Just came in for an iced (sweet) tea break (HOT & humid outside today) from moving the pots from around one of my raised beds. The ‘squash square’, an old sandbox with cattle panel around 3 sides, is home for my Trombettas (2) and the one Cucuzzi that I managed to germinate. The Trombettas in particular, are hanging off the wire since they have outgrown it and are grabbing on to everything in the pots! I’ve had to untangle their climbing tendrils from around clumps of garlic chives, basil, marigolds, tomato stakes, and each other. Anything that’s not moving, they’re grabbing! I’m clearing everything away from the squash square and putting it on the ends of my other two raised beds, which will take care of the ‘grabbing’ problem and neaten everything up. I’m sure the plants escaping the squash invasion will be much happier.
In other garden news:
Sugar Sweet cherry type tomtatoes - I’ve had 4 ripen & they are delicious.
Tomatoes (regular) - all 4 are fairly loaded with tomatoes & the Bonnie Original has one that should be ripe by the 4th of July.
Eggplant - harvested one small Ichiban & have maybe 4 more that are growing.
Cucumbers - quite a few 2 inch or so babies - looking forward to some Gurkensalat
Squash - harvested the first Trombetta (25-1/2 inches long) and used a julienne peeler to make almost-noodles (close enough), sauteed and made a sauce ... little Parmesan to top it off .... delicious!
Lettuce - cutting almost every night & surprisingly, even in the heat, it’s growing back
Radishes - harvesting as they get big enough - found out I love them diced in tuna salad
Peppers (bell) - really starting to bloom - hope I have a crop
Peppers (poblano & jalapeno) - growing ... which is progress ‘cause they got a very slow start.
Marigolds - starting to bloom - yay!
Basil - Japanese beetles are putting a hurting on them, but I’ve been able to cut some for cooking.
Herbs (thyme, oregano) - growing well
Garlic chives - being harvested today - sowed seed in some pots & few came up, but the ones that did are big enough to do something with.
I have 5 empty pots after all this .... now I have the fun of figuring out what else I can/should plant. :-) One thing’s for sure - I want an herb garden next year, two more 4x8 raised beds, and some system devised for the Trombetta/Cucuzzi squash to grow on ... my cattle panels aren’t big enough & there are no trees nearby!
The reason I gave my cucuzza away was because the person called, and wanted to see it, and as soon as he saw it got really excited..
"Where can I get seeds?"
"How do you cook them?"
" Never seen anything like it."
"I'm going to grow some of those next year"
Great going on the gardening. I am hearing thunder, so I think I’ll dash out and see if I can sneak in a planting before the drops start. Be back in a jiff.