Did y'all know we have a Governor who gardens ? He does an update every Sunday on X or Twitter or whatever its called. No matter if you agree with him or not on issues, I can't recall ever having a Gov who will get his hands dirty in a garden.

I could offer him some advise on picking those tomatos, however. They could come in a bit earlier. And he needs some pruning shears to get that one tomato, he's ripped the limb from the plant.

Governor Stitt in his garden

Lynn, I don't even know your Governor, but I already have more respect for him.

I have the same view as you do on doing projects, but my 80 year old body has already shut down most of my projects.

I would like to hear your advise on getting tomatoes a bit earlier. One of the problems I have is my micro climate, I often have to fight a late frost and very wet soil.

I could use some advice on getting larger tomatoes. I really don't care as much for large tomatoes as Madge does, but most of my tomatoes are on the smaller side.

I am afraid that my late planted garden has been a waste of time. Even by planting next to the wood chips, and tossing the hay between the rows, I am afraid the heat and grasshoppers will see that I don't get any fall production.

By trying to crowd in more tomatoes may have hurt my total production also, because it may be hard to get between the rows.

Kim, I have been too hot a few times, I think that it really messes you up. I got to the point that I could not handle the heat at all. And by the way, the tomato you gave me seems very happy, we have harvested a few tomatoes from it. So far this year, all of my tomatoes have been small.

Larry I am glad it’s giving you a few tomatoes. My porters are loaded but the other varieties are much slower.

From the other thread....

Josh, I'm also hoping for a weird July/August cool down.

We have had rain in June, but (I think) it was June 2 thru June 5. Then it stopped.

I am interested in your fermenting method with the cooler. That seems like a great idea!

Kim, I'm so sorry you got overheated! I really do work (mostly) in the shade at this time of year. Otherwise, I would be sick too. I hope you continue to feel better.

I start feeling blue when the temperatures get so hot and dry.

Cracked ground and wilted plants are depressing.

Last night, I set up fans in the coop. It's not my favorite. It feels slightly unsafe for some reason. I try to get up extra early to take the fans out before they start getting rowdy and knock them over. There's probably a better way to do that. But for now, it is what it is.

Rick, I already told you the other night, but I'm going to try a few of those onions sets in the Vego beds this fall. We'll see how they do being in raised beds.

I'm also going to try turnips, beets, carrots and maybe a few other root things in the Vego this fall. Parsnips would be fun. There's a variety that's ready in under 100 days supposedly.

Those beds will definitely need a shade cloth in August and September.

The lunchbox peppers that I started from seed from store bought peppers didn't appear to be true to their parents at first, but they're starting to look more like the cute, colorful peppers that I like for my salads. I picked two this morning that were bright red. They are sweet and barely have any seeds--maybe 2 seeds per/pepper. So odd. There's something sciency there that seems interesting. Maybe I'll research it at some point.

I'm at work now and about to take a break for lunch.

Even with toothpicks around it's stem, and a wire basket over it, some type of critter (cutworm?) got the last cucumber on one side of the trellis in the back garden.

I've about decided to just put the passion vines back there.

Larry, do they need good soil? I'm pretty sure the soil in those beds are deficient.

I'll come back with a picture of the passion flower. Both plants had their first blooms.

That's all for now.

This is the one from you, Larry. the other one looks the same other than its a deeper purple.

Jennifer, I have no idea what kind of soil the passion flower needs, but there is no good soil around here, and they have been growing on this place for at least 70 years. I drove the RTV over to the wildlife garden ( which is just weeds now ), I checked on the passion vines over there, and your's looks a lot better. The weeds had the passion vines in the wildlife garden almost covered, if I had not known where to look I would not have found them, and I saw no blooms.

Larry , I was referring to Gov Stitt picking his tomatoes earlier. It appears he waited for them to turn red on the vine. If I did that, the mockingbirds who live in the neighbor's red bud tree would have a field day. Which btw, as dry as its been, the birds will be looking for water any way they can get it.

As to the size of tomatos , I can't be of any help there. Its always been somewhat of a mystery to me. Obviously, the variety matters. But I grow a big slicer and the very first tomatos are the largest and they get smaller as the plant matures. And the few fall tomatos I've grown never reach any size.

As to producing fruit earlier, I think regardless of the plants not doing much until the soil temp gets near 60*, I try to get them in the ground as early as possible and take my chances with freezes. Course, Im only planting 24 plants and I can protect them with buckets. Any more plants than that becomes too unwieldly.

