State of the Garden

Today is July 16, 2008. My garden is at the cusp of exploding into full production. Yay!!

• The vining grape tomatoes have lots of little green gems on them. Yesterday I noticed some tinges of orange for the first time.
• The cucumber vines seem to be healthy and have produced four really nice looking 4" cucumbers. They look to be perfect for pickling if I ever get enough to mature at the same time.
  
• The Box 1 cantaloupe seems to be well. I added two more strings for it to climb today. Like last year, it is seems to be the last to set fruit although it is flowering like crazy.
• I did three plantings of slenderette green bush beans. The first set has beans on them that I think will be ready to harvest in a day or 2.
  
• The zinnias are very healthy and have produced several nice blossoms. I think this is probably a keeper on the planting list. Plus the blooms last forever after they've been cut. I have had to stake them to keep them from leaning over on the beans.
• Again this year, the celosia is a flop. If I remember correctly, they do look healthier than the ones last year, but they are simply not thriving. I keep daydreaming about the ones that Brian's grandmother had along the side of her yard that were waist high and beautiful. I don't know what the problem is.
  

Moving on to Box 2.....

• The cantaloupe seems to be well, as in box 1.
• The grape tomatoes have lots of little greenies on them as in box 1.
• The okra has produced 2 guys so far which have gone into the compost pile. I suppose if the timing is right I will throw them into a soup or something but I can't shake the image of the slimy mess DH and I had for dinner. It also had a really nice flower on it that I didn't get a chance to photograph. Hopefully there will be another one.
  
• The loofah is HUGE. It has grown to the top of the trellis and then all the way back down. There is one thing that looks like the start of some gourds, but I'm not sure. I really should figure out a way to extend the trellis for that guy. I wouldn't want to cut down on its production of awesome natural sponges!!
• The onions are doin fine and poking out.
  
• The roma tomatoes are also full of green goodness. There is no sign of red yet.
  
• The basil is good although crowded by the romas.
• The lima beans seem to be covered in what I imagine is rust. I was pulling off the young leaves that had spots on them but it got to where the poor things had no leaves. So I stopped doing that. I am hoping for the best and have prepared myself in the event we do not get to harvest any limas. I see only the slightest indication of baby beans.
  
• The lettuce produced and produced and produced. I neglected it too long as far as harvesting during a particularly busy work schedule. I think it might be close to the end for fresh greens. The aphids seem to be gone though.
•