Most of the tomato transplants were started from seed but I did purchase a few seedlings to add to my home grown tomato plants. So I don’t know if the imports were the source of the contamination or if the blight found its way into my plot from neighboring gardens.

Looking Back at the Summer’s Heirloom Tomato Harvest

In total, there were about a dozen heirloom tomato varieties growing in the garden last summer, and they were all trained on a new trellising system designed to handle anything the vines could pile on. The plants looked pretty promising at first, and then slowly declined as signs of tomato blight began to appear and spread.

I allowed the disease to run its course and didn’t make any futile attempts to control or eliminate it. Some plants suffered more than others, but all of them yielded fruit regardless of how sad and pathetic their vines looked.

A number of the tomato plants seemed to rebound slightly as the summer progressed, and others like Matt’s Wild Cherry barely seemed to notice that the blight had come calling. Overall, I’m sure the production was reduced but I was still handing out plenty of tomatoes to grateful coworkers.

Looks can be Deliciously Deceiving with Heirloom Tomatoes

It didn’t take family and friends long to realize that the saying about beauty being skin deep applies quite nicely to heirloom tomatoes. Those very strange looking, dark-colored tomatoes with the rough green shoulders were passed over initially in favor of the normal looking bright red fruits.

But those “ugly” tomatoes that looked like they weren’t even fully ripened quickly became the most sought after of all the varieties that I grew last summer. I’ve always liked the dark heirlooms such as Black Krim and Carbon, but the Amazon Chocolate tomato has just moved towards the top of my personal favorite’s list.

Matt’s Wild Cherry was the small fruited tomato variety that I raised in the garden this summer, it was extremely productive, and stood up well to the tomato blight, but I’m still searching for a cherry tomato variety that compares favorably to Sungold!

Those New “Cage-Free” Tomatoes were a Huge Success

The tomato trellising system was a big success and I’ll definitely be setting it up again next summer. The only improvement that I may toy with is using a slightly lighter gauge wire that is a bit easier to stretch tightly from one end to the other.

If you missed the details about this trellis and the video that I created about its simple set up, you can catch up by visiting the post titled; “New Tomato Trellising and Training System.” If you’re tired of the cages, towers, and other support devices, this trellising system comes highly recommended.

It hasn’t been that long since I picked the last juicy, vine-ripened, heirloom tomato, but I’m already looking forward to next season and making plans to grow an even better crop. I’ll be fine tuning the list of varieties and searching for new tomatoes to trial in the garden.

And hopefully the next time around that tomato blight will be nowhere to be found!

That is until yesterday evening as I ventured out into the backyard to take some photos. Then I noticed what looked like something had been digging in a couple of places in one of the raised beds, but I thought nothing of it until it finally hit me… “those are DEER TRACKS!”

A Disastrous Discovery in the Fall Vegetable Garden

From that moment everywhere I turned there were obvious signs that what looked like an entire herd of deer had been partying in the garden all night long! So much for my ideal growing conditions; deer have a quick way of ruining all that.

It wasn’t a dream, but I can still hope it was a fluke and that these deer were simply lost, got turned around and decided to check out the garden before returning to their usual feeding grounds. After all I am smack dab in the midst of a residential neighborhood!

Guess I’ll count my blessings that the damage wasn’t major and they even spared me the effort of pulling up a couple of beet roots. Seems like they were only interested in the beet leaves, Swiss Chard, and the pepper plants, but didn’t bother with much of anything else. Hopefully they won’t be returning anytime soon.

A Look at the Brighter Side of What’s Growing in the Fall Garden

It’s not all bad news in the garden as the following photos will show you that things are still green and growing in spite of the fact that the calendar shows November is only a few days away.

A few straggling blackberries continue to ripen despite the season and cool temperatures that have arrived in the fall garden.

A colorful and attractive mix of marigolds, nasturtiums, kale, parsnips, and Mexican Sage creates a nice backdrop between the raised beds and a perennial herb garden.

Ornamental kale and cabbage plants get better with age and as colder temps brighten their colors.

As hard as they tried, the deer were unable to eat all of the Swiss Chard, which continues to yield plenty of fresh, leafy greens.

