pepperhead212's 2022 garden

[pepperhead212]

Since it is June, I figured I'd get around to putting my garden diary in, finally! I won't get all of it in, but at least you can get an idea of what's been keeping my busy.

Here' are most of the varieties - I tried to get the ones out that didn't work out, but there were only a few, fortunately. and all of my "extra" plants I gave to a friend - not a new gardener, but the family finally bought the property they have been on the last 4 years, when they were just gardening a little. Now, she has as much planted as me, or more, so she got the bug! Her son is the one that grew the 6' tall Death Spiral last year - this year, I started a Carolina Reaper for him.


* = new, to me
Here are the tomatoes - more new than old this year!

New varieties

Cherries and Grapes:

Amy's Sugar Gem
Green Grape
Red Grape
Tropical Sunset
Warren's Yellow Cherry (earliest to flower, and set fruit!)

Larger Varieties:

Brandyboy F2
Dad's Sunset
Nyagous Black
Oaxacan Jewel
Spears Tennessee Green
Surrender Indian Jewel
Orlov Yellow Giant?
Sunneva ? det

Peppers, however, as usual, I have a lot (though not as many as usual) of old varieties I have to grow, but only a few new ones:

NEW VARIETIES

Aruna
Kanthari, violet
Kanthari, white
Santaka - cluster Thai

OLD FAVORITES

Aji Dulce
Big Jim
Chocolate Habanero
Hanoi Market
Jalapeño M
Superchili
Thai Vesuvius

Eggplants did better than ever, so far:

New
Behold (looks like Neon?)
Green Knight
String

Oldies

Hari F2
Ichiban

Here are the Misc. veggies. Don't even have all those Asian greens in here, I've been eating while working on all these!

BEANS - all pole
Bhavna Long Valor bean*
Blauhilde
Blue Lake Pole
Thai red long

BITTER MELON
Big top*
Comet* No sprouts
Number One *

Pickling Melon*

BOTTLE GOURD
Bhim Long

BUTTERNUT
Polaris
also have Butterbush, I might plant

CARROT
Shinkuroda*

CUCUMBER
County Fair
Wisconsin 58
Sambar*

OKRA
Clemson Spineless 80*
Emerald
Little Lucy
Nirmal *

[pepperhead212]

I'll show the tomatoes, first, before I fall asleep! The seeds were started on 4-5, instead of the usual 4-1, as they usually get tall and leggy, by the time it's ready to go out, so I started them late. Here they are, hardened off:
6 tomatoes and 2 tomatillos in L tray, 36 tomatoes in R tray, hardening off, 4-30 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

They started growing really fast after planting on 5-1, and some of my later, larger tomatoes, were some of the earliest to flower! Brandyboy F2 and Oaxacan Jewel had flowered and set fruit before the end of the month. Of course, this has nothing to do with when they will ripen, but it is still really unusual.
Brandyboy F2, 5-31, showing one of the set fruits (maybe more), to the left of the main stalk. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

And Yellow Warren was the first of any to flower on 4-17, and had 1/2" fruit on 5-23. And these were not on stunted plants - they were growing like they were on steroids!
First tomatoes set in '22, on Yellow Warren. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Here's that same cluster a week later, with 8 fruits set, and 4 blossoms still!
First cluster of blossoms on Yellow Warren, 5-30, set every blossom so far. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Many more flowering and setting fruit - Sunsugar was slower, but we'll see what ripens first!

[imafan26]

I want to ask how you raise bell peppers. Soil, fertilizer, temperatures. Do you take off early fruit?
I have no problem with hot peppers, but the bell peppers do o.k. in the pots but aren't every big, but don't do well in the garden. The garden is, if anything, is over fertilized. But the peppers are small and the small fruit is touching the ground. Even the ones that have been in the ground for awhile, don't seem to be growing. If anything, they look worse.

[pepperhead212]

I never grow bell peppers! In the summer, they are very inexpensive around here, and, back when I tried them a couple of times, they would have thin flesh, plus they always got pepper maggots (this was before I learned about how to control them). I just grow some Big Jims or other mild large chile, to use instead of bells, or buy bells at a local farmer's market.

