I think green is the theme this week. Between all the new transplants, the green tomatoes, and the squash, you’d think all I was growing in my garden this year was green fruits and vegetables. Well you’re wrong. I’m just waiting for everything to ripen so I can do the happy dance.
The kale is here to stay my friends. I’m beginning to think I should become a professional kale grower. You just cannot kill this stuff.
The same goes for the Swiss chard. The Girl likes to pick leaves off the plants every time she walks by and munch on it. I think it’s great that she’ll eat the stuff, but it makes my OCD heart stop when I have to look at a plant with broken leaves.
The zucchini patch has calmed down a bit… I haven’t seen baseball bat ones for a while. Well, if you don’t count the occasional 3 pounder I spot every once in a while.
There are 3 Brussels sprout plants that have not flowered yet. My fingers are crossed.
Holy Moley. Looks like I’ll be picking peppers today. I had no idea they had gotten so big.
As for the tomatoes.. I have been picking them as soon as I start to see a bit of color. I need to google these India Rose heirloom tomatoes though, I’m not sure when I am supposed to pick them. Does anyone know?
The green zebra tomatoes are just a few days away from being picked. I know from experience they will turn a wee bit yellow when they are ready to harvest.
Please hurry tomatoes!
And the squash… Oh my beautiful squash. The best part about growing heirloom squash, are all the different colors, shapes and sizes they come in.
The Big Max pumpkin is almost entirely orange and I know I’m just going to walk out there one morning and find it missing. The Girl Who Thinks She’s a Bird keeps eyeballing it and I’m afraid she’s going to run off with it as soon as it’s ready. Although I’m not exactly sure what she’s going to do with it.
Now all I need is a little more sunshine {and heat} to get these babies off the vine.
Life is good!
How are YOUR squash doing? Have you picked any yet?
~Mavis
Heirloom: Notes from an Accidental Tomato Farmer
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kate says
I’m jealous of your kale. My husband uses our juicer every morning and goes through the stuff like water.
You mentioned it will winter over. Can I plant now? From seed or start?
Thanks for the info. The juicer thanks you.
Mavis says
You can plant it now from seed. 🙂 I’ve been starting it from seed in two week intervals and then putting it out in the garden around the 3rd week. My friend grew it all winter long last year so I’m pretty pumped!
mary says
Hi Mavis,
I can’t believe I actually know the answer to one of your questions!! Your Indigo Rose tomatoes are ripe when the bottom of the tomato turns red. I just picked my first one last week.
Mavis says
Thanks Mary!!! I am so excited to harvest these, there are so many of them I cannot wait {well, actually I’ll have to}. Thanks again, Mavis
Sarah Smith says
Mary is right, they need to be all black, blue, and red. I don’t have any ripe yet in my garden, but I have also heard that the taste is better when they are picked VERY ripe, not firm.
Destini says
I am sooo jealous of your pumpkins.. Mine have done great every year but this year I found some seeds for blue pumpkins and the plants have gotten quite large but not one itty pumpkin yet. 🙁 Sad I really wanted my kids to be shocked to find a blue pumpkin instead of orange.. They were so excited for the white ones a few years ago..
Shannon Carter says
My Indigo Rose tomatoes turned red on the bottom when they were ready. I found them a little hard even then, so I let them ripen a bit in the window. I like them, but they don’t taste as amazing as they look.
Anne says
THanks, everyone, for the tips about Indigo Rose ripeness. I have MANY tomatoes on several plants. I was wondering when to start picking, but now I know to cross my fingers and wait.
My the way, my Stupice tomatoes are the real producers this year. I got them at the Seattle Tilth Edible Plant Sale in Seattle. Yum, Yum!!
Still waiting on the Celebrity and Roma tomatoes…we’ll see…
Mavis says
Stupice tomatoes are so prolific, I love them!!