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Category: Vegetable Gardening | Posted: Mon Aug 18, 2014 1:44 pm

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Yellows and reds are starting to poke through the green leaves on the trees. They are appearing a month early.

And, one red poking through my green garden.
I noticed that one of my cherry tomatoes is finally ripe. One. lol.

My eggplant has two more blossoms and one little purple bulb growing on it. My pepper plant has a blossom, and I was able to pick one yellow squash.

I am getting a bit nervous about the blossoms only now forming on my warm weather plants as the leaves are beginning to change and autumn nears. I am getting the paper bags ready for my tomatoes, as I don't believe I have time to leave them on the vines to ripen.

I guess I just have to gain more experience with gardening. The timing of planting being one of my weaknesses is a zone issue and an issue of unpredictable New England weather. I plan to use some containers to shield seedlings from excessive rainfall in the spring and make some other minor changes. This is the second season I've lost plants to spring rains. But, if I wait for the rain to slow, it would be too late in the season to bother planting a garden at all.
I am thankful for the volunteer tomatoes. They more than made up for my lost plants, even if they are still only green.

With the sun shining brightly this past weekend, my better half and I tried to plan where we will be moving our second bed to. If we can get enough cinder blocks, it will be bigger, yippy!! Our only issue is leaving enough room to be able to get in and out of the shed. Hopefully, we can get started on moving and filling it soon, so we will have less to do come spring.


Last edited: Mon Aug 18, 2014 1:46 pm

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Frank wrote on Tue Aug 19, 2014 10:15 am:

I can really tell that you care for your garden Beeker. Good luck with the second bed.

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Sjoerd wrote on Tue Aug 19, 2014 10:19 am:

Oh dear, we are experiencing the same seasonal anomaly--things finishing-up a month early.
This year (as well as the last 4-5) has been a case of using knowledge, guessing and wait-and-seeing. Accent on the last two aspects.

I am not sure at all that what you experienced this year had much to do with lack of experience...I think that it had more to do with what Mother Nature threw at you.

I was also a victim. For instance, I knew that the seasons were beginning at different times (earlier or later). I calculated this in and planted my beans out later...but not late enough. all my planted bean plants died because of the weather. Tch!

Well, on this side of the water, I have removed all blossoms and small fruits already, to let the plant concentrate on ripening the fruits that will certainly make it.

If you are going to use the paper bag method of ripening your toms,may I suggest using an over-ripe apple or banana in with the greenish toms to help facilitate a good ripening process.

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Beeker wrote on Tue Aug 19, 2014 12:04 pm:

Thank you, Frank. We'll see how it goes.

Sjoerd, thank you for the tips!
I will start trimming the blossoms off the plants right away, and try the apple method for ripening! I've heard of that for forcing potted houseplants into flowering. I've never had reason to try it before, as I don't like to force plants into doing something they aren't ready for, but to make the fruit ripen more quickly sounds practical and effective. Thank you!

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Sjoerd wrote on Tue Aug 19, 2014 1:05 pm:

You are most welcome, meid.
I agree with you about forcing house plants.

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