Monday, September 28, 2015

Tomato, Eggplant
My largest tomato weighs in at 14.6 oz, here viewed top and bottom:


The oldest of the three eggplants is the (smaller) yellow brother. What caused its strange color? Its texture was thicker than its brothers', but we ate it anyway.
Today, with the help of a helpful U of Az extension Master Gardener, I learned about the problem with the beans in the greenhouse: spider mites.

Monday, September 21, 2015

Fungus? Virus?
All plants in the greenhouse are suffering from something. I want to try to find out what the problem is. The leaves are blotched, as in this poor quality picture:

I have removed the damaged eggplant leaves, but the fruit seems healthy:

The tomatoes are of two colors, but this doesn't come out in the photo:

Friday, September 18, 2015

Watermelon
The time has come for my midget watermelon to be cut open. Here it is with friends, before and after the operation:

I ate some of it, but it had mushy texture and little taste. The remains now are making compost. I have, however, saved some seeds, hoping to grow another plant or two next summer.

Tuesday, September 15, 2015

Heirloom Tomatoes
My tomatoes are doing well this year, and they are good sized, as shown here against the background of the chain link fence:


Thursday, September 3, 2015

All kinds of things
Having seen the unprecedented explosion of views and comments, I feel obligated to post. And post I will.
The watermelon suffered the attacks of a cruel killer, probably downy mildew. I uprooted the shriveled vine and saved the immature melon (pictured below among friends, oranges and peaches in the same bowl--a sample of my excellent tomato crop in another bowl and the zucchina lunga encircling the extended family). One can see how immature the poor thing is. I don't have the heart to throw it away.
BUT, I have good news: my Zuccherino is growing:
as are some other cousins:

along with a more distant relative, the zucchina lunga:

And mushrooms are popping up here and there:

Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Squash
We have been eating zucchini and delicatas:

Today I planted some of my fall veggies, red chard and spinach (lavawa).
The tomatoes are producing well. We have eaten them in salads and I have made tomato sauce for our spaghetti, twice. I have enough picked to make more sauce and freeze it.
I have also harvested tenerumi and zucchina lunga. Here is where one can find out more about these and how to cook them:
http://worldrecipes.expo2015.org/it/ricetta-penne_con_crema_di_tenerumi_e_ricotta_salata_14107.html
The beans are disappointing. The plants in the greenhouse are diseased, from what looks like Mexican bean beetle. But I am not done with my research.