covers for all the beds but haven't gotten there yet and this is a great solution for now.

These beds are 1.5 foot x 3 feet and sit along a shared wall. The other side of the wall is the neighbor's drive-way. The construction for these is the same as the larger beds but just smaller. I filled these with grass clippings from the compost bin and some store bought garden soil. The actual soil is only a few inches deep. I mixed everything and then just planted. I must say that without help from dad, these may not have been finished in the speedy time that it was. So, thank you dad!

Cucumber seeds were also sowed and they have already sprouted. Also in the same bed, bush beans have sprouted. I know it is really late in the season but the weather here doesn't cool down for a while. I have only taken out the tomatoes from the one bed and a 2 pepper plants. The plants weren't doing well and needed to go.

The recently planted varieties have a maturation date of less than 60 days and may give us some much needed cukes. We ate 3 or 4 this year but want more. I think we are mater'd out.

As you can clearly see, the growing has definitely not stopped this year yet. The bed on the left has one plant that really stands out. This is a yellow pear tomato plant and this one plant has been producing at a steady rate. This bed also houses a bell pepper and a banana pepper plant. This has been the only banana pepper plant all season and we can't keep up with it! We've given away peppers like crazy from not only this plant but all of the green bell plants as well. I may not plant so many bell peppers this Spring. Yes, I am already thinking of next Spring.

This is a shot of the tomato plants that are left of the season, and these 5-6 plants are keeping us stocked. I gave some tomatoes to my mother in law and a friend last night. We are free of tomatoes for now, although I'm pretty sure that there are some in the fridge. As you can see, there are more tomatoes on the plants and I just harvested a handful of them.

We have been blessed with very large amounts of fresh organic produce from a 100 square foot garden, and the season is not really done yet! I plan on getting more intense for next Spring and do more successive planting. I am also adding more beds to the garden and "finishing" up the landscaping. I don't think I will ever be "done" with the garden but better organization is always a plus. I am also looking for more places to put a few small beds around the yard. I am also planning on expanding my berry library. I've already got strawberries but plan on adding blueberries for sure.

The last photo of this week shows one of the many seeds that have sprouted in the small beds. Of course, I will now include the new beds in the updates and will be sharing the joy with my dad. He was happy to know the progress that has already occurred in only a week.

Until next time!

Luis

This week's photos can be found HERE!

Farm Update - 9/18/11

2011-09-18T12:16:00.000-07:00

I'm back! I know It has been a while from the last update and that is mainly due to taking a nice long vacation. This vacation was to Alaska and it was worth every penny. I will be posting photos on Flickr and will be posting about it on my photography blog.

In order to keep the garden going while being away, I put in a irrigation/drip system with a timer and it worked wonders. The plants made it through and produced well, at least that's what my mother in law told me. She was gracious enough to come over and make sure everything was going well, not only in the garden but in the rest of the yard. The lawns also had sprinklers set up on timers and the small amount of rain didn't hurt.

The black hose goes to the drip system and the green hose is for the sprinkler in the backyard. The system wasn't horribly expensive and it got the job done. It took some work to get it in but well worth the money and effort for it.

The strawberry plants seem to be enjoying their new home. These were added before the trip, and have grown to almost twice the size. There are young strawberries on the plants and will hopefully be plentiful. I currently have a small roll of yard guard over the bed, to keep the cats out, but planning on installing row cover with some pvc pipes. I want to not only keep the cats out, but also give them more room to grow up, and shelter from the strange weather patterns.

I plan on doing the same thing with the other 4 beds and on more beds that are planned. I actually have more "upgrades" that I am planning for the garden and I will probably be doing a post about that.

The lonely bed behind the garage still has tomato plants in it and it is not giving up. The plants have gotten pretty big and are still producing a good amount of tomatoes. These are really green but I'm sure they will ripen up nicely. I have been thinking of moving this bed out to the main garden but I need to remove other plants in order to fit it in and I'm not ready just yet. Besides, I've already pulled all the tomato plants in my main tomato bed.

On to the beds! We can start with the bed on the right with the yard guard over it. This was the main tomato bed but it is empty for now. I will probably be adding some beans. cukes or even squash for the fall. I know there is still another month or so of good heat and if I put in plants with short maturation dates, I can still get a decent crop before the fall plantings.