To me, its really not about being first with a tomato or eating one ASAP, its that I have a small window when the plants produce. When the daytime temps hit the mid 90's and overnight lows over 70, and blossom drop sets in, my plants shut down. Then the blight takes them by the end of July. And we're hitting the back side of the window now. The only way I've found to lengthen that window, is get them in the ground ASAP.

Jennifer, my tomato growing goes about the same as yours, except it is really hard for me to get early tomatoes. I sometimes but a six pack of Early Girl to try foe early and late tomatoes, even though I don't like them as well. I often like to plant large cherry tomatoes because they seem to have a long producing range. I also like to plant a few Romas because they have a long production range also, plus I like fried green tomatoes better than I like ripe tomatoes, and roma tomatoes are a good frying tomato, I like the small bite size and the firmness or the roma. I have also got a tomato that I have marked as Golden Jubilee that is giving me a very good frying tomato, when fried with Jiffy cornbread mix the tomato is almost as sweet as candy, but I doubt that the tomato is a Golden Jubilee, I have not had any to make it to a ripe stage yet, its just too good green.

I am trying to impress on my kids and grand kids the importance of being able to grow food, I sometimes seem to push myself at trying to teach them, even when I know that can backfire on me, but my health is failing, and I have not been this afraid of the future since the Cuban missile.

Jennifer, I need to use one of your phrases " I am rambling", I need to shut up and get to work, I sure wish that I had a self-weeding garden, but I don't, and its getting hotter by the minute.

I'm 2 miles east of Will Rogers, but had not realized its been that long

NWS Norman@NWSNorman·1mToday will be 3 weeks since #OKC (Will Rogers) recorded measurable rainfall. Hopefully just talking about it will improve our chances of getting some rain. #okwx

Lynn, the only tomato that I let stay on the vine till it is fully ripe, is the one that I was unable to find. I agree about the birds. I tell my neighbor that I have had the same two Mockingbirds following me for over 55 years. Every time I would move, they would follow me. Neighbor has a hard time believing that they are the same two birds, but I tell him that they have to be. They are complete freeloaders, every time I start the mower, there they are catching crickets as they try to get away from the mower, every time I fire up the tiller, there they are, eating the worms that I till out of the ground, If I fire up the RTV and go to the neighbors, the birds follow, looking for a free meal. The birds hate everything, they dive bomb dogs, cats, people, and the way they fuss you would have to believe that hate each other. When the birds get on the ground, they still have that stupid little dance, where they hop a few hops, through out their wings, squat a little then hop some more, Tennessee Bird Walk is what I think the dance is called. The stupid little bird should know that this is not Tennessee, and, would you believe that the state of Arkansas has even named this stupid, freeloading bird, as the state bird. I guess my biggest gripe is that, 55 years ago I was as spry at those birds, and now I can barely hobble out to the garden. It looks like the birds are smarter than I am, the freeloading lifestyle will keep you young for ever.

Here is where I started weeding today.

Notice that there is no bird around when there is work to be done.

I did not get very far with my weeding till it got hot, but I did notice that the ground around the sweet potato plants is starting to push up. but the ground is so hard that much of the sweet potato will push out of the ground so it is easier for the rats and mice to find them.

Lynn, I do believe it was exactly 3 Tuesdays ago when we had good rain. We also had it the couple of days before, if I remember correctly. It seems like there were 3 days of rain. It was nice. We got a total of 5 and a half inches of rain. Maybe had a few sprinkles that Wednesday too.

Larry, all of the tomatoes you gave to me seem to be doing well. Sonny Boy, Isis, a gold cherry type and the dwarf ones too. I have a couple of boxes of tomatoes from the SG that are sitting around, but they are tomatoes that Rick purchased. We've had a lot of tomatoes from that garden. We did last year and the year before too. He has a several varieties out there this year, and the past two years were Jet Setters and various paste tomatoes.

My heirlooms are just now sizing up and beginning to get some color. Because I want to save seed from them, I'm letting them get fully vine ripe. So far I only have seed from the first Dr. Wyche. As soon as I get some Jiffy peat pellets, I'll start those as well as some SunGold. The SunGold is almost always the first cherry to get diseased.

Because the SG tomatoes haven't been tended to very well, I'm afraid they'll fall to disease. They're slowing down now. Often they'll rebound in the fall and make a lot more fruit. But, I've pruned disease and tied them up in past years. I won't do that this year. I can't even seem to be able to tie up my heirlooms or cherry ones in the kitchen garden. I could do it now, but it's in full sun at the moment. I only work in the shade at this time of year. They'll be in the shade this evening, but without rain, I'm stuck watering instead of other tasks, like tying up tomatoes.