Frost has spared the eggplants and peppers just long enough for me to collect one final harvest from an assortment of heirloom varieties.

I’ll wrap things up by saying once again that if you love veggie gardening but have never tried growing a fall vegetable garden; you are missing out on one of the absolute best times of the year to enjoy your garden!

Here is Trish’s account along with a special request for crop recommendations from any experienced gardeners out there; particularly if you have grown vegetables in an arid climate:

Vegetable Gardening Successes and Challenges in the Mediterranean

As a fledgling veggie gardener, I love your gardening secrets newletters! They’re great and give me a host of information. Our Mediterranean climate is perfect for growing almost everything but I’ve not been able to grow anything for years – a total failure.

Now, with your help, I have tomatoes and eggplants in raised beds and I’m planning asparagus and blackberries although I have to take sun and heat and very limited water into consideration.

Our latest challenge is the newly issued water limitation for every household to 2.5 cubic meters of water per person per month. And that includes showers, toilets, gardens, washing machines – the lot! SO I have to find edible, drought resistant – nay drought loving plants. Now there’s a challenge!

Do you know anyone who might be able to help? I do use mulch and drip irrigation. However, winter is on its way (lowest temperatures 8 degrees centigrade) and hopefully, rain. So the pressure will only be on next summer and until then I might be able to prepare myself. Thank you and shalom.

Embracing Wild Edibles to Tame Unfriendly Climates and Conditions

Shalom to you Trish! Have you considered introducing some edible weeds and native plants into your landscape? I would bet there are edible plants that grow wild in your climate and that they are capable of producing routine harvests with no assistance from any gardener.

Here in the Northeastern U.S. there are fruits like blueberries and blackberries that grow wild but can also be cultivated in the backyard garden. Likewise for edible weeds like lambsquarters, purslane, and dandelion; each of which is available in cultivated varieties that are even better served and enjoyed at the dining table.

If a plant grows wild in a particular region, it’s guaranteed to have the growth characteristics, hardiness, and some natural resistance to the localized pests and weather conditions. Those features would make it even easier for these wild edibles to flourish in the comfort of a garden in spite of a harsh growing environment.

Recommendations for Cooperative Veggies that will Grow Well in Israel

Are you aware of any wild edible plants in your region that could also be raised as garden crops? If so, you could include them in the veggie garden to supplement your other crops and to provide some insurance anytime the less hardy cultivated plantings fail.

Trish just followed up with me to add the following… “I do have rosemary, lavender, shiba (artemisia) and sweet geranium (we put in tea) none of which require a lot of water and when pruned during the summer spring back in the winter like crazy. But there must be other plants and I’ll ask around.”

Can anyone recommend drought loving edible plants that would be suitable for growing in a Mediterranean climate? If you have any suggestions or ideas that may be useful to Trish please leave them in the comment section located below. Thanks!

The format change didn’t come without a few headaches and challenges, so if you are a subscriber who didn’t receive an issue during September check your spam filter or verify your subscription’s status by visiting the sign up page.

Your Feedback on the Revised Newsletter Format is Welcomed

Please let me know if you have any difficulty viewing the updated newsletter format, or if there is anything that I can do to make improvements. I plan to send the newsletter out on the 20th day of each month and this revised format should help me to meet that goal.

In September’s issue the featured topic explored the many advantages backyard gardeners can reap by including a few perennial vegetables and fruits in their gardens. There are also simple tips to help make raising these plants a breeze, along with a Top Ten Edible Perennials line-up that no garden should grow without.

Surprises Galore Waiting in the Backyard Vegetable Garden

George Washington Carver may have discovered hundreds of uses for the peanut, but even he may have been surprised by the way that some gardeners are utilizing ordinary sweet potato leaves. Lulu shares all the surprising details in the latest gardening secret to be exposed in the newsletter.

Less of secret and more of a shock is the best way to describe what Rebekah discovered when she opened her compost bin recently. A little bit of research turned her disturbing find from disgusting to delightful as she finally recognized the good composting fortune that she had stumbled upon! She explains the entire ordeal adds a link to an entertaining follow-up.

