Monday, August 31, 2009

Monday's Harvest Post

Aug 28th harvest: The basket is full of Cherokee Purple tomatoes, this plant has by far been the best producer this year. Next season I am growing at least three Cherokee Purple plants. The tomatoes on the raised bed from left to right are two Purple Calabash (from Skippy's Vegetable Garden), one Hillbilly Potato Loaf (this tom is minuscule compared to the monsters currently on the plant) and three Velvet Red (from The Conservative Gardener). In front is a zucchini that was grated and froze for baking, a few cherry tomatoes and a couple cucumbers. These two will probably be the last cucumbers of the season as the leaves have been devastated with mildew.

Aug 30th harvest: In the basket are the last of the early red potatoes that I grew in compost bags. They have done pretty well but the yield was low. Also in the basket is a mix of beans, Kentucky Blue, Purple Podded & Dragon Tongue beans. Beans really have been a bust this year, the Dragon Tongues produced well for a couple weeks but the poles have barely produced at all. Last but not least the tomatoes! The pinkish one is Giant Belgian (sweet, non-acidic taste), the yellow is Porkchop (extremely yellow with a nice acidic tomato taste) and two Cherokee Purples in the back (the best tomato in my opinion). There also is a couple black cherry tomatoes tucked in there.

12 comments:

  1. Beautiful harvest, Dan! I definitely want to try a Cherokee Purple next year, since the CP I planted turned out not to be that variety (it as, however, an excellent tomato). My black cherry tomato plant disappeared. I planted one, but I've never seen a single black cherry in that jungle of a tomato patch. Next year, I'm buying seed from a reputable dealer...maybe I'll get true varieties!

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  2. Nice tomatoes. Next year I want to try Cherokee Purple too. This year I keep hearing such good things about it.

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  3. Nice harvest, Dan ! Can't wait to taste my Cherokee Purple. It sure has a good reputation.

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  4. Oh yes, nothing like some cherokee purple tomatoes to put on a snadwich! I'll have at least 6 plants next year.

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  5. It's great to know what you want more of. I had a pathetic potato harvest this year too. Simply pathetic.

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  6. It's great to know what you want more of. I had a pathetic potato harvest this year too. Simply pathetic.

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  7. That Porkchop sounds interesting. I've never heard of that one. My star of the show this year has to be Brandywine with some individual toms weighing in at over 1 lb in weight.

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  8. The potatoes my mom grew in bins also had low yeild.

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  9. The CP tomatoes are sure pretty to look at too. It sounds like your summer garden items are winding down for the season. I am definitely seeing the same thing, with the exception that my cucumbers are still pouring it on at the moment.

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  10. Your tomatoes are nice and unblemished, unlike mine. I am surprised, given your other successes, that your pole beans are not producing. Do you think it was the weather--not hot enough? or a beetle or some other pest? Perhaps you had written about it earlier and I forgot. Maybe I lucked out--the summer weather came through for us down in Boston at the right time for that crop.

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  11. Wow.....those Velvet's look a lot bigger than the ones I grew!

    I always grow the Cherokee. Always! Mrs. Irwin says they're on the best tasting.

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  12. Sally - The main problem I had with beans this year was they kept rotting before they sprouted. By the middle of July I finally started them in potting soil and transplanted into the garden once they had true leaves. Once they were in the soil though they did seem to have any vigor. Next year I am starting all my beans in pots before planting in the garden.

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