Seed Catalog Order!!

I just love this time of year when all the seed catalogs arrive.  I spent last weekend visiting nurseries and browsing my seed catalogs.  I placed two orders, one from Botanical Interests and one from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds. 

I ordered Southern Night, Chocolate Stripes, Gold Medal, Big White Pink Stripes, Henderson's Pink Ponderosa and Hillbilly tomatoes from Baker Creek, also a State Fair Mix Zinnia, Parisienne round Carrot and Orangeglo Watermelon.

From Botanical Interests I ordered, Organic Dill Heirloom seed, Round Black Spanish Heirloom Radish, French Breakfast Organic Heirloom Radish.  For tomatoes I ordered Black Krim Organic Heirloom, Cherokee Purple Organic Heirloom, and Green Zebra Organic.  I also ordered a Charentais Heirloom Melon, and Love in a Mist, Verbascum, Mexican Torch Sunflower flower seeds.

 I am still pondering on what to order or whether to order from Seeds from Italy. They are a bit more expensive. We'll see...

Carnival Bell Peppers, New Mexico Pepper, and Sweet Pepper Pimento and Tarragon cutting

 I spent yesterday potting up some seeds that I had and also some that I saved from last year. The Tarragon is from my plants.  I took a few cutting just in case I have problems in the next few months. I picked a bunch yesterday and have plans to make Tarragon Pesto today.

Back row: Jalapeno, yellow Crookneck Squash, Dr. Wyche's yellow tomato, San Marzano Tomato. Middle row: Patty Pan Squash, Cocozelle Squash, Cherokee Purple tomato, German Queen Tomato (rare).  Front row: Scallop White Bush squash, Rainbow Blend Cherry Tomato, Cherokee Purple Tomato, and Green Zebra Tomato.

I planted about 5 dozen spring onion sets and have all these that I will plant to replace those I pull.

Now we wait.....patiently.....

"Little January
Tapped at my door today.
And said, "Put on your winter wraps,
And come outdoors to play."
Little January
Is always full of fun;
Until the set of sun.
Little January
Will stay a month with me
And we will have such jolly times -
Just come along and see."
-  Winifred C. Marshall, January

Here They Come Again! Tomato Time and Update

I like to keep my blog updated with my tomato harvesting and information on each of the ones that I chose from year to year.  This year they seem to be coming in a little later than last year. We have had a much cooler spring and July has been cooler than normal too. This week we are heating up and I am happy to say I am picking tomatoes!

Here is my harvest today

 Cocozelle Zucchini (organic seed), San Marzano Tomato Pole (organic seed), Broad leaf Sage (organic seed), Basil Napoletano, German Chamomile (organic seed), Dill, Summer Early Yellow Crookneck Squash, all from Botanical Interests.  Green bunching onions from seeds I planted last fall. Yellow Pear Tomato which does not have a name on it so can't say which one it is. Red Zebra and Cherokee Purple Tomato from Seeds of Change (both grown from seed).

Bed One

  

Bed Two

Bed Three



Coriander/Cilantro Seeds

Our summers are too hot to grow Cilantro but I always let one plant from the Spring form seed heads for Coriander and to have more seed for Cilantro to grow in the fall through spring months. 

The small plant at the end of this bed is a Poha Plant. Easily grown from seed or cuttings. It has delicious fruit that I just eat from the hand but you can use it to make jam.  Also known as Cape Gooseberry. 

Poha Plant



This year we pulled out the ground cover along the driveway and dug a long two foot wide trough and lined it with chicken wire (to keep the gophers out) then filled with rich compost and amendments.  This is the result.  Lush tomatoes and huge summer squash plants. Tomatoes in this bed are Cherry Rainbow Mix from Botanical Interests.  Dr. Wyche's Tomato, German Queen Tomato (rare), and Green Zebra.

Same bed only a close up view.

Here we have one of two Eggplants and one of several Orange Watermelon plants.  I got the seed for these from a neighbor that brought us one of these melons they grew last year.  It had to be one of the best watermelons I have ever had and very pretty.  I will find out the name and add it later.

Our first Artichoke Plant was planted in June!

Straight Eight Cucumber from Ferry -Morse, looking very good this year. Keeping my fingers crossed that they do not get mildew. I purposely planted them late to avoid the May and June foggy months. I also have Japanese Soyu Burpless Cucumbers planted in this bed along the driveway.

Just a few of our Pepper Plants. These are planted by some Penstemon plants and are still small.  We are growing Ancho/Poblano, Pimiento sweet pepper, Carnival Mix Bells and New Mexico pepper.  A few green Bells and a Jalapeno.

Borage Seed coming up again.



Zapotec Pink Ribbon Tomato

Cherokee Purple

  

Persimmon, a Yellow Orange determinate heirloom tomato.  Plant is loaded with fruit.



San Marzano Pole Tomato

  

Cocozelle Organic Zucchini (from seed)


This plant is doing fantastic in the new bed along the driveway. I pick 3 to 4 squash a day now. In back, to the left a bit is the Summer Early Yellow Crookneck. This one is just beginning to produce now. Many of them are showing up straighter than I would expect; must be because I planted them so close to the zucchini.

I didn't get a chance to photograph the summer squash plants in the back and the beans. The beans are doing well.  After putting down the mulch they seemed to have grown a food.  I planted Bush French Filet and Bush Pencil Pod Yellow both from Botanical Interests.

This is what my husband and I did last weekend.  10 cubic yards of compost for the flower beds and around the citrus trees.  Hopefully this will keep the weeds down for a few weeks.

Well that is it for now.  Hoping you are all having wonderful success with your tomatoes, etc this year!

Day's End

The twilight comes to cool the. air,

The shadows lengthen on the sod,

Soft breezes blow the garden through,

The leaves and blossoms sway and nod.

On garden path, in sheltering hedge,

In treetops dark and cloudless sky,

The evening birds awake to life,

To stir; to sing and upward fly.

And flowers, warm with summer heat,

Expand to greet the softened light

And shed, to show their gratitude,

A fragrance in the summer night.

Now all is peace. From meadows near

A cooling mist blows o'er the wall

And strangely lonesome in the night

There comes the thrush's silvery call.

-EDWIN W. PROCTOR