[pepperhead212]

Yesterday I got a heavy rain quickly, which washed much of the Surround off of everything. Today was a very nice day, once the humidity lifted (70 to 45 dewpoint!), and only 81° and breezy. I let everything dry, and mowed the lawn first. Then I trimmed the tomatoes, and re-directed some up the trellises, then sprayed the surround on the larger tomatoes, as well as the eggplants, cucurbits, okras, and a few other plants. As I was trimming the tomatoes I was finding more and more green tomatoes on the plants, and the Marion, which was the first non-cherry to ripen, the one year I grew it, has a 2" green tomato already! The Nyagous Black is the largest, so far, a little over 2", and those are also 2 of the largest plants.

Here's the row of larger tomatoes, before I started working on them.
The row of larger tomatoes, after the heavy rain washed off most of the Surround. 6-3 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Here's that row after I trimmed, re-directed some of the plants through the trellis, and sprayed the Surround. On the left, 5 of the butternuts starting to vine - still one growing under the WOW.
The row of larger tomatoes, after trimming, and spraying again with the Surround. 6-3 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

The ones going up highest on the trellis halfway down are those Nyagous Blacks.

[imafan26]

How do you deal with pepper weevils?

[pepperhead212]

These things are much like SVB - the eggs are layed on them, they hatch soon, and burrow in, in this case, into the fruits. The only way to stop them is to cover the pepper plants tightly, with very light Agribon, or tulle, to keep the pepper maggot flies off. I first did it with a hoop house, but that was for a lot more, and now I grow most in SIPs, and put the ones prone to them in one or two EBs, and cover with the fabric, sealed around the bottom with a bungee cord. The high humidity makes them prone to aphids - something I found a couple of days ago, when I noticed a bunch of ants around the base on the inside. I sprayed with a mix of neem oil and pyrethrins, which kills them immediately, and bees don't get inside, so I don't mind doing that. I'll look again this weekend, to see if they came back.

I found out that my problem with pepper maggots is that there is a native host plant that lives in wetlands - horse nettle - and there is a creek probably less than 100 yards from my garden! I also found out that they die off around the last week of July, or first week of August, to reappear next season. So I can uncover then, and I never see them. And fortunately, only milder, and certain other peppers attract them. How they know, I have no idea! Really strange...

[pepperhead212]

Here's a flatleaf parsley plant that grew through the entire winter, and finally starting flowering last month. There was a smaller one, too, but I pulled it, because together they would have shaded the entire patch! Here's that first swallowtail I saw on it, and that's probably less than half the plant in the photo! I left it for the swallowtail caterpillars, along with a bunch of dill I planted.
First swallowtail I've seen on the parsley, which has just opening flowers. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

And here's a pollinator I have hundreds of on that parsley plant, now that the tiny blossoms are starting to open. Anyone know what these are? I'm sure you have them too, apple, being so close. These are magnified some - you can figure out by the size of the parsley blossoms. I took over a dozen photos, but only 2 were ok - it was windy, and every time I'd take one, it would move! None of the photos with many on a cluster came out.
Miniature pollinators on parsley blossoms. 6-4 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Another parsley pollinator, 6-4 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

[applestar]

Hi pepperhead212

I was a little confused because as soon as I saw the excellent photos, I said “that looks like a carpet bug”

So I did a search to see if they actually live outside in the garden … and apparently they do — the ones in your pic are called “Varied carpet beetle”

Varied Carpet Beetle
The adult varied carpet beetle, Anthrenus verbasci, is about 1/10 inch long and black with an irregular pattern of white, brown, and dark yellow scales on its wing covers. In older adults, the scales that form this pattern wear off, so the beetles appear solid brown or black.

Outdoors, female beetles seek out spider webs or bee, wasp, or bird nests as places to lay their eggs. These nests and webs contain dead insects, beeswax, pollen, feathers, or other debris that can serve as larval food.

Carpet Beetle Management Guidelines--UC IPM
www.ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7436.html

(Oh darn this is an unsecured site — I can’t post a working link)

[pepperhead212]

Thanks apple - it did look like some sort of beetle, but that's all I could tell. I have never seen these indoors, so that surprised me that it is an indoor pest.

