2021 Veggie gardens

[small_h]

A report from my upstate Junglette, which is doing pretty well, considering the unbelievable amount of rain that has fallen thus far this summer. The berry bushes are loving it. The lettuce, not so much.

But it dried out some, and the lettuce perked up.

Looking forward to my cucumbers getting with the program. I planted three Little Leafs from seed (this is one) and three mystery cuke plants that I got at a yard sale. All I know about them is that when yard sale lady grew them last year, “they were big.”

First time growing this Pink Berkley Tie Dye tomato. It’s not pink or tie dye yet, but maybe soon.

[bogman (Robert Sacilotto)]

If you get some sunny, warm weather, the Berkeley Pink tie Dye has very rich flavor to match its looks. It can be less flavorful in cool areas, esp. the CA bay area. Lettuce in August is unthinkable here! Lucky you.

That hummingbird feeder likely acts as a “micro-fertilization” unit, LOL!

[bogman (Robert Sacilotto)]

Harvests are increasing, with some oddball veggies.

On the left: Italian Blue Beech tomatoes “field ripe”. Top: Harvest stage Python Snake gourd.
Below the gourds: Yellow Dwarf Crookneck squash. Pea-sized yellow Aji Charapita chilies.
White, Jyunpaku Japanese Bitter Melon. The little green watermelon-looking things are Tindora “Ivy Gourd”, which needs cooking, but tastes kind of like cucumbers. Below the Tindora are Sugar Rush Peach chilies. The red okra is Jing Orange (orange?). And, bottom right are Brunswick figs, along with. a leaf. those figs are big and sweet, but prone to cracking if there is rain. The foliage alone is worth growing; the plants are lovely.

I should have seeds for Aji Charapita and the Sugar Rush Peach peppers, if anybody is interested. Aji Charapita is one of the most expensive hot peppers out there, probably because it takes forever to pick a pound of them. They are great mashed/ground with some lime juice as a hot sauce.

[shrinkrap]

“I should have seeds for Aji Charapita and the Sugar Rush Peach peppers, if anybody is interested.”

Yes please!

The aji amarillo peppers from this years seedlings are not ripe yet but seem shorter than the ones from the OG plant . This one is from OG Bogman. I hope to have a picture of the young ones soon.

I must also confess to a seedling label mix-up, and will share better pictures of your rocotillo vs seasoning peppers, I think from Artisan seeds.

[ccj]

this is our current daily supply of blackberries., cucuzza .I made a blackberry pie yesterday using 6 cups of blackberries and a southern tomato pie. Made 3 loaves of Cucuzza pecan loaves, and a Cucuzza chocolate loaf. I may have to open a stand at the highway. I had deleted the blackberry pie pic and Cucuzza loaves accidentally.

e e

[shrinkrap]

@shrinkrap

but seem shorter than the ones

longer than the ones from the OG plant.

[small_h]

@bogman

“micro-fertilization” unit,

I never noticed, but it might! Sometimes we get two hummingbirds vying for territory. That’s always exciting.

[kobuta (The Original Passionate Cucumber)]

@bogman

I should have seeds for Aji Charapita and the Sugar Rush Peach peppers, if anybody is interested. Aji Charapita is one of the most expensive hot peppers out there, probably because it takes forever to pick a pound of them. They are great mashed/ground with some lime juice as a hot sauce.

Horshack ooo ooo ooo arm wave Those are so adorable! I would love to give those a try in my garden! Peppers do seem to be the one thing I grow fairly well.

I’ve never seen red okra and those are beautiful. Do those taste just like regular okra?

@ccj That’s quite a bounty of berries. Very jealous. I was just so excited that my blueberry bush that got gnawed by the bunnies finally showing signs of life and new growth again. Far from berries, but just happy it isn’t dead.

[Saregama]

@small_h

hummingbirds vying for territory

From earlier this year in CA. There was a tree that had a LOT of hummingbird nests / was their home.

Next to it, this little office patio had two feeders - every so often they would be completely swarmed by the hummingbirds! I have never seen so many at one time. The most I could clearly get in a picture was 6-10, but there were even more hovering to wait their turn when I didn’t disturb them.

[small_h]

OMG! That is awesome. I’ve never seen more than two at a time.

[bogman (Robert Sacilotto)]

The Aji Amarillo size may depend on temperature and fertilization-how many seeds are forming.

The Aji Charapita is mighty zippy for its size, but milder than Habanero. I’m sure Aji Charapita would be great for containers; they’re a small, bushy, manageable size. Plus, they produce a lot of peppers. Folks wishing seeds should email me, so I can keep track of requests. Scroll up to July 28 for my email. I’m cleaning, drying seeds now, but should have best stock around Oct., for next year’s planting. No charge, of course!