The other two beds still keep producing great tomatoes and peppers but the eggplants have slowed down a little. All of the plants have gotten bushier and bigger while we were gone and there were branches everywhere had delicious organic produce. We can't eat all of it fast enough and I will be dropping off a few things with my parents later today. Although, I've gotten my mom into growing her own veggies and she has large amounts of tomatoes.

There is one more bed that is not visible in this one shot but that is the one with the strawberries in it. It is further to the right, next to the covered up bed. Like I said before, I'm leaving the strawberries in there for now and will see/report how those go.

The last photo for today show one of the many kumquats that have appeared on the dwarf tree. The tree itself has gotten about 6 inches taller. It didn't have any fruit on it before the trip and it is great to see it finally producing again. I guess all it needed was more water than what I was giving it. It was added to the end of the drip system and it moved to an area where it would get a little more shade.

I will be back next week with another blog post.

Luis

Here are the photos for this week's update: Flickr

Weekly Farm Update! 8/21/11

2011-08-21T15:12:00.000-07:00

I am very glad that the weekend is finally here and I can share a few photos from the "farm".

The tomatoes are still the dominant veggies producing fairly well in the garden. The season is slowly winding down but is still warm enough for these beauties to put out. Harvesting has been scaled back a bit but it continues nonetheless.

Last week, I talked about moving a raised bed from behind the garage to the main garden and I may move the second one. There are a couple of plants back there that are still producing but will be moved for the new season. I want to clean up and have it ready for the fall season this year but I now I am running a bit late on that.

There are needed upgrades for the farm and I am slowly trying to get through them. The drip/irrigation system will, hopefully, be done tomorrow. The main line was put in a few weeks ago but has not been finished. I need to attach the sprayers and attachments to it.

The left half of the garden will soon have more raised beds. The cats are getting to be to much of a hassle and raised beds will be useful, as long as certain things are added to the beds. I'm planning on using pvc pipes to a make mini hoop-house for each bed. I'm not sure what to use as the covering and I am open to any ideas. So, please make suggestions.

Of course, more plant support is necessary. The tomato plants this year have gotten fairly large and they had to be trimmed back quite a bit. The large pvc trellis has been great for the yellow pear tomatoes and it seems to be holding up fine.

Here is a shot of the area behind the garage with the lonely raised bed. I will save it from its despair and move it over soon. The area with the chicken wire being held by bricks is where the other bed was moved from and it may be planted with something.

The plants that are still back here are setting fruit but not as much as its counterparts that get full sun, but they do ok. You can see the drip system tube going through here but I'm not sure if the bed back here really needs it. The soil stays fairly moist and not much watering is needed anyway.

The newly relocated bed had some strawberry plants put into it but will be filled in shortly. I have a larger container with more strawberries that will probably be put in here. I put these in by themselves to see how they did and they seem to be doing fine. I didn't want to run the risk of losing all of them at once.

The last photo for this week is of my wife's Nagami kumquat tree. This is a dwarf version and has been doing well in a container. This one requires a lot of water as the sun can dry out container plants much easier. I will be attaching the drip system to water this too.

That is it for this week and I will be back with more updates soon. There is not that much going on in the garden right now. I hope to be doing a separate post on putting in the needed upgrades and a few other things.

Until next time!

Luis

You can find the rest of the photos for this week's update HERE!

Weekly Farm Update: 8/15/11

2011-08-15T22:01:00.000-07:00

I am now figuring out that Monday night updates may be the better option. We have been so busy, on the weekends, that there is only enough time to take some photos and edit them but not much more. We'll see how I do as time goes on but it is time for some photos and a treat at the end!

Our first shot this week is a plant near the garden that has gorgeous orange blooms. I'm not sure what it is called but I know it has "lion" in the name somewhere. I trim it down every year and it keeps coming back.

The pepper plants in this bed are not looking so hot but they don't appear to be dying, at least too badly. I also tossed in some beet seeds and some of those have already sprouted. I also had an onion growing in a cup and it seems to have taken root and it is larger everyday.