[pepperhead212]

This mint patch has been growing since sometime in the 80s. It was a weed, when I first bought the house, but I got rid of that (not quickly!), and planted some in a bed surrounded by concrete! I've tried a number of mints, but spearmint is the only one that took over, and also my favorite. A few peppermints come up in the left section every year, but it's not as vigorous. Here it is on 4-17 when I made my first mint iced tea of the season! Something I wait for every season, almost like the first ripe tomato.
Mint is growing fast! Some of it is 6 inches tall already, and it is filling out the area, as usual. April 17, 2022 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Here's that mint patch yesterday, showing how it totally filled in, and about the same time as last season. I have done nothing to it, except scratched a little kelp fertilizer into it, before anything came up. And there are only 2 weeds visible in the entire patch - maybe some clover underneath, but that's it! It chokes everything out.
Mint patch 6-4 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

One of two weeds visible in the mint patch. 6-4 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

I am going to trim some of these soon, and spread around some areas - they help keep off some pests. It's a cinch I can't use all this for cooking, or tea!

[pepperhead212]

I did an experiment based on something someone else has done: I put just one tomato in one of the SIPs, instead of 2, like all the rest. Not really an experiment, as I didn't plant 2 of the same in one SIP, but the plant is going nuts! It's that Oaxacan Jewel, that was the first larger tomato to set fruit, and it's large, and spreading out. Here it is - I think the 4 tomatoes are blocked by the large leaves in that first photo.
Just one Oaxacan Jewel, 6-5 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

The first 4 tomatoes set on the Oaxacan Jewel, 6-5. Smaller ones starting on other clusters, with many more blossoms. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Yesterday I did some more trimming, and helping the tomatoes through the trellises, and buzzing a few, on some of the latest flowering ones. Today, even more flowers opened on so many plants I couldn't believe it! Even if I was thinking of buzzing them, I wouldn't have been able to do them, there were so many on some plants! And a couple of these had just started - as if I had given them one of those bloom fertilizers (which I don't use), or had them under a HPS light!

The Green Knight eggplant flowered, and like the original Hari, it is white. And more Ichibans set, but only more flowers on the rest.

The cucurbits are taking off - the pickling melon the slowest, but the heat got it growing. Of course those bottle gourds are the largest, and climbing the trellis with no help from me!
Bottle gourds, climbing trellis without any help! 6-5 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

That Armenian cucumber is doing well; like with the regular cucumbers, I've been trying to trim the initial suckers, for at least the first 5 leaves, but I missed one, and there is another vine already started!
Armenian Cucumber, 6-5 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

It was here, somewhere, that I saw that method for trimming cukes, and I've been doing that with the others, as well.

[pepperhead212]

I wanted to do a lot more today, but with the wetness, then the windiness (23 mph sustained, frequently up to 35 mph gusts), made it impossible to re-spray the Surround. So I just did my usual trimming, and unfortunately, while doing this, I discovered some aphids, on some of my peppers! I discovered this when switching the small bamboo stakes I put on them, when first planted, to some heavier, taller stakes. The new White Kanthari was worst, but some on others around them, so I got my hose, and power washed most of the aphids off the plants, then let them dry, which they did quickly! I pulled most of the lower leaves off (usually didn't bother like this with the peppers), and brushed some tanglefoot on them; did this with the okra, too, which I always do, which keeps ants off, which farm aphids. About 8 pm the wind finally let up, so I made an unusual spray - I blended up some tomato trimmings and mint, then strained it, and made a spray with some neem oil and pyrethrins (bees are back home this late), and soaked those peppers. I might make a spray with just tomato leaves and mint, and spray some of those things that attract spotted lanternflies - beans, basil, cucumbers - to see if it keeps them away. However, I won't be spraying my basil with it, on a regular basis, even if it works! I didn't see any on those peppers, but they do like okra.