The little dwarf tomatoes from Jen in the Vego bed are making new foliage. They were attacked by aphids. I pulled the 2 Hardins miniatures but kept the ones from Jen. I shook them so that the aphids fell onto the soil. I drenched the soil with Neem. I was careful not to touch the plants with it AND checked for ladybugs first and removed a spider. It seemed to work, tho. The plants don't look great but are making new healthy leaves and fruit.

Speaking of rambling....I'm pretty sure I already told that story.

I got up early at 6 (and came in at 9 to start laundry) and went outside to do a few tasks like deadheading things in the front flower beds and watered it well. The pots on the front porch too. I also cleaned up a bed in the backyard that has a sad rose and the new Saint Johns Wort. It is a perennial. I really want it to make it. I spent more on it than I usually do on plants. The soil in that bed needs help.

Watered it and the Greenstalk. I'm really amazed at the green beans that are growing in that thing. The lower tiers have strawberries that are now sending out runners. I watched a video of a strawberry guru guy. He grows his in containers. He said to wait until the runner babies make little root nodules before clipping them and then put them in water first or directly into soil. I'll probably do directly in soil and then plant them back into the Greenstalk after a few weeks.

This Greenstalk is destined for strawberries only. I need to get another one for salads greens next year.

It was hard to get out of bed this morning. Maybe I'll sneak in a nap after laundry and making lactation cookies for my daughter.

Yes. A nap sounds nice. Real nice.

Larry, LOL

Jennifer, you talk about tying your tomatoes up, which I also try to do, but by the end of the growing season I have tomato limbs handing everywhere. I may have shown y'all these pictures before, but I will bore everyone again.

Madge order some weird tomato seeds year before last, and I tried to grow her some plants. One of the packs of seeds I though were real spitters, and I told her that we would not growing that tomato again. Well I think I messed up and started those seeds again this year.

This is one of those tomatoes, I think, along with 400+ garlic cloves I am saving for fall planting. The tomato turns a pretty red when fully ripe, but the taste is still nothing to write home about.

This is that crazy plant. I can reach that top board when I am standing near the base of the plant, and that plant is still blooming and sitting fruit above that board. I want to keep this plant staked and tied, but would rather not have to stand on something to tie the limbs any higher, plus, we are still in June, and I expect this plant will grow higher before frost kills it. I am kicking around the idea of building a trellis that runs right of that board and be supported by the trellis on the right side of the picture. I know that is a lot of trouble for such a sorry tomato, but so far this is the best growing, and best producing tomato plant I have.

This picture shows how the plant has nice size clusters of tomatoes all over it. As far as I know this plant has not dropped a tomato, or had one split, also this plant had less disease and insect damage than the other plants, but I think it is going to get a really good test soon, because the grasshoppers are really getting thick after all the hay has been baled.

Sorry I haven’t been around. Work is keeping me busy with coworkers on vacation (overtime), and then my current side hustle as a field technician in curcurbit reproduction. I work, hit the garden, sleep, and repeat.

I’ve been getting my Dawn on this week. Yanked out a full trellis of cucumbers because they have refused to produce anything other than male or sterile flowers for the past month. I don’t have time for that, so theyre getting replaced. Going to start yanking out tomato plants that aren’t producing, are too sick, or that I just don’t like. The early rain gave the fungal diseases a chance to set in. I started a couple, but might also grab a couple Bonnie plants. I also have a Bush Goliath thar im having to use a ladder and a 10 foot stake with.

Pole beans are starting to flower, good since the bush beans are pooping out. Melons are starting to look like vines. Baby Bubba okra looking good, no pods yet. Starting to have to cut back flowers to make sure the edibles get enough sun. And the watering hose is basically always on right now. I just move it from bed to bed a couple times a day, and try not to think about the water bill.

Larry, I planted 2 of your sweet potato slips. Never done them before. One seems to know how to sweet potato, its setting down roots along the vine, no problem. The other has, so far, broken off the tip of the lead vine, attacked a group of calendula flowers, bullied a cucumber off its trellis, tried to take over a tomato cage, and keeps trying to wander off across the yard and up a tree. It is not putting down any roots along the vine. Did you make sure I got the troublemaker of the bunch?

So far Ive made some yummy refridgerator pickles, pickled okra, a batch of pesto, and I want to make rosemary foccacia this weekend. My nephew is staying with my mom for a couple weeks, and requested blueberry muffins and chocolate chip muffins.

