I'm really going to miss the bright colors of summer. You just don't get this kind of eye candy any other time of the year. The tomatoes are fading fast now, which is fine by me since we've run out of freezer space. Surprisingly though, we were able to get a few super-sized Cherokee Purples this week (bottom left). These made it into the latest batch of heirloom tomato sauce. (Yum!)
As I'd mentioned earlier, I dug up all of my potatoes this week. Though we lost about 40% of our crop, we still ended up with enough to last us through at least the next couple of months. Out of the three varieties I grew this year, the All Blue performed the best. The Rose Finn fingerling, on other hand, did practically nothing. As such, I think I'll look for a different variety to grow next year.
This was the last (and sweetest) Charantais melon of the summer. Though incredibly fragrant, I don't think I'll grow it again next year. Maybe my palette isn't as sophisticated as it should be but I didn't find the taste all that great. I'd like to find an earlier and sweeter French melon to grow next summer. (Does such a variety exist?)
Also, I picked two more artichokes this week. These have been a real treat, despite the fact that the plants take up more growing space than they are probably worth.
Finally, I've been really bad about harvesting my chard and kale this summer. While they may not seem all that sexy or exciting now, in a few months, they will surely become a site for soar winter eyes.
This week's numbers:
Melon - 2.40 lb
Calabash gourd - 5.76 lb
Artichoke - 0.44 lb
Tomato - 18.20 lb
Potato - 14.16 lb
Tomatillo - 1.79 lb
Rhubarb Chard - 1.02 lb
Total this week: 43.77 lb
I know what you mean about the colors of Summer. Everything was so vibrant in the garden this year, especially the peppers! I think next Summer I will go for even more variety. I just didn't have the haul I was expecting. Your harvest looks great and I look forward to seeng what September brings for you!
ReplyDeleteI have not seen any Charantais Melon in any Australia seed companies. Looking at your melon has gain my interest to try growing them.Will be a busy month for you to start winter preparation.
ReplyDeleteI envy you on those tomatoes, they still look perfect just as the first ones of the season.
ReplyDeleteAll I have left in my garden now is chard. It has been a very short summer for me.
Hello, Thomas!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! I see you've passed the 500 lb. hoped-for production.
I've been following your blog since spring and must say you have had a beautiful garden. I keep telling my DH, 'this is what a garden SHOULD look like!' (ours is a bit messy!)
Please continue on with the blog, it's been a delightful reading and Marc's photography makes it all show to perfection.
Thank you for sharing your adventure!
Chard not sexy! Blasphemy.
ReplyDeleteActually, I've only grown chard once and a squirrel climbed on my deck to eat it. The comment above was out of pure envy.
all that work is worth it!
ReplyDelete(my meyer lemon tree has tiny fruit!)
I agree with Ribbit, how can you say chard isn't sexy. Especially yours since it has those beautiful red stalks. I suppose nothing can compete with a tomato though. I'll miss them when they are gone.
ReplyDeleteThat's still a fairly substantial potato haul, even if they are mostly blue funny ones :) 14 pounds of potatoes is likely to last a while...
ReplyDeleteThe chard looks great - very healthy.
Love those photographs! Great colors!!
ReplyDeleteI use some of those veggies in my daily green-smoothy!! Delicious!
Thanks for sharing,
gabriele
Tomatoes really are the jewels of the garden, aren't they? Your varieties look so beautiful together. I too wasn't all that impressed with my Charantais melons. You ended up with quite a large potato harvest in spite of the loss.
ReplyDeleteI have tomato and potato envy.
ReplyDeleteYour garden did very well this year so far. Your hard work shows everywhere.
After such a garden failure here this season, it's blogs like yours that keep me inspired enough not to throw in the towel!
Thanks Thomas!
That looks like a wonderful potato stash to me!
ReplyDeleteI grew Charantais several years ago and I didn't really like the taste either. Our area is noted for its sweet and musky cantaloupes, and I guess that's what my taste buds crave. Nice looking chard!
ReplyDeleteThat red stemmed chard is going to look really sexy in the dead of winter when it's going to be the most colorful and delicious veggie coming out of the garden. :)
ReplyDeleteWhen I get a melon that isn't as tasty as I would like I pair it with some prosciutto. The saltiness of the prosciutto really helps, as a matter of fact, just a sprinkle of salt on a melon can really perk it up.
The tomatoes look sexy
ReplyDeleteThe chard looks sexy
The artichoke - just down right impressive.
Thomas, you have had a wonderful tomato harvest and which makes me very envious. ;) A most unusual year has given us some disappointment, especially with tomatoes.
ReplyDeleteMy experiment with potatoes in pots proved a bit disappointing, so I'm back to the traditional next year.
We have never planted melons before, but this year planted a "French Orange"; it is only about 4 inches, but a beautiful rich orange color, fragrant, juicy, and absolutely delicious. I will try that again next year and plan to save some seeds should you need some. :) Have a wonderful week.
Everything looks gorgeous as usual Thomas! Those tomatoes are particularly beautiful and that was a nice potato harvest you got despite the critter losses. I am anxious to get my potato dig done for the year and see what kind of yield I got.
ReplyDeleteYou're like the tomato master, with such a great variety and colors of tomatoes that you harvest!
ReplyDeleteI just sowed some chard and kale seeds for the fall, and I hope my chard comes out looking as beautiful as yours does.
Beautiful harvest as usual.
ReplyDeleteI won't be growing Charentais next year either. The "other charentais" melon Petit Gris outperforms it, the PG is sweeter and more productive, it's a keeper for next year.