Storm damaged my garden tonight

[MoochNNoodles]

I finally took a few pics of the garden. My zucchini have mostly bounced back. It appears I am loosing one summer squash. The good news is my tomatoes seem to be ok! I've been harvesting a few ripe ones every couple of days and the broken branches are still green! Some are still on the ground though. I have quite a few supports put in there. I just finally added 2 tall stakes yesterday. One of the stakes is outside the garden; but it's doing it's job so far.

I still can't believe how big the summer squash and zucchini are...


My cherry tomatoes. The other plant is leaning on them some now; but they seem to be ok that way.


Now here you can see the supports I added. Whatever works I guess.




I'm starting to get cucumbers! YUM!

 

[darkmavis]

Your garden is still looking GREAT!

I'm glad the storm didn't do too much lasting damage.

 

[MoochNNoodles]

Thanks! Me too; I was sooo upset standing in my kitchen watching it all and feeling helpless!

 

[carolpetunia]

So wonderful to watch things grow! If only it weren't so hot here... you're inspiring me! Maybe I'll try planting a winter garden this fall...

 

[Winchester]

Cool! It looks fantastic! Your little cukes are cute!

We are getting a lot of summer squash and zucchini, cucumbers (I'm telling you, make some Fire and Ice Tomatoes!), lots of green beans that I'm blanching and freezing. And broccoli. We took the main flower off the broccoli plants, cut them, blanched them, and froze them. Now we're waiting for the little flowerets to start growing off the main stem. The shoulders of my red beets are just barely starting to poke out of the ground, so it won't be long before I can pick beets for the freezer. The corn is tassling nicely, so it shouldn't be too long before we'll have fresh corn, too.

One thing that's very strange. We have a ton of tomatoes on our vines. Lots of support for them. But they're not turning red. They're not really turning much of anything. I know the Lemon Boy tomatoes are supposed to turn yellow. But nothing. We've had sun, we've been feeding with tomato food, and we've been watering. But they're just kind of hanging there. I read that tomatoes won't turn red if the temperature gets above 86 degrees and it's been right around there. This week, we're into the 90s. I don't know if I should just pick some and let them ripen in the kitchen or what to do. I don't want to lose them. They're nice and firm, but there's just no color.

 

[libby74]

Originally Posted by Winchester

One thing that's very strange. We have a ton of tomatoes on our vines. Lots of support for them. But they're not turning red. They're not really turning much of anything. I know the Lemon Boy tomatoes are supposed to turn yellow. But nothing. We've had sun, we've been feeding with tomato food, and we've been watering. But they're just kind of hanging there. I read that tomatoes won't turn red if the temperature gets above 86 degrees and it's been right around there. This week, we're into the 90s. I don't know if I should just pick some and let them ripen in the kitchen or what to do. I don't want to lose them. They're nice and firm, but there's just no color.

Same here; I didn't know about them not turning if the temp is too high (and believe me, here the temp is WAY too high). Hope someone can shed some light on whether to pick them or not.

 

[MoochNNoodles]

I didn't know that either! The ones I've been getting are down low; closer to the ground. Most of mine are green. Same with my cherry tomatoes! Hmm.... It's been in the 90s here. Annoying hot.

Strange question...are bush beans supposed to have a velvety texture on the outside? They aren't prickily; but they aren't smooth either.

 

[libby74]

Originally Posted by MoochNNoodles

Strange question...are bush beans supposed to have a velvety texture on the outside? They aren't prickily; but they aren't smooth either.

I don't know what variety my parents grew, but they did feel velvety on the outside. I haven't had home-grown beans in years; that sounds so good.

 

[Winchester]

I have frozen about 4 quarts of green beans thus far, and we have to pick again tonight. Ours are smooth; they're a bush bean, might be Blue Lake? Blue something? I'll have to ask DH.

Something ate a stalk of corn! A whole stalk! Just chewed that puppy right down to the ground. DH saw it this morning. We're thinking probably a deer as a raccoon would have smashed the fence. And a bear would have been very messy. This one stalk was just chewed right off. Great, just great. We have ears of corn now and that darn deer is going to get them. Our fence is about four feet high; heck, a deer can reach right over that.

 

[MoochNNoodles]

Oh no! I'd be mad!!

This might sound funny; but I've been afraid to cook the beans because of the fuzziness. It feels weird on my finger so how will it feel in my mouth/throat? I have a handful to cook up and probably some more ready. I have to lift the zucchini leaves to find them; so I'm just glad I'm getting some at all! Next year I'm hoping to make another raised bed for just the summer squash and zucchini.

Oh! I did a zucchini pie (not a pie, but baked in a pie dish) the other night and it was soooo goood! There were no leftovers! It called for a chopped tomato too; so I also got to make it with one of my own tomatoes! (Fresh corn is also an ingredient but I just used some canned....fresh would be better.)