tomato and general garden update

We ended up with a handful of tomatoes … we had the most success with our Romas.

In addition to the small tomato success, I harvested about a dozen cucumbers all told. We ate them almost straight out of the garden so my canning jars are still waiting and wondering how I’ll use them.

The herbs did okay, I struggled with basil this year. My belief is that because it was constantly grey and damp, I’m lucky to have what I did.

Total failure was the raspberry plant. The container I put it into on the deck was too small. I’m hoping it isn’t completely dead and I can revive it next spring.

The other failure was a small sweet pepper plant. I over crowded the bed and planted it late and one of the tomatoes shaded it and it barely grew at all after transplanting.

I also forgot to plant lettuce for an autumn crop. Oops.

Our squirrels and other wildlife are quite agressive, we need to do the netting different next year. Once it was in place, the cucumbers and tomatoes grew without insult or much injury. Lesson learned.

This afternoon I hope to pick up some garlic at the Union Square Green Market and remember to plant it before the ground freezes. I have to figure out which bed it will go into. I have a plan (somewhere) of ideal rotation of my four raised beds.

We recently completed some exterior renovations and I will try tomatoes in a different spot next year and keep them completely in containers. It should be sunnier there. I also hope we’ll remember to plant sunflowers.

Overall? I call this year’s gardening adventure a success. I’m already planning for next spring.

• Category: food, garden