The Armenian cucumber, and the two bottle gourds are going crazy! The bottle gourds are over 6' long, and I'm training them on the trellis at the top, in opposite directions. The AC is about 4' long, but 2 more small vines have started at the bottom. I was trying to trim the suckers on these, but I must have missed a couple!
The Armenian Cucumber, 6-9, showing main vine, plus 2 extras from the bottom. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

The bottle gourds have not only suckers, but male flower buds at most of the leaf nodes - I have to be careful not to trim any female flower buds, on the short stems.
Bottle gourd vines, over 6 ft long, 6-9 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Tomatoes are doing great, though despite the trimming I've been doing, there are always some I miss, and they get more vines. The ones I didn't trim at all were the determinate types - Surrender and Sunneva. The Surrender was one of the earliest ones, and got a few early fruits (nothing ripe yet), but a few days ago they suddenly put out a huge number of blossoms! Not so many on Sunneva, though it has some larger fruits already.
Surrender determinate tomatoes, suddenly putting out a large number of blossoms, 6-8 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

The only two potato leaf varieties were some of the fastest growing I had, and some of the earliest to set fruit, but I'll have to wait to see about size and ripeness.
Brandyboy F2, showing the great growth, and some of the green tomatoes on it. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

A single Oaxacan Jewel, with incredible growth by 6-9 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

[applestar]

Looking good!
I think you are a month ahead of me, and grown in those SIP’s, they grow even faster than when planted in the cooler ground.

I’m starting to see those pesky spotted lanternfly nymphs. Some on grape vines and some on raspberry canes. I think they must have hatched on the lower stems since these were clustered.

I have to train my eyes to zero in on the egg clusters.

[imafan26]

Everything looks big and growing fast.

[pepperhead212]

I got my first two eggplants today, Spring and Ichiban, both just under 6 oz each.
First eggplant of the season, 6-9, String on L, Ichiban on R by pepperhead212, on Flickr

I got a photo of one of those leaf cutting bees finally! They often go along the top of the house, then down the back inside, and go into their "hole". Takes them longer to find it that way - the ones out front, get in there before I can take the picture! I've seen a lot of them on my tomatillos, which are right next to the house.
First leaf cutter bee I was able to photograph, just before it found it's hole in the back. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

apple, I am going to try something...maybe after the rain forecast. I read that the lanternflies are attracted to spearmint oil, or methyl salicylate, so I am going to take some of those pieces of bark that sycamore tree and put some methyl salicylate on one piece, and make something with my spearmint to rub on the other, then spread some tanglefoot on them. I'll let you know how it works.

[pepperhead212]

I just got my order of leaf cutter bees from Crown Bees. They had a deal for 200 or so of them for $16.95, and free shipping, plus I ordered some Invitabee, which definitely works! They said that these are notorious for flying away, which is why they send a lot of them! A good number were out of the cocoons, but activated quickly when warmed up, and most flew down to the tubes immediately. Most of the ones remaining I think are alive, as they are rocking back and forth occasionally. Even before this order a good number showed up from last year, which is good to know.
Several leaf cutter bees in the upper left side of the house, in the back. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Leaf cutter bees, coming out of cocoons. Most did this quickly, after warming up. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Something those bees helped with, right next to the bee house - the tomatillos.
Tomatillos forming, 6-12 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

And the first cucumber out there! A lot of their flowers starting now, for those bees.
First cucumber started on WS 58, 6-15 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

[pepperhead212]

Checking on those cocoons around 7:30 pm, about 1/3 of those remaining ones were there, some of them hollowed out, so the great majority of them were live, and flew off. I'll find out in the next few days how many of them took up home there.

[pepperhead212]

I got another Ichiban eggplant yesterday, with a number of them on the plants, and the String eggplant with many fruits of different sizes. Still none on the other 3 varieties; though they are setting fruits, none starting to grow yet.

The bottle gourds, Armenian cucumber, Pickling Melon, and Sambar cucumbers are beginning to flower, though I removed the lower ones on them. And only male blossoms, so far, on all these.

First blossoms on all of my okra varieties now! Yesterday, just Little Lucy and Emerald had flowers, but by late today, all had at least one, and the two flowers from yesterday had set fruit!

All of the tomatoes have a generous number of fruits, but still waiting for the first ripe one! Some of the Superchilis are full sized, and the Aruna is the next one that will have full sized peppers, as some are about 2" long now.

