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This is "Martina's Roma". It was a volunteer in my cold compost pile from late last season, which looked so healthy growing in my compost, I dug them up and gave them their own row. I would consider them top performers this year, because they are a rich dark green and all four plants are LOADED DOWN with these pint sized beauties. I couldn't get a great pic of the whole "future crop" but, they look very determined to set some serious fruit this year.

I didn't seed them myself because I decided I wanted all indeterminate, Larger beefsteaks...and the Roma's really got crowded out last year, they just didn't put on the show that they are now...but these sure changed my mind!

They set fruit earlier, and ripen faster and will give me an early start on harvest. I will be planting them again, next year, thanks to these volunteers!

This is "Italian heirloom". As you can see it is a MONSTER tomato. I also grew these last year and they have some of the best flavor in a tomato I have EVER tasted, not to mention they are gargantuan! I have several "pounders" last year and that was what I had hoped for this year. But the Curled leafed tomato I mentioned in previous posts was the other half of the pair, and I pulled it and put it in the burn pile. The leaves stayed curled all day and all night, regardless of heat or water conditions, and once I noticed the neighboring plants were trying to curl, I ripped it out. So this is the lone "chumba wumba" tomato this year. :(

This is the Amish Paste.....longtime favorite of pretty much anyone. You can trust the Amish when it comes to heirloom veggies. They know what they are doing! This guy tastes about as good as the "Italian Heirloom" but is much smaller and has very little waste as far as seeds and juice. They make a great sauce, if not a bit pale. I have a tendency to pick pink tomatoes! But they just always taste so good!!!! Next year, taller trellis', for sure!

These are the melons.......I know, I can't believe it either! One week ago these were babies, barely bigger than transplant size, and now they are garden monsters! They have been relatively well behaved up until now, but I noticed that it is trying to grab on to my Roma's! That is a no-no...bad melon! As you can also see in this pic, a little leaf curl on that tomato....it was near to the one I had to pull that was so stunted. Uh-Oh! :(

And last but not least, my very big, very happy squash with absolutely NO Flowers, and NO fruit.......but I have confidence that I will harvest something, someday! and this is just the plant to deliver. Usually people that grow more than one squash have to leave baskets full of them on a neighbors step, ring the bell and run!!! They just put off so much in a short time. I haven't grown any for several years, so I am pleased, at least, with the size of the plant, and my perfect placement for optimal growth! ;)- There is just enough room, now if only the other one had sprouted!!! Ha ha, but that is what I get for using OLD SEEDS!

Well, that is it for now....I wish there was more, but there is always next year. I admit, it is mid-July and I am already planning for next year. Plus I am hoping for a bumper crop of cucumber and leafy greens that are sprouting in the flats as I write......more on that soon!

picture update 1 of 2

this is leaf chlorosis on blueberry....this worries me because I read in blueberries, that iron deficiency can cause this. What causes iron deficiency??? The PH is too high, and therefore iron is unavailable. This is an early warning sign, and that is why I am monitoring closely and adjusting as best I can! Check out these links:

Here is a PDF Pamplet on Blueberries

And The Blueberry Bulletin from Rutgers U. in NJ and some Info from Michegan State
This is an aparagus fern that has apparently gone to berry. This is common on old varieties (that are open pollinated and have both male and female plants), but I planted Jersey Knight, and they are supposed to be an all-male hybrid. You can barely see the lowest berry is turning a sort of red color. I haven't decided what, if anything, I should do. I considered trying to grow the berries to give away or plant in any gaps in my bed. We'll see! :)

OOOOOHHHHH!!!!!!!! The strawberries are flowering!!! There is only 3 flowers, but I bet that is enough for little Audrey to get excited. I am assuming they are everbearing, since they are called "eversweet".....mmmmmmmmmm yummy!
And here are my beautiful lilies. There is a belladonna lily in the background (aka: naked lady) and my double bloom on this new stargazer. I can't eat them, but they sure are pretty! And they smell like heaven! I have decided lilies are in my top 10, maybe even top 5 plants, even though they have no purpose other than making me smile!!!! These also fit into my mmmmmmm! yummy! category, because they smell so so so so so good!

The Garden Lately

These are my Ever sweet Strawberries, as you can see I am trying to root the runners before planting. And the next pic is the Blueberries; two each of three varieties: Elliot, O'Neal, and Chippewa. They currently reside in a thick mulch of chopped oak leaves until planting. This is also where I found my Giant Worm, if I ever get a chance to post a pick of him, I will.

These are the two "rotational" beds the one with the bird bath is Potato and Peas. The other bed has Tomato in the cages, peppers in between a few of them and broccoli down the front and side. I also seeded carrots in front of that, and cantelopes behind the tomatoes against a fence, but alas, no sprouts! :(

And finally, this is the Asparagus bed. I have been waiting YEARS to plant this. As it takes 3 years minimum to reach harvestable maturity, waiting is the last thing you want do. These are "Jersey Knight" hybrid, male crowns I purchased from Burgess (in Bloomington, IL) I believe it was something like $5 for 10....so I jumped on it. I water it, mulch, feed and weed it like the rest of the garden, and sometime in 2011, I can eat some! :)