Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Harvest Tuesday


I keep thinking that one day I'll get it right and participate in Harvest Monday, but about the only things I've gotten so far are the occasional handful of datterino tomatoes and zukes here and there. We harvested 500 grams of mirabelle plums yesterday and they aren't looking as good as last year's batch. I blame it all on the weather.

The only vegetable not fresh from the garden are the white eggplants; those came from Esselunga supermarket. Our favorite store occasionally brings in uncommon produce to see if the buying public will bite but I'm guessing that white eggplants won't leave too much of an impression. Purple is still king.

Today's high: 25°C / 77°F

Monday, July 9, 2012

Waiting on the green, admiring the purple

Daily watering in the morning and evening was apparently not enough to get the garden on a good solid roll, but a big rainstorm that passed through here last week did absolute wonders for the plants. Where there were a few flowers, now there be more, and small tomatoes, hot peppers and bell peppers are growing even faster on every single plant. Garden nurseries are also doing mid-season sales, so we picked up a Buddleja davidii “Black Knight” that has already begun to attract butterflies. I've read that they're considered invasive but I can't see how they could be more invasive than the stinging nettles.


Datterini tomatoes and bell pepper


Jalapeno and Calabrian hot peppers


Zucchini


Voluntary shiso


Lavender


Buddleja davidii

Today's high: 28°C / 82°F