Rebecca, I meant to keep the mean plant for myself to keep the deer out of the garden. What kind of sweet potato slips did you get? The Red Wine Velvet seem to be a little more aggressive. The Covington are my favorite potatoes because they seem to keep longer. I like the taste of the RWV better, the purple ones I grow because it is the one my grand daughter likes.

I am concerned about my water bill also. I need to empty out my pickup and put the water tank in the back to prepare for hauling water in case the water company cuts us off like last year.

I planted a different tomato this year. It was in my mom’s stash of seeds, never opened, and has been in my freezer since 2018. Granny Cantrell - the yellow is Golden Jubilee, my favorite for years.

Everyone called my mom Granny, so I looked up the description and planted it. It will be in my garden next year too. Big but solid, and no shoulders to waste half the tomato. Larry, you need to let a couple of those Golden Jubilee ripen - they are delicious and lower acid than red tomatoes.

i was outside watering about 8:00 last night and watching the storm come in from the northeast, my phone kept blaring warnings of 80mph winds and baseball sized hail. End result we got a little wind, a few tiny hail, and 7/10” rain. We just got our hay in a few days ago. We were blessed.

I just came inside, I was pulling weeds and hot, it was getting dark and looked like it was raining, north, toward Ft, Smith. We are getting wind and rain now, strong on both accounts.

The rain is really needed. As I was pulling weeds in the sweet potatoes I found no moisture, but plenty cracks in the soil. It looks like I will get a pretty good sweet potato harvest if the grasshoppers will go away. I don/'t think that I have seen them this bad this early in the year.

This rain is a blessing, there is a good chance that it will make the sweet potatoes split, but there is still plenty of time for them to heal. I noticed that many of the Covington are pushing up soil, also some of the Red Wine Velvet, I did not move over and check the row of the purple sweet potatoes. If it were not for the fact that my grand daughter like the purple sweet potato I would not even fool with them.

Glenda, I am not even sure that I have a Golden Jubilee tomato, I picked a couple a while ago and they were more red than anything else. I sure hope I can figure out what they are, because they are the best fried green tomatoes that I have ever eaten.

I wish this rain would slow down, and then rain for 2 days straight.

We got .85" out of this morning's storm. Some places lost power and a stop light was blown over in Tulsa.

I believe you're supposed to prevent the sweet potato vines from rooting along the vine and force the plant to put its energy into the tubers under the base of the plant. Otherwise you get fingerlings everywhere and no big tubers. This is one of the reasons some people use plastic mulch sheets.

I have nothing growing in my garden except the native bed which has lots of milkweed and rudbeckia. They should appreciate the rain.

XOXO

Well, our rain and wind has stopped. I did have a little damage to the garden, the worst was to my dwarf plants in the containers. I will have to say that it was mostly my fault, because I did not have then tied well enough. I think I can repair most of the damage, but I have no idea about how they will recover.

The wind came from the north, they could have handled wind from the south better.

Amy, I try to encourage the side production on my sweet potatoes. I don't like the large tubers. At one time I could get shavings from a saw mill, which I used for mulch. The side potato production in those shavings were the best I ever got, they were always clean and seldom any insect damage, I cant do as well with hay or chips. I also use a lot of the smaller potatoes to produce slips. I know that this is against what all the pros say, but it works for me.

I was not able to save as much of the plants that I wanted to.

To look on the bright side, I had fried green tomatoes at lunch, and I wanted more. I also cut the end off one of these plants and stuck it down into the potting mix, hoping it will root.

Got back from camp, took a nap, and now am just relaxing. Chasing around after 3rd-5th graders is exhausting! But I did hit my daily step count every day before 10am, so I did get a nice workout. I haven't made it out to the garden yet, thinking about going out to water later when it cools down.

Those who have grown fall cucumbers, when is the latest you've started seed? I'm thinking about doing some, but not sure how well they'd do in this inferno. I know the west indian gherkins that HJ gave me last year took forever to produce and once they did they went gangbusters.

Jen according to different charts I think august 1st is the latest suggested. Might try to find a short day variety.

Jen, what cucumber do you plan on planting? My Parisian cucumbers are out producing the straight 8 and the Long Green, but they all look like their days are numbered. Ashley cucumber is the shortest maturing cucumber that I have seeds for, but I cant ever remember growing them. Unless something changes my mind I will try to plant some Ashley seeds within a few days. I need my head examined, I don't have room to spit, and still trying to find room to plant something.

I took some veggies over to my aunt and uncle today, they are old and not able to do much. My cousin goes over to help them so I took enough veggies for her also.