The pin-wheel helps hold the chicken wire in place and adds a little color to an otherwise, dull bed.

The beds look pretty much the same but continue to put out peppers and tomatoes. The end of the season is not too far away and I'm already planning the needed upgrades. Another large bed is planned where the small brick beds sit. The brick beds seem to be doing fine, but I just want something a little more stable and unified.

I've already added another 3x3 bed into the main garden and there was no actual building necessary!

I was checking on the beds, that are behind the garage, and dug around a little to see if any other seedlings were popping up. I dug in a corner of the bed and realized that it was pretty much soaked all the way through and fairly cold. As it turns out, the sun doesn't really get enough back there for anything to really grow, except for radishes.

I grabbed the shovel and mixed the soil to air it out. Of course, this was done only after all the radishes had been pulled. I then filled up a trash can with about half of the soil and moved it over to the new area for this bed, which is on the end of the garden nearest to the patio.

Next came the chore of moving the wooden bed itself but that just lifted straight up with no issues. The new area was leveled and cleaned up. The recycle bin was the next thing dragged over and all the cardboard and newspaper went down first. The bed was set on top and was filled with a new bag of garden soil, grass clippings/compost and the wet soil from the trash can. A little mixing followed and a roll of yard guard was placed on top to keep the cats out.

The photo shows the bed in the original space it was placed but all that is left is just soil with a large pice of chicken wire that is held down with bricks. I don't want the cats getting into that either. I'm not sure what I will do with the area but I may toss in some flower seeds. The other bed in the photo is still there but that too may be moved into the main part of the garden. I wanted to keep open area in the garden for direct in ground planting but it is a pain to keep messing with chicken wire. I already have some ideas as to how to keep it cat free.

The last photo for this week is one that shows off on of the many Poblano peppers for this season. These won't be clipped until they are large enough to be able to make stuffed peppers. I'm not sure if these will be any good but I will post the recipe if it does come to fruition.

For the first time ever, I am including a video in a post. This was shot with my new Canon T2i camera and I know it is fairly crude but I will hopefully get better at it. Don't freak out if you don't hear me speaking because I didn't say anything at all. This is a virtual walk-through of the current state of the garden. I hope you like it and will offer constructive criticism.

This is it for this week's update! You can find this week's update in photos HERE!

Until next time!

Luis

Weekly Farm Update: 8/7/11

2011-08-08T22:47:00.000-07:00

Welcome back to another week of updates. Yesterday we put down the main line for the drip / irrigation system for the plants in the yard.. My mother in law was kind enough to pay for a $40 kit that has pretty much all we need. The kit comes with 200 ft of tubing and it was wrapped all the way around the perimeter of the yard and then some. We will be putting in all the sprays and attachments to it. A timer will be set and manual watering will be minimal, at least that is the hope. Of course, I will be sharing all of that here.

As you can see, the strawberries are thriving in the pot and have sent out shoots looking for more room. I just need to find the room for it but I am thinking of adding another 3x3 to the main area of the garden. There is room on the end of the garden, near the patio. The drip system goes right over that area anyways, so nothing will really need to be moved.

The other biggest thing coming out of the garden this year, other than tomatoes, is peppers. Like I've said before, I promised my wife Banana Peppers last year but that didn't happen. I guess the plants know that and they are producing like crazy. Wait, I should say plant, we've only got 1 plant and we don't know what to do with all of them. They have been eaten fresh and cooked into different dishes but there are so many of them. I know we can probably pickle or can them but I am not ready to try my hand at that yet.

The raised beds are doing well and bursting with tomatoes and peppers. The yellow pear tomatoes are growing up the new trellis and it seems to be working fine. It is definitely much easier to harvest and allows for better air circulation.

Peppers, tomatoes and a few eggplants have come out of these three beds but they are not done producing yet. I did some light harvesting today but more needs to be down tomorrow. I'm not sure where we will find the room in the refrigerator but they will soon find homes.

The weather here has been funky here and the plants don't know what to do. They look like they've had enough and begin to wilt. A few days later, there is new growth and all of sudden, it is completely lush. There is so much green that it does not look like the same plant.

