August 2012, New England

The mystery plant in the sfg is none of the veggies you mentioned. Looks like a flower or a a weed. I see at least one tomato looking plant in the pot. Can you detect that tomato smell?

Kay

Thanks. I will check for the 'smell' tomorrow as it is dark now. I didn't plant a tomato seed there, though. I know that much as I don't have any tomato seeds!

I will pull that 'weed' in the SFG then also.

Yep, the thing in the pot sure looks like a tomato!

Ok guys, I know his is supposed to be one of the hottest driest summers the northeast has ever had... But this has to be the coldest wettest August I can remember. Is anyone else experiencing the same thing? And it looks like its going to be this way all he rest of the month! I'm so upset because I don't think my melons or pumpkins will do anything is this cold cloudy weather.

That has not been my experience,w finally got rain a few days ago. We got the same amount of rain in 24 hours that we've gotten in the past 2 months. Rain is again in the forecast but it remains hot muggy August.

Ditto to Camps weather here on the Cape. I watered yesterday so we're having a rain shower at the moment but I don't have any hopes for accumulation. Mid 80's this week, may be closer to 80 next week.

Does anyone know if there are any studies showing a difference in veggie maturity using well water or rain water or city water?

CC

looks like at least one is tomato...maybe a basil? cause I thought I saw a smooth rounded leaf

CindiLou wrote:looks like at least one is tomato...maybe a basil? cause I thought I saw a smooth rounded leaf

Could the smooth round leaf be spinach or lettuce?

Possibly.
Kay

the first photo looks like a nettle, maybe. the second photo looks like tomato.

I have yanked what was apparently a weed from the SFG box. Still trying to see what, if anything 'real', is growing in the container.

So my cat has been collecting dead rodents outside the tomato box. I decided to leave them there to see if their decomposition would hasten my big tomatoes into ripening. Sure enough, 2 days later which was yesterday, they started blushing.

Do you think one had anything to do with the other?

CC

Haha CC, I never heard that one before. Who knows.

But I did wonder what chance my many green tomatoes would have of ripening before it's all said and done. I have a ton of greenies out there, and of course a few turn ripe every day, but the large majority are still green.

And then there's the many small (nickle-sized) peppers, and the eggplant blossoms and the squash blossoms and the cucumber blossoms and baby cucumbers - yikes. Sure hope they don't go into slow motion now that it's getting late in the season.

Yesterday I had no flowers on my cucumbers. Today there are three! Very excited. (Do I do anything?)

Also, I noticed a tiny sliver of a green bean forming on my plant.

Spinach is not going to germinate I guess so I guess I shall throw some more seeds into that square again! (Still time, right?)

Here is a picture of what is supposed to be DiCicco broccoli. Except my neighbor said it doesn't look like any broccoli plant she has ever seen....



See, there are little white flowers on it, too.

What do you all think? I planted broccoli in two squares and these two squares have the same plant growing in it. I hope I have not been nurturing another weed! I will be very frustrated if it is!

That looks like a mallow of some sort. Maybe a hollyhock. It is not broccol.i

Thanks. That is very upsetting as I nurtured that quite closely. So much for not getting weeds in the SFG! I have had quite a number of them. I suppose only time will give me the knowledge between weeds and the real stuff.

cpl100, yes, I agree. Time will help us to know what's what. A book with how sprouting veggies look would be most helpful. Altho, I guess I'm lucky in that I kinda know what my local weeds look like from perennial gardening for the past 3 years.

Today I planted squares of pak choi, radishes, 3 different spinach's, & lettuces - romaine/butter crunch/grand rapids. I may have to put the 'covered wagon' (which is my burlap shade cover) back up if it gets too hot next week, but this weekend is perfect for planting greens.

The tomatoes are ripening like crazy. I'm gobbling cherry ones as fast as I can and I've already started freezing some big ones. the leafy greens grow up again a couple days after we pick a bunch. The pole and bush beans are mad crazy and so yummy. Beets & carrots are tiny but the greens are good. I expect the cooler weather will help them to grow bigger. Chives and radishes are still keeping us fed.


All is well on ol' Cape Cod!

CC

Ruh roh George...all's not well in paradise. It appears that my cucumber plants are having a nutrient deficiency issue that I'm trying to rectify. Wish me luck.

Today I built a new box, 4x4x8. My shortest box to date besides the fenced in drawer I use as a lettuce nursery. I wanted the new one for lettuce and greens to freeze for winter, but I'm nervous about the rabbits being able to get into this one so I planted scallion seeds all around the edges.



Do you think that once they sprout, it will work as a rabbit barrier?

CC

I have been canning Gilbertie tomatoes most of the day, almost done with 30#; I have about another hour to go. Only 20# to left to deal with in this batch, but I am going to leave those for tomorrow.
I want chocolate

Any bets on when the first frost will be this year?

I've heard rumblings lately that first frosts are coming later, and maybe we aren't zone 5a anymore...

NHGardener wrote:Any bets on when the first frost will be this year?

I've heard rumblings lately that first frosts are coming later, and maybe we aren't zone 5a anymore...

I think you are now 5b. I am still in 5a. My guess is September 24.That being said, I still have not seen geese making their way to the south. And I spent last week in northern Vermont.

Well, if you look at the bright side, makes for a longer growing season...

How was the Bee-fest?

NHGardener wrote:Well, if you look at the bright side, makes for a longer growing season...

How was the Bee-fest?

It was AWESOME, but more on that later, just way too tired and waiting for the canner to be done.

Gilbertie tomatoes from my organic farmer friend. Got 'em for $1.50/lb, then he gave me an extra 15 pounds, so actually paid $1.15/pound (if I did the math correctly). Came home with 55#.


10 pounds peeled and cored


30# processed = 19 pints diced tomatoes and 8 pints juice.


I was away at a beekeeping conference last week just as my Rattlesnake beans were blooming. This morning I picked 6# off the 22 surviving plants in 8 square feet.

Beautiful beans! I was thinking the Gilberties were yours - guess not? I predict a few more SFGs next year.