There are a lot of leaf-cutter bees out there now!

[pepperhead212]

I harvested those garlic scapes today.
Garlic scapes,6-16 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

As I said, at least one open blossom on each variety of okra! Here's one on emerald:
Blossoms on all varieties of okra today - 6-16 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

[pepperhead212]

I saw my first ripe tomato today!! A Yellow Warren - the same one that opened a blossom, as well as set fruit first, though this is about the 9th blossom to set - the 8 larger ones in the cluster have a hint of yellow, so should ripen quickly. Still nothing on the Sunsugar or Sunrise - two that have been earliest in some years. The ones with the most on them are still those Surrender Indian, determinate variety.

First ripe tomato!!! The Yellow Warren, 6-17 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

I also got my first Behold eggplant. Not the color of the photos, but like others I have grown, though I didn't cut it open yet.
First Behold eggplant, next to some of the garlic from last season.6-17 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

The cucurbits are starting to take off, with the male blossoms opening on the long bottle gourd vines, and some females not far behind. All I have seen is males on the Sambar cucumber, Armenian cucumber and Pickling Melon, and these must love heat, because they are taking off!
Armenian Cucumber, in the front, and bottle gourds, in the back, getting the first white blossoms. 6-17 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Pickling Melon, in front of the County Fair cucumber, latest cucurbit to be planted. 6-17 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

[applestar]

@pepperhead, I have many species of bees visiting and living in my garden. When you mentioned leaf cutter bees, I remembered these leaves on a volunteer red bud tree growing at the edge of my Sideyard garden area.

I don’t know where they are nesting though… maybe some of the bamboo support structures… or maybe in the hollow parts of the pvc picket fence?

[pepperhead212]

Here are those two eggplants, showing how the String eggplant is considerably more compact than the taller Ichiban. But the String is supposed to be longer, skinnier, and lighter in color, and the seed is from the envelope, not saved seed. Not that crosses can't still happen! It might turn out better...I'll find out, and if so, bag some blossoms, and save some.
The only String eggplant growing this season. 6-20 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

The two Ichiban eggplants this season, showing how much less compact they are than String. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Eggplant from 6-19 - String on L, Ichiban 2 on R. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

A few days ago at least one of each okra variety had a blossom. And yesterday, all of these were forming, the Little Lucy were largest at least 2". Here it is today.
First of several okra, 6-20, only about 2 inches, so far. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

The bitter melons and bottle gourds showed their first fruits on them yesterday. The female bottle gourd blossoms I hand pollinated, since they open at night, and these are the first ones, and no nighttime pollinators are around until later in the season.
One of many male blossoms on a Bottle Gourd, 6-19 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

On of the two female blossoms - one on each bottle gourd vines, 6-19 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

The first Big Top bitter melon set, 6-19 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

The first Number One bitter melon set, 6-18 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

And the butternuts are blooming, though only male blossoms, which I might still have in the freezer, from last year!
First Polaris Butternut blossoms, 6-19, all male, as usual this early. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

[imafan26]

I looked up string eggplant. It looks similar to long purple or pintung long. The one I have growing now looks similar to your String eggplant except it is not lavender but the more traditional dark purple.

We prefer the long eggplant to the round ones because they require fewer cuts. Fewer cuts means less oxidation and that reduces the browning and bitterness. Mostly the eggplants are stewed or used in soups and stir fries. A round eggplant won't hold up as well in soup. I usually do not salt eggplant, but I will keep the cut pieces in water if I am prepping stir fry vegetables.

My bush is smaller than usual, but it is not that old yet and it is in a pot. Eggplant here can get to be over 5 ft tall and live 8 years or more. I usually only keep eggplant 2-3 years because the production drops and it does not take that long for a new plant to start producing. I prefer the green eggplant, but I can't find Roleks anymore and it had the softest skin.

