BY SKEETER
Hello from my GEORGIA GARDENS! I hope you all are enjoying this wonderful summer as much as I have been thus far! Lower temperatures and weekly rain are keeping this gardener happy.
I had given up on planting a vegetable garden some time ago as they just do not do well for me. I am more of a Flower Gardener then anything.
But this year, we wanted homegrown tomatoes so I planted a few slips along with Red, Yellow and Green Sweet Pepper, Squash, Zucchini, Cantaloupe and Watermelon. Tomatoes are doing well.
My first attempt at Watermelon are doing well also!
The Saint and I ate our first picked Cantaloupes! Not as sweet as we prefer but to be expected with so much rain lately.
We picked a third Cantaloupe and many tomatoes to include some from volunteer plants from using composted soil. Ha, what a surprise to gaze upon my blooming flowers and spot tomatoes ready for picking!
Sad but not surprising to say, we lost the Squash and Zucchini as always. The Pepper have yet to do anything but bloom. Reckon the Bees are not doing their job of pollinating the Pepper plants....
Here is a mystery to us. This watermelon has begun to rot at the end. What causes this? I removed it from the plant and have placed it in an area for the wildlife to enjoy. I must say that I am ever so pleased to have grown my own HAPPY FRUITS, In the Garden...
Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team, In the Garden
What great produce! That one watermelon looks like it has some sort of furry/feathery critter on the end of it.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your happy fruits ~ FlowerLady
Yes a nasty end to that melon for sure...
DeleteWell that is a pretty good harvest. I think any fruit from a garden is a really great thing--especially the ones you don't have to plant. We've been lucky to get a ton of pumpkins I did not even plant, tomatoes, and even some squash. Hmmm, not sure on the watermelon fungus. Weird. I simply love cantaloupes home grown. They are the best. Yum! I expect you will get even more. If they are not totally sweet be sure to leave them on the vine until the stem easily separates from the melon--not a minute too soon or too late.
ReplyDeletePumpkins! What an interesting volunteer plant! Yep, I waited until the stems practically fell off the fruit before picking it. We have had so much rain that I think it was just a bit watery. The third one we picked is really sweet and we are enjoying it now... I am not sure about when the watermelon will be ready. Same Deal of let it fall off the stem???
DeleteDon't have a clue to the watermelon problem. It all looks good. I can't grow much here, no pollinators. A big difference from when we first moved here.
ReplyDeleteUpdate Lola: I spotted Green Peppers on the plants! So they are indeed pollinating for me just a bit slow to get to those blooms I reckon...
DeleteWe are still waiting for our first ripe big tomato here. Looks like your vegetable garden is a success, Skeeter! Usually the squash bugs get to my squash, but not this year--the squash and cucumbers have taken over my garden. I'm looking for more and more recipes to use up both:) I also have a mystery plant growing near the garage where I remembered throwing out some gourds after Halloween last year--I finally realized they are mini pumpkins! Hope they make it till Halloween.
ReplyDeleteYep, those nasty bugs got my Zukes and Squash yet again this year. Don't know why I bother planting them as I never have luck with them. I had great luck with both while living in Germany and yep, had to find new recipes as we had so many.... Like Tina and her pumpkins! A neat volunteer and Halloween will be here before ya know! Already seeing décor I the stores, lol.. Nothing like fresh tomatoes and I do not care for the store bought ones any longer. They are just not the same... Happy growing...
DeleteYou have a lot of good produce. Strange about the rotting watermelon.
ReplyDeleteI plan to blanch, peel and freeze a few tomatoes today! Also plan to make some sauces and chili for chili dogs! I am getting hungry just thinking about all the cooking I have ahead of me...
DeleteLooks great...my garden is very behind by probably 6-8 weeks of yours and our growing seasojn is done in another 6-8 weeks so i hope we get more fruits soon.
ReplyDeleteI gave up veggie gardening too as 45 years of weeding them was enough. Still if I could grow fruits as well as you did this year Skeeter.... I might have to reconsider. :)
ReplyDelete