What’s Next for the Newsletter and Veggie Gardening Website

The current issue of the Gardening Secrets Newsletter ends with a peek at future plans for some fall gardening video and anticipated uses of Facebook and Twitter both here at Veggie Gardening Tips and with the newsletter.

So make sure your subscription to the Gardening Secrets Newsletter is active to stay informed of the latest organic gardening tips and ideas and all the upcoming happenings planned around these parts. And if you haven’t added your name to the list of over 15,000 satisfied readers, then it’s time to head on over to the sign up page and start your free subscription today.

Okay, maybe Chicken Tractors aren’t for everyone or every garden, but even if your local ordinances prohibit keeping one in your backyard, you have to admit that it’s a pretty slick setup all the same!

Who Wants a Coop when a Chicken Tractor is in the Neighborhood

Chickens are the engine that powers this machine and can quickly reclaim an overgrown, weed and bug infested patch of ground and transform it into a cleared and fertilized area, all without the luxury of gasoline powered equipment and without back breaking struggles.

The tractor itself keeps the chickens in and predators out; if things work as planned! There is screening on the top and sides, but the floor is open so the birds have freedom to forage to their heart’s content. Nesting boxes and shade cloth or enclosures provide shelter from the elements as needed.

Following are a few photos taken at the Virgin Islands Sustainable Farm Institute during a trip to St. Croix that I made earlier this year. You can see the chicken tractor in action and get a better feel for how it actually works:

Before - look at how thick and overgrown the weeds are before the tractor goes into operation, it’s definitely not a job you would want to take on with just a tiller or a hoe.

During - the chickens are happy and content as they go about the task of foraging greens and weeds, snacking on insects and weed seeds, scratching to loosen up the soil, and depositing chicken poop.

After - see for yourself the good job and difference that the chicken tractor has made in a matter of days. Now the entire process can be repeated in the next section of garden.

At any stage you can’t forget this handy accessory; here is the nesting box that will keep you in freshly laid eggs from your healthy and happy chickens.

Starting a Wish List for the Gardener who has Everything

I think these are so cool and really wish that I could have one in my backyard. Here is a link to a site containing a variety of chicken tractor photos and designs for anyone interested in building their own.

But be sure to check back with me, because I haven’t completely given up on the crazy idea of carrying a chicken tractor in my OpenSky Organic Garden Shop… if I can just figure out a way to stock and inventory those chickens! Stay tuned.

What has wings but doesn’t fly? And a set of wheels that never see the road? Its travel is limited to a distance that is measured by the number of feet per week, rather than the miles per hour that it covers!

No gasoline, electricity, or even solar batteries are needed to power this ingenious farm implement; so you could call it the ultimate in sustainability. And in spite of its amazing efficiency, it’s far from a slouch when it comes to performance…

This contraption will make short work of even the thickest tangle of weeds, and can cultivate the garden’s soil at the same time that it applies a layer of nitrogen rich organic fertilizer. Did I forget to mention that it also eliminates bugs, grubs, and the tiniest weed seeds?

If all that isn’t good enough for you, this hands-free device has an auto setting so that it works while you are off tending to other tasks. This baby can even be equipped with an optional attachment that will serve up breakfast if you’d like. So what do you think it could be?

I know I just have to get me one of these! Could one be stashed among all the other neat gadgets in the new Veggie Gardening Tips-OpenSky Shop? Hmmmm. You may think I’m exaggerating about this wonder, but you’d be wrong. For now I guess I’ll leave it up to your imagination to figure out the identity of this sweet dream of a green machine.

If you’re a master of organic farming and sustainable agriculture and already figured out the answer to this riddle, don’t be so fast to give it away. Let everyone else sweat and wrack their brains a bit over this one. You can just tease them with a response that you know the answer, or play along by adding a clue of your own.

So you know what to do… go to the comment section and jot down whatever you came up with as you read the riddle… and do it BEFORE reading what anyone else throws out there to confuse the matter.

Go ahead, I’ll give you some time and then return with the solution to this little gardening riddle. I’ll even share some photographs of this beauty in action to prove that I’m not making it up, and that such a device really does exist!