[pepperhead212]

Those string seeds I got were from a friend in GA, so I knew it would be heat resistant! But the fruits look totally different from the photos - the color, plus the length. I grew that pingtung variety years ago, but it was not heat resistant. That Hari green variety grew over 6' way back when I first grew it, and is the most heat resistant variety I had grown, but the ones the company sold, the last time I bought them, were not the same. So a friend in FL, that saved Hari seeds one season, sent me some - that's the F2 listed, and I'll see if they turn out similar.

[pepperhead212]

Yesterday, the weather was not at all nice, so it was a nice day to stay out of the garden! A friend of mine - the kid I just sold my truck to, and share peppers with - and a friend of his came over and put in a new kitchen sink for me! The old one had started leaking around that spray nozzle, which could have been replaced, but the faucet was also showing its age (I installed it in the early 90s), so I told him I'd pay him to change it, and he said he had a friend who's specialty was in plumbing, so both came over and did the job. Of course we had to run up to HD for something; though I had almost everything, there's always something! I'm watching closely for any leaking under there, but it looks good, and I cleaned that shelf up, and prepped it with some de-waxing solvent, then brushed a layer of clear epoxy over it - this will protect even better than the polyurethane of the first coat.

Today was a much nicer day - the humidity was much lower, was the key! I got a lot more done in the garden - trimmed a lot, harvested some, and sprayed Surround on a lot of the plants. The only tomatoes I harvested were the few Sunsugars I ate out there! And these few veggies:
2 Ichiban, a string, green knight, and Hari eggplant. First WS 58 cuke, and a couple more okra, 6-28 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

It's still early for peppers, though the Superchilis are almost all full sized, and loaded! One plant was supposed to be a Thai Vesuvius, but it is in between a serrano and a jalapeno, and very smooth and not pointed, like a Thai. Almost all the same size, so it's sort of a determinate type.
Superchili, with a lot of full size peppers, not all visible, 6-28 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Supposed to be a Thai Vasuvius, but looks like a large serrano. 6-28 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

[pepperhead212]

I did harvest my garlic today - looking closely, almost every one had at least 3 brown leaves, so they weren't going to grow much more, even those small ones. As always, the Estonian Red was largest, with only a few smaller ones, which were the larger metechi and music size! Only planted 28, however - from my harvest last season, which was 7 very large heads, all 4 cloves each. Maybe I can get more this season. The Georgian Fire had many larger heads, much like the ER, but some smaller ones - I'll find out how they store this season. Music and Metechi were smaller, but traditionally these have stored even longer than larger heads, even when small.

Only had 4 of those heads that had totally turned brown - about the same as other small ones, but I always group those together, and use first. They've all on the back porch, to cure enough to dry the surface, before brushing the dirt off, and tying them up in bunches, to hang in the basement. I still have a bunch down there - just sent some home with a young friend of mine, that replaced my kitchen faucet a couple days ago - I paid him and his friend, as well, not just with garlic! That was mostly for his Mom, who wants me to help her grow garlic this next year!
The largest, as usual - the red by pepperhead212, on Flickr

The other 3 garlics - a row of Metechi, and small and lager head rows of Music and Georgian Fire. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Here's another bed I uncovered today, and it has a lot of scallions and shallots, besides the greens. Both of these varieties were started indoors in mid-February, and transplanted there sometime in later March. The shallots are much farther apart, as I didn't have as many, plus was hoping to see them grow larger, but the scallions I just want for scallions.
Shallots on left, scallions on right, 6-29, planted in early spring. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

I uncovered the bed with greens, carrots, shallots, and scallions... and a lot of weeds! by pepperhead212, on Flickr

I have one row of carrots in that bed, and only picked 4, that were growing together in pairs. I was surprised that there weren't more like that - I thinned them well!
First carrots of the season, pulled on 6-29, only because they were two pairs, stuck together. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

As I was weeding, I noticed a lot of volunteer dill!

[applestar]

Looks great! Did you say you had the garlic bed covered? as well as the shallots/scallions bed?

Also, what kind of carrots and when did you sow the seeds?

Thx

[pepperhead212]

No, garlic bed was not covered. The carrots I direct seeded back in the early spring, when I transferred the greens, then covered the bed. The carrots are Shinkuroda - a variety not supposed to grow too long, but not the super stumpy type.