Rebecca, Jen, and Glenda--it's good to see y'all post and update us on your garden endeavors and life happenings.

I was outside at nearly dark trying to get the green beans picked and kept feeling something crawling on me. Y'all. It was sweat dripping down my back. I'm not much of a sweater, so dripping sweat always makes me think something is crawling on me.

But, it's that humid. It's gross.

We got a little over a half inch of rain. Much need and much appreciated. But, I feel bad for those who had so much damage and who lost power. Some of my tomato limbs are lying over, but I didn't have time to fix them.

I brought in about 5 gallons of tomatoes again tonight.

Burden of abundance.

Jen, try the Persian cucumbers. Although, I saw that they are out of stock. I'm on an email list for when they're back in stock. Renee's Garden. I've grown them for 2 years in the fall.

I've had zero cukes so far. Looks like I won't be fermenting any this season. The plants in the KG look good. The ones in the back garden. No. In fact, Another one died. Something is so weird about that garden area. I really need to research it, but haven't had time.

I would like to put the passion vine back there but don't want those to die either.

I made food to take to my daughter this morning and then went to see her and the baby with my Mom. She got out of the house a bit while we watched the baby boy. That took up a big chunk of my day. Also, we went to see a friend in the hospital this evening and didn't get home until 7. I fixed the main part of our dinner this morning, so was able to get outdoors by 7:30. I used the last of the asparagus. I will miss it until April 2025.

Tomorrow, it's back to work. Tom is grilling steak for him and our neighbor so I won't have much to do and can get right home and into the garden.

Because we had rain, I didn't do much watering tonight.

How is it 10 pm already?

Jennifer I am not sure but I just finished dinner. Dealing with a flat tire this evening put me running way behind. I was gifted 30 pounds of celery 10 pounds of onions a time I got those cleaned and in the dehydrator all I pretty much used up my whole day. I watered the garden early today and we got a little bit of rain and might get some more. I am starting my fall garden planning and still planting some herbs this week

Kim, the gifts were great.

I got DR. appoints today and tomorrow, so I don't expect to get much done either day. I do feel that I have to find the time to do some repair work, and a little weeding today, tomorrow's test will be about 75 miles away, and I have two appointments, so I may be too tired to do much.

I got a little time this morning before I have to get cleaned up, so at least I can pull a few weeds.

Nice gifts, Kim.

I need to find some peaches. They should be about ready, right?

I wonder if the Farmer's Market will have any.

I would like to freeze them until the peppers are fully ready for a peach/pepper BBQ sauce.

I've been watching a giant Arkansas Traveler. It's started turning colors and then I realized that I had mislabeled it. It's not an Arkansas Traveler! It's a Dr. Wyche. I already have had a ripe fruit from a Dr. Wyche.

So....out of the heirlooms, Dr. Wyche is the earliest to ripen.

They're on the 2nd generation at my house.

Dr. Wyche had some pretty significant disease, but the plants are loaded.

German Johnson and Abe Lincoln are a little diseased, but not much fruit.

True Black Brandywine is loaded with fruit, little disease, but not ripened yet.

Arkansas Traveler has a little disease and some fruit.

Does anyone know if Bruce saves his seed from tomatoes? I'm wondering if these Black Brandywines are doing so well because he has saved seed himself. I got the original plant from him. I guess I could ask him, right?

I might be a little behind on starting fall tomatoes. I can start the Wyche and Sungold this weekend. The time to put them in the ground as plants is July 1 to 15. I might can make the July 15 date if the seeds geminate quickly....but the plants will be very small.

The other heirlooms are being so pokey on ripening up.

I was so busy yesterday morning and had a headache. Didn't realize the storm had blown the door to the hoop house closed. It sat like that all day (100+ temp). Luckily everything looks okay (as of last night). There's only peppers, tomatoes, eggplant, and some basil in there.

I'm supposed to go wild blackberry picking on Saturday morning. I don't need them, but want to go with my neighbor...because it's fun despite the heat, chiggers and ticks.

I wish I had someone to give the berries to. I still have some in my freezer from last year.

That's IF there's any decent ones to get. The Sand Plums were super early this year and we all missed them.

My own blackberries did decently well this year. But, they're fading fast.

I should get back to my job now.

I picked up a couple Bonnie Early Girls today, and will get them in this weekend.

HJ and Jen, go ahead and start the cucumbers. You have time. Maybe a Beit Alpha type, mine are setting fruit like crazy. I’m also inseminating the pickling cukes every day, and will get a lot soon.

Replacing some of the bush beans tomorrow.

