Thursday, September 1, 2011

August Harvests

This week has been uneventful, compared to Mother Nature's Earthquake/Hurricane Smack Down last week. She has been nice to DC this week, with clear, sunny days and cool nights with temps in the 60s. I love it! I wish I could send these cool temperatures and rain to friends in Texas, the midwest, and other parts suffering from heat and drought.

August was a good month for harvesting. We collected a lot of peppers and tomatoes--I know, "a lot" is not exact, but I wasn't as meticulous as I wanted to be when tracking our harvest. Also, sadly, a lot of my tomatoes split, exposing the flesh. On Sunday, once it stopped raining, I went out to the garden and saw tons of flies and other bugs in the cracks. There was a slight rotten smell, too. I picked the tomatoes and threw them out. I've come to accept bugs in the garden, but I'm not going to eat after a fly.

It looks like some of the tomato plants are getting a second wind, though. I've seen new blossoms on the grape tomato plants and others have tomatoes that are green and/or blushing.

Peppers--they were the stars in August. We collected from all the different varieties and I expect more for September. The cherry peppers are producing so well that we're thinking of keeping a plant or two inside over winter. They taste so sweet and are perfectly bite-sized, this variety is quickly becoming a favorite. (Click here for a full list of the peppers we're growing this summer).

August was also a good month for harvesting cucumbers. We have four cucumber plants, but it looks like three of them have finished producing. I don't know how much we can get out of the last one.

For those who asked, the Bumble Lush furballs did fine during the storm. I hope all your pets were OK too! I thought I'd share a shot of Pickles hiding amongst some vines.


12 comments:

  1. It is good to see you are still getting plenty of produce.

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  2. I've been meaning to tell tell you, I love your new header (not so new now). Great photo of pickles.

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  3. Great looking peppers! They are beautiful. I bet Pickles thinks she's hidden!

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  4. are those cucumber vines? because a cat named pickles hiding in a cucumber plant is pretty appropriate.

    i'm loving your peppers, the cayennes especially. sorry to hear about the cracking maters though. that happened to me a lot last year...but i ate them anyway.

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  5. I'm so glad to see that Mother Nature has been kind to you at last. You've certainly had a great harvest, well done! Shame about those tomatoes though. As you say, there are signs that some of the plants are going to come through and give you a harvest at least.

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  6. Your peppers look beautiful! And glad to hear you and furballs are through the storm ok. :)

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  7. I am so glad you fared well in the storm. Furballs is so cute!

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  8. My definitions:

    furball - a cat napping alone
    purrball - a cat napping on my lap

    Pickles is a cute comer :)

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  9. @Elaine--thank you! I'm glad we're still getting a little bit too.

    @Girl Sprout--thank you!

    @Emily--thanks! Pickles is in the loofah vines. They look similar to cucumber vines.

    @Bernie--thanks! I'm glad some tomatoes may be salvaged this month too.

    @Hanni--thank you!

    @Sage Butterfly--thanks very much!

    @wiseacre--HA! Very clever! :)

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  10. I too like your header, very happy looking. You have quite a stash of brightly colored produce. Good to see gardens producing.

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  11. Your produce looks wonderful. All of my summer veggies are gone now, except for the peppers. Only they seem to take the heat and thrive.

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  12. Concerning the Carnival Mix Peppers, all of mine were purple and white! Maybe it's the geographical area they are grown in! Mine are usually always the same, even using different soil types! You have beautiful plants!

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