It's always with mixed feelings that I see the end in sight for the garden. I picked the last of the corn several weeks ago and now the tomatoes are calling it a day. The blight hit them hard and I'd planted all heirloom varieties -- none of which were blight resistant.
I picked the last of the tomatoes yesterday and what is probably the last of the green beans. The beans have done very well -- but now the deer have discovered them and are grazing heavily. The cucumbers also have done well but I think the vines are nearing their end.
Eggplant and peppers are going strong -- the deer don't seem interested in their foliage. And I still have sweet potatoes and winter squash to harvest.
As I said -- mixed feelings. It'll be good to take down the stakes and sea grass string and get rid of the sad remains of the tomato plants, to tidy away this year's garden in sure and certain hope of a better crop next year. It's okay if I don't put up any more tomatoes -- I have a gracious plenty, what with last year's leftovers.
17 comments:
Yes, but you do have plans for a fall garden, right? You may not have fresh tomatoes, but just think of the cooler weather that comes with a fall garden!
Not a bad haul, under the circumstances. I've just been reading about how this wet summer has had a catastrophic effect on bees and honey production. Here's to better times.
I cleaned up my garden the other day, and low and behold found tomatoes hiding under the sickly vines/between the weeds. Yes, a few tomatoe sandwiches to savor!
My fall garden never developed this year and I cleaned up this years garden about a month early, BUT, like you I am thankful for what harvest I had and do have some leftovers from last year. It all seems to average out ......
awww...is a sad day as you see the harvest com to an end...mmm tomato sandwiches....
I would find the end of gardening sad. Our farmer's market still has tomatoes and one vendor said he planted some for fall. Call me stubborn, but I'm not ready to give up yet on the tomatoes.
Sam
I'd have to admit that I've never made a tomato sandwich that looked like your last photo. ;)
What a beautiful eggplant!!! Sad to see the end of a season's offering. This year especially with all the crops lost due to heat and draught! Have a grand day! Cathy
Beautiful basket! Maybe the Farmers' Market??
Thank you, Vicki, for sharing the abundant beauty of your garden with us during this summer with its odd weather.
It might be interesting when you begin your 2013 garden to occasionally compare that emerging bounty with this year's progress.
Do you grow your vegetables from seeds? Please forgive me if I have missed your telling about this in a prior post.
Our local farmers green markets still have tomatoes ... so we still have that glorious possibility of tomato sandwiches! xo
That eggplant is so lovely. Our peppers are going strong, too, but we somehow ended up with only fire-hot ones---the kind that bring tears to your eyes.
Such a bounty of goodness!
Oh, it all seems to have gone SO quickly this year. I can't believe we're heading for autumn. Your basket full looks so colourful.
Ms. A -- i've sowed some lettuce, beets, and spinach. And it's already getting cooler --very pleasant temps just now.
Pat -- thank goodness for the averaging out!
Sam and Jean - Farmer's Mkt. sounds like a plan!
Kath -- really? ;-)
Frances -- most of the garden is from seeds I've saved or bought. The sweet potatoes were from store=boughten slips and I also bought the pepper and eggplant starts -- for ome reason I nnever have much luck with these.
It seems way too early to be the end of the season. It's still summer! Fall is a long, long way off yet (denial is always a good policy).
Enough in the basket for a few ratatouille preserves.
You are not only a creator of words but also an artist in photography! Have a great weekend Vicki!
Don't feel bad...I only planted disease resiistant and blight got all mine early as well....
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