Rebecca, I just harvested my first nice Early Girls this morning. I have harvested a few earlier, but they were some that were damaged in some way that caused them to ripen early.

I am still trying to clean up my sweet potatoes. I think that the people that grow SP in black plastic are smarter than I am, because the weeding has to be less.

All three of the types of sweet potatoes that I grow have been blooming, they do that every year, but I think that the blooms may be a little smaller this year, and seem a little earlier.

I also picked the first good tomato off the container plants this morning. The tomatoes from the container were from a Bush Beefsteak. I don't think that I will be getting many large tomatoes, and what few I get will cat faced like crazy.

Hey Jennifer, the cooler box fermentation experiment seems to be going well. I think day 3 or 4, the brine really clouded up. Tomorrow will be day 7 and is when they are supposed to be done. A couple of the cucumbers are pretty fat, so I'm wondering if I should extend the ferment a day or two? We haven't had to skim much at all, so that is a plus. They sure smell pickley...reminds me of the Claussen pickle smell.

Sweet potatoes are vining out and the rabbits seem to be enjoying them, so I guess there's that. That storm the other night caught us completely off guard. The wind blew my greenstalk w/strawberries over. Winds must have been from north and when I got up it was blowing from east. One of those weird summer storms. We got an inch of rain out of the deal at least, which was sorely needed.

Mrs Dollar and I just made our first salsa. We got 8 pints. We might get another batch this year, while last year we made 80 pints of salsa.

I'm bringing in 6 to 8 tomatos per day. Last year I was bringing in 5 gallon buckets every other day.

I got nothing. But I checked in and have enjoyed all your posts! Here, I'm wrestling with all the plants as best I can, and with the help of 2 folks who do a good job weeding for me. I'm most proud of the new thornless blackberry bushes that are thriving. And the sunflowers and Jerusalem artichokes. As common as sunflowers are, they are always fun. The storm three days ago knocked one of them over, and it was quite a job standing that 12-14' plant back up--but got er done. Garry's only job nowadays is mowing when it absolutely has to be mowed out there, and weedeating at the same time. Life is good--and short.

How many tomatos does it take to make 8 pints of salsa ?

Here's pics , before and after ........

Before ...........

After

And before

And after

It's always good to get that first batch of fresh salsa. I'm going to make a quart of roasted salsa roja tonight for the refrigerator. We still have about 12 pints from last year. We made those a couple of different ways, Annies (I think?) and a similar version that has more of a vinegar taste. I think the Annies tastes better. We'll need to do something because the counters are covered in San Marzanos. My first beefsteak was 1-1/2 lb, about 1/2 lb shy of last years first big one.

All those tomatoes really look good.

You guys make me hungry with all of you talking about salsa, but I doubt that Madge and I will do any, old age is kicking us around pretty good, we are both having a hard time staying away from the Dr.'s office.

I am hoping the kids will take some of our produce and do something with it, if not, I will plant a lot less next year. I wont have a hard time giving this produce away, but we are having a tough time just keeping the lawn mowed and the house work done, there is no need in getting behind in the things that need to be done, just to grow veggies to give away no matter how much I enjoy it.

It is 96 degrees now, I am hoping that the temp will drop enough for me to start mowing the lawn this evening, if not I will mow it in the morning when the grass is wet, it is not as dusty when the grass is wet any way.

I pickled my mini cucumbers.

Quite a bit to catch up on....

I'll start fresh cucumbers for the fall, although the current ones look okay. Just not setting much fruit yet. I haven't looked at them since Thursday so all of that could have changed.

I wonder if the beit alpha cucumber is similar to the Persian ones I like so much, Rebecca.

I didn't mark my cucumbers this year. I do know the Armenian were in the back, but I've got Market More and Persian in the KG. I'll know when they finally make fruit.

I'm excited about your cucumber success, Rebecca!

Larry, I have no idea what sweet potatoes I have where. I just started putting them in places. There's 3 or 4 large pots and some in the SG. I think I marked the ones in the SG.

Josh, I love that fermenting cucumber smell! It's so good.

Sorry about your Greenstalk blowing over. That doesn't seem to happen often, but the winds were crazy that night. Were you able to save your plants?

Nancy, have you been able to harvest many berries? Mine are fading fast. A neighbor and I picked wild ones early this morning. I didn't get too many and don't need them, really.

Some mowed over most of them, although it was nice to have a path cut. I probably have a half gallon. Neighbor got a few more but she brought her girls to help.

The property is supposedly owned by Moore Public Schools. Keep waiting for a new junior high to go up there.