[pepperhead212]

The most I've picked in one day yet, this season! The first non-cherry - Marion - I knocked off by accident, would have left a couple more days, and those 4 Tropical Sunset are not quite ready, but I'll watch them, to see how red they turn. That one that's the darkest doesn't seem to have gotten any darker while the others were turning. Sunrise started turning today, but didn't pick yet.
Most in one day yet! 6-30. Top 4 the first Tropical Sunset, center one Marion, and the rest Sunsugar and Yellow Warren. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

First Sunrise tomatoes to ripen, 6-30. Did not pick, however. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

First non-cherry tomato to ripen - Marion, 6-30 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

One tomato out there is not doing well - Amy's Sugar Gem. This is a large cherry tomato that is developing a small BER on almost every single fruit! Usually, I have not gotten BER on any cherry tomatoes, but it reminds me of a variety from many years ago - Salsa Fresca - that was about 1½", and every single fruit developed BER, and I eventually pulled the plant. I might do that with this one, and maybe start a cutting of Yellow Warren in its place.

Something I always get a few early ones of, before a long lull, before the late crop, is the Polaris Butternuts. I just found the first two fruits, on different plants - will probably get one on each plant. Definitely early for butternut squash! The Butterbush haven't bloomed yet, and they are early ones. There are countless male blossoms, that I harvest a lot of, as well.
First Polaris Butternut seen, 6-30. About 4 inches. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Found an even larger Polaris Butternut on 6-30, about 7 inches so far. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

[applestar]

If you are not making that decision just yet, could you try cutting off the entire leaf opposite some of the — as yet unaffected — green fruit truss of Amy’s Sugar Gem?

It would be interesting to see if the experiment would demonstrate the theory that “Calcium uptake is diverted to the leaf opposite and early removal would prevent BER in the opposite fruit cluster”….

[pepperhead212]

It's almost impossible to find any not forming BER, except for the first cluster! That might work for some, but I am not going to be doing this on a regular basis. This thing should be getting enough calcium, as another next to it in the same SIP is having no problems. I give them that weekly "snack" of a scant tsp of calcium nitrate, which gives most of them all the Ca they need.

[applestar]

Yeah, I know what you mean. I’ve written off some varieties based on exactly the same premise.

[pepperhead212]

I picked that first Sunrise today, and sampled it next to the Tropical Sunset, which is slightly larger. Both were delicious, but if I had to pick a better one, the Tropical Sunset had a slightly stronger flavor. The Tropical Sunset definitely had a thicker skin, though not too thick, and I had no problem chewing it up.
First Sunrise ripened, 7-1, the smallest one, next to the 4 Tropical Sunsets. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

I picked another WS 58, and the first Sambar cucumber, which didn't seem like it had grown any more in 3 days, which is why I picked it. The seeds were barely growing, so next time I'll leave it longer; maybe it will grow more, or get more round, and might turn yellow.
The second Wisconsin 58 - the largest one - 7-1, with the first Sambar, only 3 inches. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Here's that first Sambar cucumber, seeds not at all developed. Made just over a half cup, diced up. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

[pepperhead212]

Every day there's more now!

My only black variety - Nyagous - has one showing signs of ripening, the largest one yet. And Surrender - a determinate type - is starting to get some ripe ones, and all the tomatoes on some of the branches broke one (though not completely), and bent 2 more close to breaking, so I had to get that tape and support them (should have done that before!). The Red Grape just got its first ripe ones, and that one, being the largest plant (already 6', maybe more), is loaded with fruits!
The first Nyagous showing signs of ripening,. 7-2. The only black variety I grew this season. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

First Surrender ripening, 7-2. A determinate, so it will be ripening in mass! by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Had to support 3 branches of the Surrender, as the tomatoes were too heavy for them! by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Red Grape, starting to ripen, 7-2. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

This photo is not a good view of the color, but shows how those Red Grapes grow clusters of almost all the same size. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

