Tomato Time…here now, gone tomorrow

This is my very first year growing tomatoes, few are from seeds, few are store-bought plants and a few acquired. So far, I am able to get 10 ripe tomatoes ( 2 Beaverlodge, 8 Sweet 100), many more green ones are still on plants.
We got 3 beautiful days of summer last week but from today it’s all downhill. Big chilly air moved into Northwest and forecast says it’s going to stay. Temps climbing to upper 70s is almost a dream, that means there won’t be any more vine ripening of tomatoes for us. This has been my first year of growing tomatoes and it’s GREEN in color. (as in color of tomatoes so far.). KitsapFG talks that same and advises to keep tomatoes in greenhouse or bring indoors to ripen. Really? I have to give up so soon? All I have so far is 10 ripe tomatoes …

(Above) Agatha Tomatoes – I got seeds from wintersown.org. I started seeds in late April and transplanted out mid July (We got rains and cold all June). Very compact, determinate plant loaded with tomatoes.

 

(Above – 2 photos) Brandywine Tomatoes – This is heirloom type indeterminate plant. I got it as a seedling in local swap. Plant got too big quite early with lots of bloom. Unfortunately all the blooms are not translating into tomato yet. We got ONLY ONE green tomato on plant (above) so far. This is supposed to be huge 1-2 pound tomato, pink in color with burst of flavor. I can’t wait …

 

(Above) Black Krim – This is supposed to be black Krim, seedling got mixed up. I hope it ripens and I’ll find out soon. Semi-determinate plant I think. if you think it’s not Black Krim, please help me identify.

This tomato originally from the Isle of Krim on the Black Sea in the former Soviet Union. This tomato yields slightly flattened dark-red, slightly maroon, beefsteak tomatoes with deep green shoulders. 

 

(Above) San Marzano Tomatoes – Started from seed, semi-determinate plants produce oval shaped fruits. These are supposed to be best for sauce and paste. This tomato originally comes from Italy.

 

(Above) Beaverlodge Tomato – Compact plant loaded with tomatoes. This is ultra early tomato which sets fruit and ripens in cold rainy weather. My plant has curled leaves – leafroll – due to excessive rain and improper drainage. I acquired this plant as part of local plant swap, it is first to give me ripe tomato. This tomato is bred at Canada and is earliest maturing tomato, best for cooler, foggy, rainy growing conditions (translate to Pacific NW).

 

(Above) Celebrity – Store bought, Indeterminate. This is a hybrid variety which is 1984 AAS winner. It is said to be mid-early variety with flavorful fruit. This plant was to set fruit very last from all store bought plants.

 

(Above) Lemon Boy – Store bought, Indeterminate. As Name suggests, this tomato ripens to yellow color. Appearance is of heirloom tomato but I am sure this one can be hybrid as plant did not suggest it was heirloom. I am curious to find out how it looks and tastes ripe…

 

 
(Above) Sweet 100 – Store Bought, Indeterminate. As name suggests there is over abundance of tomatoes on this 5 foot tall plant. It has given me 7 ripe sweet tomatoes so far.

I am also growing Kimberly tomatoes, these are from seeds shared by wintersown.org. It’s supposed to be early tomato on small plant. Kimberly has frilly leaves and I am so much interested to see how fruits looks like. It has not set any fruits yet, party due to my mistake of starting it late. It is said to be early type with small fruit which ripen in cold weather, even in autumn. I am patiently waiting ….

Happy Growing!!

Summer Flower Show & Happy 1st Birthday Dear Blog!

Summer flowers are in full bloom, they are flowering a little later than last year. Maybe cold wet May-June is to blame. 

(Above) Hydrangea – Nature own litmus paper. Hydrangea will bloom blue if soil is acidic or else red-pink if it’s alkaline. On my recent trip to eastern Washington – Walla Walla side , I saw white hydrangea – it’s bred differently and not indicative of soil PH.

(Above) Unknown – Please help me identify.
It’s growing tall up, 5-6 foot and bearing pink-purple flowers up on top.

(Above) Shasta Daisy

Summer Harvest

I am back from vacation and garden was filling with goodies, was able to pick up good produce. I really didn’t picture everything that I harvested but here are few shots. Summer is busier with kids staying home, vacations, activities, hikes and much more, I am finding very little time to spend in garden. Really this is the time to relax and enjoy the hard-work we have put in garden over last few months.

Here are few pictures of harvests over last week. I was able to harvest Green and Wax Beans, 1 big Zuchini, Blueberries (last of the season), Lots of Radish, Chard, lettuce and Chives.

Vacation!!

Fenugreek Love was on Vacation, still catching up with life! Few photos from trip to Crater Lake National Park in Oregon. Check out intense blue color of the lake, truly amazing!

Summer Garden Tour

Tour of Fenugreek Love’s garden, this is how garden looks in early August.

Below is BED 1, growing from left to right – Lettuce, Turnips, last of bunching onions, French Breakfast Radish, Marigolds, baby Beets and Swiss Chard

Below is Bed 2, towards back are 4 tomato plants which are recovered from yellowing due to constant rain. I am growing tomato varieties – Celebrity, Tumbling Tom, Lemon Boy and Early Girl. All are store bought plants.  Towards the front are 3 Zucchini plants.

Container garden: Ornamentals, Muncher Cucumbers, Golden Oregano, Marigolds, Cosmos, Chicks&Hens,  Beaverlodge Tomato and 1 Ichiban Eggplant. 

  

BED 3: This sits in partly sunny space. From back to Front: Blue Lake bush beans – 2 types, 1 Jalapeno, 1 sweet pepper and few bell pepper plants. Front row is Cabbage. There’s also one tomato plant hiding somewhere – Kimberly.

 

Bed 4 is completely dedicated to fenugreek, I do succession planting and harvest here. Right now, I have planted Dill and fenugreek in back part (still yet to germinate), front methi is ready to harvest.

Below is my pea patch. Not much action here, it is completely under-utilized (well, I think that for every other bed too). Tacoma bush peas, few pole peas and trailing cucumber vines are planted here.