Sunflowers are SO cheerful. Mine usually get chowed on by critters, so I would like to keep them out so I can enjoy their beauty. The damaged parts aren't so pretty in the ornamental areas. But, from a distance, it's just fine. My sunflowers are always such a little ecosystem each year.

The pretty native garden is less pretty right now, but it, like the sunflowers, have a host of critters chewing on it. The gaillardia is fading. I need to make time to get in there and pull it. Fresh ones will begin to pop up. That's what happened last year.

Time. That's a hard thing to come by right now. It's really too hot for me to work in the garden at this hour.

Lynn, congrats on the first batch of salsa.

We spent the day in the Wichita area yesterday and didn't get in until after 11. Rick watered the SG, but I'll need to water everything else in a few hours.

We stopped by the farmer's market and picked up some Stratford peaches. I'm going to make some BBQ sauce maybe this afternoon after delivering a few eggs.

Kim, good job on your mini cukes! My neighbor has a vine of mini cukes taking over her native flowerbed.

I'm sure there's more going on in the garden, but I gotta go.

Question for those who are starting Fall plants - are you planting in the ground or in your house? I want to try rooting some suckers for fall tomatoes - are certain types better for fall? I welcome advice. Yes, I have planted a fall garden for years, but the heat this year is ruining my efforts

I plan on starting some seeds in the house. I tried placing a cutting in potting soil outside, but we can only water every other day, by hand only. The heat fried my cutting. The seeds may sprout in this heat, but as bad as the insects are, I am afraid the new seedling wont make it without a little help. I also plan on getting some well water, creek water, or pond water in a tank of barrel to water with. I think I could sneak around and water at night, but I had rather play by the rules.

Farm gardener (sorry, don't know your actual name), find how many days between now and your average first frost, then choose a variety that will mature about 2 weeks earlier. Fruits mature slower in cooler weather, and there's always a chance we get an early cold snap. But on the bright side, tomatoes ripen off the vine and you can enjoy fresh homegrown tomatoes up through Christmas.

Farmgardener, I’m buying plants to replace some that just aren’t cutting it, either dying or thar i just don’t like. I can usually get a great fall harvest, if we don’t freeze early.

One of my arch trellises is collapsing. I need to go get some stakes to rig it back up until i can rebuild it this fall with taller t-posts. It’s the one that has most of the pole beans on it, plus one rouge cucumber vine. This is my first year with pole beans. Fortex. They are climbing and blooming like crazy, but no beans yet. Does the heat affect them like tomatoes, or will they set beans in the heat?

HJ, i think we’re talking about the same cucumber. The small, smooth skinned ones? They do so well in the heat. Plus I don’t need to pollenate them. AND my nephew loves them.

I’ve had both hoses on all day, soaking different parts of the garden, and now a storm is moving in. Of course. At least it will be cooler tomorrow to get stuff done.

The fridge pickles are way too salty. Thinking about re-brining them with way less salt.

Rebecca, do you use cattle panels for trellises? I think they are great. The panels can be a little hard to haul, but they are sure handy to have on hand. I also like to keep rebar on hand. The rebar is a little hard to haul also, but there is a town that Madge goes through every week that sells rebar, and cuts it at reasonable rate, I bought (40) 5' sticks about 2 weeks ago. I use treated fence boards, cattle panels, rebar, and tee post enough that I try to keep them on hand at all times, along with electric fence wire.

I spent most of the morning watering. This afternoon I hope to load a 275 gallon tote in the pickup to haul water. I think I can buy veggies cheaper than I can grow them, but I think mine taste better. And if I get to where I don't like a certain vegetable, I can grow a different kind.

Our kitchen cabinet looks like some of your cabinets, they are loaded with vegetables. I told Madge that I was going to tell the kids that I was going to throw the vegetables at them if they did not take them home with them.

Glenda, I started tomato seeds yesterday. I'm a bit late with it. I put the tray in our hoop house. I didn't start many, tho. I would like fresh Sungolds this fall. And, the Dr. Wyche heirlooms. IF we have a late first frost, it's possible I could save seed from those too.

Yes, the heat is very unmotivating.

Jen, that's so true. I throw those fall green tomatoes in a bucket or a bag and eat on them until December.

Rebecca, I am unfamiliar with Fortex.

Larry, I took a big box of tomatoes to our church today. They went quickly. We have some good-sized ones. I weighed several of them and they are nearly a lb. I save those little plastic containers with the holes that you buy fruit and veggies in. I stuffed those full of Porters and cherry tomatoes and took them as well. . The large ones went first, then the plum sized and cherry types.