Ccj, do you also harvest tenerumi from the cucuzza? I love fruit thick sliced, lightly fried so it gets sort of an artichoke-y flavor.

Tomatoes are coming in, big time. I wanted to see what kinds of yields to expect from two potato varieties.

On the left: Adirondack Blue. On the right: Huckleberry Gold. Each group was from one plant. The Adirondack Blue larger tubers are 6 inches (15 cm) or more. The skins need to toughen up another week or two before the main harvest. Other varieties are still dying back. Looks like a lot of bin, storage space will be needed, even if I give a lot away!

There are a few red okra varieties out there, including “Burgundy”, a lovely plant. The flavor is regular okra. Sadly, the color fades with cooking. I hope to plant a long, pink Japanese type next year. Since there was no time to plant dill, I need another hot okra pickle recipe, maybe I’ll do a curry-type spicing. That is, if they don’t get devoured as crispy, Chaat Masala-coated snacks!

[bogman (Robert Sacilotto)]

The Python Snake Gourds are growing quickly!

These are too old to eat and are for seed.

Many baby tree frogs are emerging from the Chinese Water Chestnut pool.

They better stick close to that pool. It’s very dry elsewhere.

[shrinkrap]

That is hella cool!

[ewsflash (Eileen S)]

I feel your pain on that. We’ve finally gotten some rain this year but nothing last year, almost literally.

[ewsflash (Eileen S)]

Great shot! My hummers are absurdly territorial so I never see more than one at a time at the feeder

[bogman (Robert Sacilotto)]

Before I put the Alliums into storage, it seemed a good idea to post on some of them, since a few are unfamiliar to most folks.

The red onions are Rossa di Milano, an Italian storage type renowned for it’s flavor (cooked). These are about half size, so I need to either improve how I’m growing them or determine this is the wrong latitude for this variety. I only set out about 50 plants, since there is a question about climate/day length issues in Virginia.

Bottom left are Yellow Potato Onions, a.k.a. Multiplier onions; you plant a small bulb and get a cluster at harvest. They’re small and used for green onions, as well.

The smallest of the lot, bottom center, are Grey Griselle Shallot. Yep, not big, not pretty. However, the little flavor bombs are considered by many chefs to be the one, true shallot. Under the thick, grubby skin is a red-purple bulb. I sliced some up and sautéed them for a taste test. They are different, more complex with a sort of umami element.

The larger shallots, bottom right, were just some I got at the grocery store and planted last fall, to see if they’d survive the winter; they did.

At least the drought, which continues, was good for curing onions and their kin.

The Blue Beech tomatoes are coming in, but the plants are going down quickly, due to Early Blight. Apparently, the Johnny’s Selected Seeds description, that this variety was “more disease resistant than others of its type”, is hogwash! Maybe in Vermont, where Early Blight is less of a problem. In Virginia, Blue Beech has shown the worst disease susceptibility of any tomato I’ve grown! I gave some to my neighbor, who is growing a few types. The only dying tomatoes he has are the Blue Beech. A few plants are looking OK, and I’m saving seed from those. Since we’ve had essentially no rain, it’s telling the variety is so infested in a climate not that favorable to Early Blight. If I can’t select towards disease resistance, I’ll abandon growing them. Please email me requests, with a ship-to address, for seeds when they’re ready.

Aji Charapita seeds have been cleaned and are drying. It looks like there will be plenty to share. I’ll keep collecting more seeds of it and get started on Sugar Rush Peach chile pepper soon.

[shrinkrap]

Ooooooo! Ahhhhhhh! Those are amazing! Where do you get your grey shallot …sets? Is that the right word? I don’t think those come as seeds, or do they? My shallots were so small this year. I think I’m going to replant them this fall.

Sorry to hear about the disappointing tomato blight resistance.

“Please email me requests, with a ship-to address, for seeds when they’re ready.”

Will do.

[shrinkrap]

Lots of caterpillars.

This one turned out pretty.

[bogman (Robert Sacilotto)]

I’d be happy to ship you some Grey Griselle Shallot sets, if you wish. Originally, I got those and the potato onions from Southern Exposure Seed Exchange. It’s a great company, which used to be nearby. Just keep in mind, those Grey Griselle are small! Potent, but small.

I was making Shallot and Lime Leaf pickles yesterday, so was peeling shallots for 6 quart’s worth.

You can see the difference in size! The aroma from the G.G. shallots was much stronger than the store-bought, mystery shallots, which were planted last fall.