I could have harvested my garlic a week or so ago, but didn't get to it before the rains and am now waiting for the soil to dry out a bit. That's probably 2-3 weeks early.

I'm glad the monsoon came early. A lot of my plants were barely hanging on, so it was just in time! Too late for many of my conifer plantings, I've lost a lot of what I planted in April this year.

Every year here is weird, just a different kind of weird each year!

I hope first frost is not early. Our Indian Summers are my favorite thing about living here.

How are your tomatoes doing, Kenny? I didn't have to use Wall's O Water this year, a first for me. I'm getting lots of flowering on them now, but just a few have tomatoes forming.

Barb

I pulled my garlic 10 days ago. Picking tomatoes already. I bet its a long, hot fall.

Most of my perennials are 2 to 3 weeks ahead of schedule. Like you, Barb, my tomatoes are blooming, but it will still be a while before I'm picking ripe ones. Can't really say how early the veggies are till it's harvesting time.

Barb, My tomatoes are the biggest (plants) and healthest I have ever raised. Since i moved last year they are in two raised beds. 3 foot apart and a 5 foot high jungle. Very little flowers and i don't know if it is too early or some thing else. Heavy on nitrogen maybe? I have picked a few golf ball ones from like siberia and stupice but no big volume from even them. I do have shade part of the day on them, which I think is a good deal. Hopefully they will start to produce soon.
KennyP

Tomato picture 2 raised beds.
KennyP

Wait a minute!! Have we ever had a picture from KennyP??! Looks good Kenny!

Last year, I reported my 1st ripe cherries on July 11th. Dang! That's tomorrow! Nothing ripe tomorrow, not this year.

The Kootenai River in the northern tip of the Idaho Panhandle is still at flood stage . . .

In 2010, I reported my 1st ripe cherries on July 19th. I'll pin my hopes on that date.

Steve

Holy cow, Kenny, those are some happy plants! Whatever you're doing is working beautifully.

You are going to have quite a haul of 'maters this year!

Barb

Two things might be of interest.
The raised beds are old water beds bought cheap at yard sales.
The cages are 5 footers UPSIDE DOWN tied together with a PVC frame. The regular way does not work for me.
There are 16 verities in there--two rows of 4 in each.
Water is by large drippers. I all ways use the largest dripper I can find and time the application. Ten minutes works for these. No filter used.
The smaller ones to the right are in containers--I still have a ways to go to be happy with containers.
KennyP

KennyP,

I'm with you on the cages. It's as if they were designed by someone who'd never grown tomatoes! I've done some variation of the Florida weave for the last few years, tposts with twine layered every foot or so.

The waterbed frames for raised beds are a great idea. Set them in place, fill with soil and you're ready to go.

A couple of years ago I lucked into a conversation with the grower for one of the veggie stands in Brighton and found out I was overwatering the plants. He said tomatoes want to be deep soaked every 4 or 5 days instead of the every other day that I had been doing. I've noticed a much deeper root system on the plants since I started watering once or twice a week. How often are you watering yours? Just making sure I got good advice, lol!

Your set up is awesome, Kenny!

Barb

Barb, how often do i water? I am still trying to figure that out. On those 104 days, I did 5 to 10 minutes each day. The beds are on concrete and water comes out the bottom at about 10 minutes. I stop before that happens. Two large (I think 2 GPH) drippers at each plant.
I have no blooms so I am going to quit or very little water til I see a bit of wilt. Hold your breath. I worry that my soil with a lot of peat might dry out in places and then never soak up again.
I may be 83 but i still like to learn....KennyP