It's been a good tomato year for us. My neighbor, not so much. It's weird how just a few acres over hers aren't doing so well.

Had the first ripe Abe Lincoln, so I'll save seed from it and maybe start a couple. Last year I was late too but got good sized fruit. However, none of it was ripe before the first frost. Which is fine, but not good for seed saving.

There's few tiny fruits on the cuke vines.

AND, I see little Karjari melon fruit. It's just the cutest little melon. It's worth growing just because it's so pretty. It's tasty too.

Sadly, one of my Seminole pumpkin vines shriveled and died. I pulled it out and threw it in the garbage. Looks like another one is about to die as well. I'm sure it's SVB. Never saw any moths, though.

There's still 2 vines, but none have had blossoms yet.

After that great 2019 year of 60+ pumpkins, I just haven't had success with winter squash. I LOVE winter squash.

I sprayed the vines with BT once. I guess it wasn't enough. lol

Honestly, I've considered using potent pesticides on pumpkins and winter squash just because I love it so much. With summer squash, you'll get a few fruit before the pests take it out because it's quick to ripen. Not so with the winter. I'm sure any pumpkin or squash I buy at the store has been sprayed with something--organic or otherwise.

Like most of the food we eat from the store or restaurant.

The BBQ sauce I made with the Stratford peaches and Sugar Rush Peach peppers was a little sweet for my tastes. I will cut the sugar next time. Tom loves it, tho. It took two hours to make so I'm glad he likes it.

I peeked at the SG yesterday (and grabbed another bucket of tomatoes) after watering the rest of the gardens. It's a little rough looking. Rick's corn burned up. It got too hot and dry too fast. He was able to get a few small ears.

The green beans are about done. The tomatoes still have fruit on the plants but aren't setting much new fruit.

The sweet potatoes, cantaloupe, okra (very small still) all look healthy.

The kitchen garden gets some shade in the late afternoon and evening, so those tomato plants are still making new fruit.

Rick and I might can potatoes on July 4th. Our people are coming over on the 5th.

I just hate the thought of them going bad because they don't have a cool place to store.

The people we saw in Wichita have the nicest basement. It was almost too cool to be comfortable. What a dream for storing veggies.

They do have a garden, but it's small and they don't grow things that need to be stored.

I had this thought of how I need to garden. If I have plenty of canned things from the previous year, don't grow that or much of that. And with the potatoes, maybe do fewer ones in the spring, but do a second round of fall potatoes. They would store for longer into the winter and early spring.

I've done fall potatoes before on a small scale.

Anyone have experience with fall potatoes?

I don't have good luck with Irish potatoes, I think that my soil is too wet at that time of the year, plus my soil is too shallow.

I may try to start some cucumber seeds soon, but I have no idea where I will plant them, I am still scratching around for space.

This is my north garden. These tomato and pepper plants are smaller than the plants in the south garden. I am hoping that I can keep these plants alive through fall so the kids can have produce to work with. Madge and I don't expect to be putting much, if anything up, we are still having health issues.

This is a Fred's Tie Dye tomato that is planted in the ground. A few days ago I noticed that it looked as tho something had eaten the top out of it. I thought that It was a horn worm or grasshoppers, and thought that I looked the plant over pretty well trying to find a horn worm, and found nothing. I noticed something strange a while ago, and check the plant, and found what is left of a tomato. I did not even see the tomato when I was checking the plant a few days ago. How can a guy find a horn worm when he cant even see a tomato that size? The horn worm may have been eating on the tomato when I was checking the plant.

Larry I can’t find cucumbers so not sure if I would be any help. Well I am doing something a bit crazy. I am going to get a grasshopper destroyer. Its a one legged duck. Yep. It’s came up for grabs in my chicken group. lol. I am going to put him in in the garden. I will keep you posted

Kim, you may be on to something. A one legged duck should not be hard to keep up with. It the duck lays eggs, they should be easy to find, if it does get out and gets in a pond it will just swim in circles. You may have to catch the grasshoppers and feed them to the duck, anyway keep us posted.

Larry I was wondering if he would swim in circles. It’s a boy so no eggs but I may get him a girlfriend. I am going to get him a pool with a ramp to get in and out. I have an extra dog house for him to sleep in. He doesn’t need alot of room to move around so my garden should be perfect

Kim, I have never seen a one legged duck mate, his girlfriend may not be happy. I guess that if there are enough grasshoppers to eat they may not even think about starting a family.

Well I guess I will see. It definitely will be interesting