3 more WS 58 cukes, and other cucurbits are starting to develop now. The first 3 bottle gourd fruits that I hand pollinated didn't seem to take, but the 4th one finally did, and there are a bunch more. The Number One bitter melon has gone apes#©%, and I can't keep those runners pinched off - like some indeterminate tomatoes. The Armenian Cucumber and Pickling Melon are the same way, and are just now setting fruit. Still early for peppers - only harvested a few green Superchilis, and watching others grow. And okra is early, and I just got my first two Emeralds today - Clemson Spineless are the smallest plants, and still none harvested.
First Number One bitter melon, 7-2, about 6 inches. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Bottle Gourd finally starting to grow, after a couple of fruits just sat there. 7-2 by pepperhead212, on Flickr


That Green Knight eggplant plant is going crazy! I've only picked 2 from that plant, but I can count 16 fruits on it now - not just the little set fruits, and there were so many I actually pulled some off, leaving just 2 or 3 fruits per cluster. I figured that there is no way the plant can support all those fruits. I can count 13 of those fruits in this photo!
Green Knight eggplant, showing an incredible number of fruits! 7-2 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

[pepperhead212]

I found some more ripening that I was not expecting this early - that Brandyboy F2, and that Oaxacan Jewel, which is the only other PL variety I have, and definitely not an early variety. And that Green Grape is starting to ripen; I picked two, and I'll wait to see how golden they get. They are not at all grape shaped, despite the name.
Brandyboy F2 ripening on 7-3! Was not expecting this, even though it was the first non cherry to bloom. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Oaxacan Jewel also ripening on 7-3 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Green Grape beginning to ripen on 7-3. Not at all Grape shaped! by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Two Brandyboy F2, and two Green Grapes, starting to ripen, 7-3. The Brandyboys are 11 and 9.30 oz. by pepperhead212, on FlickrV

And more eggplants, with even more, to be picked soon.
2 String and 3 Ichiban eggplants, 7-3 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

[told2b]

Excuse me if thid has been explained before.
What is the white substance seen on the
leaves in many of your posted pictures?

[pepperhead212]

told2b That powdery substance is Surround, which is kaolin clay, and totally safe to use on food. It helps keep a lot of pests off, because of the feel of it. Works great on aphids, as well as flea beetles, and many other beetles. Unfortunately, it doesn't bother the spotted lanternflies - a major problem I have here.

Here's what I harvested today, plus a few things to come.
I got 4 of the Behold eggplants - only got one before, and these were all about the same size, between 4.3 to 4.9 oz. They are similar the Listada de Gandia that I grew only once, since they were not very large or productive, compared to others at the time. This plant looks very productive, and the largest of the eggplants this year. I'll see how heat will affect it, compared to others - I've gotten some 90+ days, but not enough in a row to stop the blossoming, as happens with many varieties of eggplants I've grown, like with tomatoes.
Things harvested on 7-4 - a WS 58 cuke, 4 Behold eggplants, and a bunch of different types of tomatoes. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Behold eggplant, with 4 full sized fruits, and at least a dozen other sized, and more flowers. 7-4 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Hari eggplant, over 10 inches, and several more fruits, and a number more flowers. 7-4 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Largest Pickling Melon of two - about 5 inches, so far. 7-4 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Armenian Cucumbers starting out - about 2 and 3 inches, so far. 7-4 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

And I have never had problems with vampires in my house:
Finished cleaning off and tying up the newly harvested garlic, to hang in the basement to cure. 7-4 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

[told2b]

Thank you for explaining.

[pepperhead212]

Here's the first Number One bitter melon - I picked it because it seemed to stop growing at about 6" a couple of days earlier. There are many more smaller ones out there, and I have to do some trimming on all those cucurbits and tomatoes, as I didn't do any today, since I was mostly working on the hydroponics. I also picked a few tomatoes, but that was it.
First Number One bitter melon, 7-5, a little over 6 inches. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Two Nyagous and one Brandyboy F2, ripening, and the last chard from the hydroponics, 7-5 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Nyagous Black, 7-5, showing relatively small core. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

I cut one of those Nyagous tomatoes up, to see what the core looked like, which wasn't large, then to taste it, with a little salt on it. I wasn't overly impressed with the first one - the flavor wasn't very strong, and no good aftertaste, like some of those better ones, like the cherries I tasted next to it.