Forget Christmas in July, we got Halloween in June. While we had some ups and downs as always this last month, I have to start the latest garden update with our recent big win--we grew our biggest pumpkin ever! While we always seem to do pretty well with some variety of squash or another, this year was the first time we seemed to really have some promising pumpkins early on.
With three vines, we had one solid pumpkin on each of them. This variety is called Rouge Vif D' Etampes, also dubbed "Cinderella" pumpkins. Unfortunately, one of the first three succumbed to the immense amount of rain that continued into the beginning of June (I found it half rotted just as it seemed ready to pull off the vine), but we pulled off a 10-pound one mid-month which got us really excited to see how big the third would end up getting.
We couldn't resist some glamour shots as we took her off the vine. And as nature does, the vine that we pulled the 10-pounder off of already is pushing out a few new pumpkins (bottom right of the collage). The final verdict on our chonky baby--19.6 pounds! Definitely the biggest squash we've ever grown. I'm dreaming of pumpkin pies, bread, chili, curry, and more...
Squash, Continued
Not too surprising given our garden history, but we've had a solid squash season so far all around. The Zucchino Rampicante finally gave us a good one (many of those that are trailing the ground have been rotting with the moisture, too), and the Patty Pan varieties have done well enough that I have given quite a few away to share. We also got a few nice Candy Roasters to add to our hard squashes, and some wild volunteers that I'll have to share pics of next time once they're ready to pull.
Cukes
We've also had a pretty successful cucumber year so far. The pickling cucumbers looked great early on, and I've been able to make at least three jars of fermented pickles. The plants got a little water-logged like a lot of the rest of the garden, but seem to be bouncing back now that we've had a better mix of the usual heat and more spread out summer storms.
The lemon cukes are also hitting their stride. I'm having to check every day so that I don't miss any because they can get really seedy when they get too big. Still not my favorite, but worth having for some cuke variety! Plus, the bees absolutely love the cucumber flowers.
'Maters
The little fuzzy bastards decimated the corn earlier in the season, and of course they're back again to lay claim to the tomatoes. The squirrels seem to like to taunt us by leaving the evidence of the crime right out in front of us. I don't mind sharing some of the more abundant cherry tomatoes, but the heirloom tomatoes are a step too far. 😂
Despite the fuzzy thieves, we have gotten a few of the larger tomatoes to enjoy. All of the tomatoes also seemed to have a tougher time with the rain. We had lots of flowers early on, but not many tomatoes actually grew out of them. The cherry tomatoes got a little leggy, as well, but they have bounced back and are producing lots of bite-sized gems.
Yes, that's my gorgeous pumpkin making a cameo in the back again, haha.
Miscellaneous
Around the rest of the garden, we are still waiting for the figs to ripen. The main tree is laden with fruit, so it shouldn't be too long now before we can enjoy lots of fresh figs.
We also got to enjoy some lovely sunflowers for a while, another favorite with the bees.
The first eggplant is just days away from ripening.
And we finally got some peppers to grow!
I'll finish out with the turmeric that is also promising another solid harvest. We pulled so much out of the ground last year that I had lots to give away. This year if we get as much as it seems we might, I need to do a better job of preserving it for our own use. Though I will still be happy to share plenty.
It's easy sometimes in the struggles to feel like we didn't get that much out for the effort put in, but taking the time each month to document our journey makes me realize we're doing pretty well for ourselves. No matter how much we actually get to eat, it's always a worthwhile process.
Next up...figuring out when I need to start planting my fall seeds because I do not want to miss the window like I usually do. The dog days of summer are tough to find motivation to get outside for too long at a time, but I want root veggies and crucifers in my future.
Happy gardening!
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