'A' is for Artichoke and Arugula

Started seeds indoors today. Just a couple 'Imperial Star Hybrid'
Artichokes by Burpee. Also Arugula.

I decided to do an 'arugula grow-off' between two seed brands. I have
4 starts of 'Rocket Arugula' by Burpee (2009) and 4 starts of 'Rocket
Arugula' by Kitazawa Seed Co from Oakland, CA (2011). I picked up
these seeds from a shelf of Asian vegetable seeds at Yamagami's in
Cupertino, CA. I liked that they are local and the old fashion
packaging.

I plan to grow all 8 arugula starts in my EarthBox, which I just
filled with dirt and organic fertilizer today.

Pre-Spring Garden Prep

I pulled weeds and turned the soil today.  I also raked-in the last of my Bountiful-Gardens "Compost Crop Mix" seed packet.  It will grow a mix of wheat, vetch and rye in the spring, which I can turn under and make compost.  I did it last year too.  It looks like weeds.

Cleaning Up

This weekend was cleanup day. I removed the failing melon and zucchini plants, as well as many many weeds. Also took out the Roma, which performed well, but looked about dead now.

This little eggplant seemed to healthy and thriving though. It's got a couple little flowers, but no eggplants. It's October. I don't think it's gonna make it, but I decided to let it live out it's prime. It's been sunny and warm this fall anyway.



The cherry tomato continues to produce. I trimmed off a little, and decided to leave it. Turned off the auto watering.

I plan to put out some more nematodes, due to finding new grubs in the traditional melon raised bed -- it never works though. I may need to pick them out like before. :(

August Harvest

Early August Harvest

This is my first batch of ripe brandy-wine heirloom tomatoes. It's been a cool summer, so I'm happy to get this many. Often I get more, so I will can some tomato sauce. This batch will probably cook down to only 2 to 4 servings of marinara.







Here are my roma tomatoes. We have been eating these and the cherry tomatoes in salads this week. These don't have very good flavor, but it's been a cool summer, so maybe that is why they aren't very sweet.





This crenshaw melon isn't ripe yet.








String beans, ready to pick!











Here is the smallest butternut squash ever grown!

Pea Harvest

We have been eating these snow peas nearly every night this week. The plant continues to produce.

May 22 Garden

These pictures are from May 22. I've been late posting them.

The zucchini plant has been transplanted outside today (shown left). It's growing kindof slowly, but 4 leaves has grown by today (June 6).






Pepper plant also transplanted into the large planter box on May 22 (seen left). The color has improved since then. It's a darker green now. But the size hasn't increased. I've always had difficulty growing peppers for some reason.








The brandywine heirloom tomato plant has grown really fast. This picture was from May 22, but today (June 6), it is taller than the highest horizontal bar shown on the cage in the picture.