My garden failed this year.
I’d love to blame it on the rain, the lack thereof, the heat, the mosquitoes, the moon, or anything else besides the damn truth; neglect. My summer days started spinning around June and picked up speed as life progressed. Yes, there was blossom-end rot to contend with and an exceptional number of bugs, beetles, and critters this year but those things probably could have been dealt with had I chosen to get out there and do it.
I am feeling rejuvenated though and ready to focus on fall planting. Yesterday I pulled all the sad and ugly tomato plants out and prepared for the plethora of greens I hope to harvest all winter long.
What can I make with these besides fried or chutney?!
We put this deck in under the black walnut tree after all the nuts fell last fall…we may be in for a very loud couple of months!
Peppers, flowers, herbs, and a precious few tomatoes are the only things I’m harvesting these days.
I am doing a little seed-saving this year! In many cases I know that it’s easier/more reliable to just buy new seeds every year but there is something self-sustaining and lovely about saving seeds.
Asparagus beans on the left, yellow watermelon on the right.
Tomorrow is the first time in months that I will be in town for our local market and I am looking forward to supplementing my pathetic crop. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for a deal on a box of cucs, I want to make some pickles!
Come over before or after the market and I’ll give you a big bunch of tomatoes! (And we can walk there together?)
What I did with my green tomatoes last year was make two quick breads: one “regular” and one as corn bread. You might like to try something like that! http://lublink.org/alison/?p=1865
Thanks! Those sound great!
Your garden didn’t fail, you just didn’t get as much as you are used to! Gardening is so time consuming. Ours does well when we are home, but it’s hard to keep up with it when on vacation or just busy with summer time activities. I’m excited to see how your fall garden does. I haven’t tried gardening in the fall/winter yet, but I might this year. I would love to have greens throughout the winter.
Faith, I nominated you for the Very Inspiring Blogger Award on my blog, because you’re totally awesome, a true inspiration and one of my favs! If you wish to pick up the award, check out my latest post. 🙂 Happy Labor Day Weekend!
Piccalilli is a delicious green tomato relish. I’m sure you could google a recipe!
Thanks Jess, I’ll look into that!
pickled green tomatoes are delish! Splendid Table did a great piece on green tomato recipes today.
I listened to that show while working in the kitchen yesterday, I loved how she waxed on about all the things you can do with green tomatoes-especially raw!
I was suppose to water the tomato for my family but I kept forgetting thankfully it rained so they didn’t die on me. Thank you rain!
My tomato plant died, but I still have my basil.. Do you notice a difference between store bought and the seeds you save and use again??
This is my first year seed saving so I’ll let you know next year! I’m only saving the more unique seeds; the asparagus beans I had to special order and the watermelon is an heirloom variety from Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello garden.
I just stumbled upon your blog and was reading the dreaded plant failure post. I have a large vegetable garden and oh how idread the failures. However I saw the comment about your black walnut tree and wondered if you were aware of it’s toxicity? You may be, I haven’t read all your blog, of course. But in case, here is an article. http://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/HO/HO-193.pdf It’s a bit of a problem but growing in raised beds may help. I’m not familiar enough with black walnuts to know.
I do love to see younger people vegetable gardening. I was beginning to think it was becoming a lost art.
Yes, I am sadly aware of the black walnut issue. A few things actually do okay under it but our raised beds are just outside it’s reach. Thanks for the info though! Don’t fret, gardening is definitely making a resurgence!