Heirloom beans are a fantastic crop for the backyard gardener, and if you’re a bit cramped for growing space pole beans allow you to go vertical in order to increase your yields even more. So here’s Barb from her small but productive garden in Northern Virginia:

Springing for an Economical Mix of Pole Bean Seeds

Hiya, Kenny! I am going to report on beans today. This is the first year I have dedicated space to pole beans. One was an early producer called “Spanish Music.” The second packet was a mix of three different beans. This is what I want to talk about.

I have never been a fan of buying mixed seeds. Oh, I’ll spring for salad mixes, of course, but really prefer one-per-package. I guess it’s the purist in me. BUT this small packet of three pole beans has turned out to be the best investment made.

Painting an Attractive Picture for the Small Space Gardener

You know I have an extremely small garden space. I put in maybe a dozen of each type of bean seeds, taking slightly more than six linear feet. The mix had white, red and brown seeds. They grew into a yellow wax type, a lovely purple string bean, and a green bean.

The other packet, Spanish Music is a wide, flat bean that can reach 10″ long and a full inch in width and still not be tough.  Here it is, mid September. This small allotment of space for pole beans produces three pounds of beans a week! They have outgrown the trellis by several feet, and I have to use a ladder to pick the upper reaches.

For the small space gardener, this type of mixed packaging can be a real money saver. One packet of three bean varieties, and I still have leftover seed. If I had bought three separate packets I would have more unused seed than I could use in years.

Using that Valuable Real Estate under the Bean Trellis

Underneath the bean trellis, the leeks are growing and the summer lettuces are giving way to the winter salad greens. Earlier this season you wrote about leeks not liking beans. Now I can tell you why…

Beans have an amazing root system. The leeks which are closest to the beans, and I mean within a foot of the bean row, are not as large as those which are three feet away. But the beans will come down and those leeks will be harvested last. We’ll see how they compare at the end of the winter.

Thanks for all your help and advice, hope this letter spurs someone else to take a chance on a small space garden.

Thank you Barb for sharing this great advice on growing pole beans in the backyard and for your perspective from a smaller sized garden. Pole beans are extremely easy to grow, very productive, and ideal for planting in the confined quarters of a small space vegetable garden.

That was the inquiry that I recently received from Samson in South Africa and it got me to thinking about growing mushrooms and the many ways that the task can be accomplished. I’ve posted a video about mushroom log inoculation, and wrote several articles on the subject including; Outdoor Mushroom Growing and Growing Mushrooms Indoors.

Cultivating Mushrooms on Straw in South Africa

But the following account that I received last month from Linus in Namibia demonstrates that the best way to go about growing mushrooms can vary greatly depending on your climate and the local resources…

Hi Kenny! Thank you very much for sharing the little knowledge I have with you. To answer on the comment raised about time of growing mushrooms…

Mushrooms can be grown throughout the year provided it is well maintained outdoors. Here one can use a black plastic sheet that can accumulate more heat and humidity during winter as on the picture attached. Hence, here in Namibia we are experiencing winter this time though it is coming to an end.

Growing mushrooms on logs sometimes doesn’t give a good flavour but it depends on the type of wood one is using. Here the customers don’t like that. I prefer to use rice straws, wheat straws, or wild grass that can be soaked in water to overnight or at least two to three days to ferment.

Then it has to be placed in a trench of one meter (width) by two meter (length). This should be a very thin layer at the first layer followed by the inoculated substrates and then another thin layer of fermented straws that will cover the spaces between.

Different varieties adapt to different temperatures otherwise, someone has to control the temperature. Hope you will get these tips useful and enjoy your mushrooms behind your house. Linus – Namibia

It’s Always Great to Have Options when Growing in the Garden

Mushroom kits and hardwood logs work well in my home and backyard garden, but they may not be the most ideal, economical, or resourceful method to use everywhere.

I purchase mushroom cultivation supplies from Fungi Perfecti, and I believe they sell and ship to other countries, but there may be other alternatives for you to explore just as the one shown here today.

It’s also great to learn different methods of doing things in case the need arises and in order to gain a better understanding of how the process works. I’m also always fascinated to see how others garden and grow things in other climates and foreign countries!

Many thanks to Linus for sharing his knowledge and expertise related to growing edible mushrooms with all of us here at the Veggie Gardening Tips website.