Tomato Update June 2012

Tomato Big White Pink Stripe Bed 3

What a difference a month makes May 30th in the Garden.

 

Lots, and lots of photos today to keep my tomato log up to date. 

Tomato Anna's Russian Pink (an Ox- heart shape tomato) Bed 2

Anna's Russian Pink Bed 2

Tomato Crimson Carmello Bed 3

Tomato German Queen Pink Bed 2

Tomato Green Zebra Bed 2

Green Zebra Bed 2

Tomato Purple Russian Bed 1  (I picked one last night!)

Tomato San Marzano (lower) above right is Purple Russian in Bed 1

Tomato Southern Night (along driveway)

Ponderosa Tomato

2 Southern Nights and 1 Gold Medal Tomato, Yellow Crookneck Squash to the left and Cocozelle Zucchini to the right

 volunteer tomato in driveway bed, looks to be a paste tomato probably San Marzano

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Later plantings of Ponderosa (2) and Cherokee Purple, planted on May 28th.  We staked these for lack of room for more cages

Another View of Ponderosa on left, Yellow Crookneck Squash then Southern Night and Gold Medal

Bed 1 this end shows Persimmon Orange, then Paul Robeson.  Robeson is not doing as well as I hoped.

Bed 2 this end shows Green Zebra

Bed 3

Corner of Bed 3 with Gold Medal on left, then Crimson Carmello and Mortgage lifter

Front of Bed 3 with Gold Medal

Bed 4 has a San Marzano volunteer and a Japanese Eggplant

Onions in Bed 4

Onions that seeded outside of Bed 4

Onions on front driveway bank

Late additions Flame or Hillbilly Tomato planted in back by pavers on Sunday June 23, 2012

Late additions: Dr. Wyche's and Chocolate Stripe (small but they will make it) planted June 23, 2012

More late additions: German Queen on left (tiny little guy) June 23 2012

 I have so many seedlings left that I decided to add these since the sunflowers were finished and I had the space now. A tomato addict can never have too many plants!

These are waiting for homes!

Picked this morning. I had one white eggplant, small but I picked it anyway. Today's lunch?  See below!

Oven Roasted Garlic and  Yellow Crookneck Squash,  with garden fresh Arugula. Grilled Flatbread (recipe later on my A Table for Rue Blog) drizzled with a grainy Mustard and Honey Balsamic Dressing.  YUM!!

 I am staying very busy picking summer squash and herbs right now. I have been drying Greek and Mexican Oregano for winter.  And blanching summer squash for the freezer. I have never had this many scallop and patty pan squash. I put in the same amount of plants as I always have but this year I have had to pick every day. I filled the sink full again this morning.

Pineapple Flower Eucomis Comosa in Bloom

It still has more buds to open.

Here are some photos of our recently purchased Eucomis Comosa, in bloom.  This one looks to be the one they call 'Twinkle Stars' although that was not on the label.

I have yet to find a location to plant it in the ground.  I think I should probably put it in a semi-shaded location. Sitting on this table it is getting filtered sunlight from the trees overhead. I will wait until it stops blooming and possibly wait until fall to plant it out.  It should reach 2-3 feet wide and 1-2 feet high so it will need a pretty good size area. Not having much of that around the need to wait to plant becomes higher on the list.

The blooms were an unexpected surprise to us.  When we bought it we just liked the "pineapple" top it had.  What a bonus to have these striking tiny flowers appearing all along the plant.

San Marcos Growers this site has information on the plant and has a list of growers that may be able to supply the plant to you.

Update: Shabby Chair Project

I finally planted the succulents on the shabby chair; not much to look at now but when they fill in it should look fabulous.  These have been in about a week now and seem to be doing very well.  I am keeping them a bit on the dry side until they set roots. These cutting all came from my husbands succulents that he has planted around the gardens.  I put some taller crassula perforatas in the back.  These will grow tall and cover the back portion.  The many varieties of sempervivums, aeonium and echeveria  should fill in nicely and make a 'cushion' for the chair.

I painted the chair with Behr paint Cilantro Cream.  I only used half of this small container so the whole project only cost a little over $3.00; the chair was a gift from a good friend.  I may insert some tiles in the opening that once had wicker, in the back section, or maybe some copper wire woven in, not sure yet.  If you have any ideas let me know.

 My first thought was to paint the chair purple, but I am liking the Cilantro Cream color with the succulents.

Stunning Flowers!

I promised my husband that I would post a few pictures of his cactus that are in bloom now.  The flowers only last a day or two, but look at the color on this one.

Here is a photo of our Bougainvillea's in bloom.  Really spectacular this year.

Lace Cap Hydrangeas at entrance to our home.

Canna's

Walking Iris (Neomarica )

The bloom only lasts one day. I have a few more buds but it won't be long before these beauties are gone for the year.

A few photos of a bouquet I made for myself yesterday, just because I am worth it!

Dark pink is 'Melody Parfummee'

 Variation in pinks is 'Queen Elizabeth'

Pink rose on this side is 'Dr. Bob Harvey'. Also here is Verbena, Penstemon, Borage, and Salvia's

 

Stripe rose is  'Cherry Parfait'

 

Darker pink rose on right is a climbing 'Gertrude Jekyll' a David Austin rose.

I'd rather have roses on my table than diamonds on my neck.
- Emma Goldman