More Harvesting and the Fall Crops are In

Well the hot weather has continued, but the last week has let up some. The harvesting has been going well. The tomatoes have almost come to a stop except the cherry tomatoes (22 harvested over the last few weeks for .34lbs). This is expected in the heat of summer when they don't set any new fruit. In the last week or so the large tomatoes are starting to set fruit again so hopefully we'll get a fall harvest.

The pepper plants have also been producing. I have picked 11 peppers for 1.83 lbs in the last few weeks. Unfortunately, two of the three pepper plants had wilt so I had to pull them out. There is no cure for wilt and it is passed from one plant to another by feeding insects so hopefully the last plant does not succumb.

9 Peppers in one harvest

This plant has wilt so it has to come out.

Also in the last couple of weeks I have harvested 2 cantaloupes (1.9 lbs and 2.8lbs)  and a watermelon (5.7lbs). They were good to eat. There are a few more small cantaloupes, but I do not see any more watermelons growing.

The cucumbers are producing well. I have picked 16 more for 12.06 lbs. They seem to be coming in all shapes and sizes. The plants don't seem to understand what is their trellis and are climbing all over the tomato cages and other plants in the garden. In most of the other pictures of the garden today you will see cucumber leaves. I also harvested two more eggplant for .96 lbs.

One harvest of seven cucumbers

Planting Fall Crops

I planted the fall crops this week. I planted 4 cauliflower and 2 broccoli in the space that was taken by the totally non-productive green beans. They are planted one plant per square foot. I also planted lettuce in the two squares that were used by the onions earlier this year. Those are planted 4 per square. I planted 6 romaine and two oak leaf lettuce plants. I also planted a kale plant in a square that was supposed to have some potatoes, but they never came up. I planted all of these before I decided to take out the peppers because of wilt so I have two more squares that I will plant in. I have 2 cauliflower and one kale plant left over so I will plant them in the newly available squares.

Broccoli and cauliflower transplants

Lettuce and kale

You may remember that I started some cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, and lettuce from seed, but they were eaten by bugs when I tried to harden them off, so they were not going to work. Luckily I was able to find replacements at the store.

I also sprayed the plants with Bt to keep them from getting chewed on. The bugs have had all year to multiply and they are looking for some late season snacking.

The square foot garden as of September 16.