This has happened with this tomato plant and it has many small green fruits on it. I love Southern California for the longer seasons, but it is strange sometimes.

The last photo for this week is of a "mutant" yellow pear tomato. I looks like 3 tomatoes that decided to join hands to form a larger tomato. There have been many of these and they are eaten up just like the "normal" ones.

Til next week!

Luis

P.S: This week's photos are HERE!

Weekly Farm Update! 8/2/11

2011-08-02T23:53:00.000-07:00

I know I'm running late this week but there is a great reason for it. The weekend was spend in Yosemite and at the state fair. The snow was plentiful this year in the mountains which made for amazing waterfalls. I haven't had a chance to edit those yet but it should be up this week on my photography blog. (Link now added in sidebar)

Last week I mentioned some construction in the garden and here is a shot of it. PVC pipes and nylon netting were used to build a large trellis structure for the raised beds. Large for me is 6 feet tall by 9 feet wide. Each "square" is 3x5 feet and the extra foot was turned into feet.

I'm not sure how much weight it will hold but we shall see. For now, I have woven some of the yellow pear tomato plants and it seems to be holding up. I am planning to growing different things on it and will be sharing results here.

This is the bed in the back and the radishes are getting bigger everyday. The wife has already enjoyed the first radish and loved it. She did say that it was a little spicy and it emitted a strong scent. I'm not a fan of radishes but she loves them and that is all that matters.

This bed has more than just radishes and seedlings are slowly coming up. I'm not positive as to why this is happening, but it may just be the sun exposure. I know it does get sun but it may not be enough. Radishes are a cooler season crop and are fairly easy to grow. We'll see what happens.

This photo is to show off some lovely yellow pear tomatoes but also showing off the new trellis. Like I said before, I don't know how this new trellis will hold up.

The tomatoes this season have been plentiful and I hope to keep it this way for a little longer. I will see about planting the fall garden but I may cheat a little by running over to the nursery for some seedlings.

I am keeping it short this week but will, hopefully, be doing some work / chores in the garden and may have a larger update for next time.

Luis

This week's photos can be found HERE!

Weekly Farm Update: 7/24/11

2011-07-24T21:41:00.000-07:00

There was some construction done in the garden this weekend and some small injuries were sustained but nothing major. I will leave that news until next week.

First up is one of the beds from behind the garage. The radishes are getting bigger each day and some may be ready shortly. I haven't had as much growing from this bed as I was hoping, but we'll see how it turns out. The major growth has been radishes but bunching onions have also made an appearance.

I have said that the eggplants have been coming in but no real proof has been shown and that ends this week! These are 3 Black Beauties on one plant but the middle one has been clipped. There are about 5-6 fruits in the fridge right now and we are trying to figured out how to eat them. We grilled the first one of the season and thoroughly enjoyed it. We might be making a small eggplant lasagna or eggplant parmesan. They both sound amazing and we my try both.

Even after clipping one off, there are still another 3-4 on left on the plant There are also Front Runners have only put out one fruit, and is a little behind, but it may get more.

This is a tiny sampling of how many yellow pear tomatoes this one plant has on it. There are around 10 bunches on it and each bunch has 10-15 tomatoes on it. I have been enjoying these all season, but can't seem to eat them fast enough. I have 5-6 of these plants and they are all producing like crazy! The plants seem to have new branches all the time, but I've tried to keep them under control. I try to keep up on the suckers but they grow quickly.

The Early Girls are not fair behind on production and need to be harvest every other day or so. Each harvest brings in about a gallon size zip lock bag. Tomatoes have been given away to family, neighbors, friends and anybody else that comes by. My wife and I have also taken in bags in to work to share with co-workers.

We know we can be canning or freeze them, but find it easier to just give them away. I know canning is not difficult but we are taking it one step at a time. We may do it next year but we are just having fun with it for now. We enjoy the fresh and organic veggies right off the plant or vine.

I leave you this week with a big, happy bee I caught in a tree that is behind the garage. This tree was came with the house and has been trimmed down to almost nothing but it keeps coming back. It has gorgeous yellow blooms and brings some color to an otherwise monotone area.

I will be back next week for another update!

Luis

This week's update in photos is HERE!