Monday, July 29, 2019

Jumanji Gone Awry

The  highlight of the day was a visit from Jill. I've been wanting to spend time with her. It made my day when she stopped to drop off egg cartons and stayed for a visit.

This week is fairly clear - and we need to work! The greenhouse is scary - it looks like Jumanji gone awry.

Via meme generator.net
I have been out of the garden/greenhouse for two weeks. One week for dip-netting, one week for having fun with Nate and Heather. I need to attack chick weed....eat a ton of Kale and Lettuce....and tame the greenhouse.

I started with the greenhouse. The tomatoes reached the upper heights of the greenhouse and  I could no longer see the path in the middle of the greenhouse. Other plants were suffocating and the Texas Rattler Melons need more space.  The cucumber sent shoots to the opposite side.....intertwined with melons, tomatoes, beans..... The tomato plants got HUGE in the greenhouse. So huge they fell over and were choking out the peppers and everything else......cucumbers were smashed against the sides of the greenhouse...and the peppers were smothered.

I pulled out  two tomato plants along the back of the greenhouse. I also pulled all the bean plants. This allows space for the melon to grow and spread.  This was one plant....

Lots of leaves....I know I needed to cut them back but wasn't quite sure how. I didn't realize they'd grow like crazy before I got back to them.  We salvaged the green tomatoes. We tied the remaining tomato plants to the building supports. We drastically cut the tomato plant closest to the cucumbers....and pulled our poor cantaloupe plant. Now maybe the cucumber will behave and stay put.

The plants we removed from the back and right were taller than the one on the left. This will let a lot more sun in for the melons...and space. I can walk in here again.


I have no idea HOW one is supposed to prune tomato plants...but I have three left and they are big on leaves....with green tomatoes. I'd like to cut some of the foliage and speed up the ripening of the tomatoes. I'll google...unless someone has experience and cares to share?

We'll see if these will ripen under the grow light. Maybe. If not - fried green tomatoes? 

Another bunch of beans

I'm 2 lbs short to make a batch of pickles. I'm considering filling up the last bit with either zucchini or beets? Any suggestions? 

Josiah has renters who want to move in Wednesday.  His kitchen is missing two drawers and he can't find any to match. Michael is making two drawers for the rental. Michael, Dad and I drove over to see the new place, and to give Michael the chance to check out measurements that were bothering him. 

I am about to call it a day. Michael is working in the garage...Lucille is keeping him company. ::snort::

Orchard Update

We are trying to grow a fruit buffet - a mini-orchard. We were told it would take 3 - 5 years before we would see fruit....our peach trees are sad. Our plum hasn't produced any blossoms...but check out the Meteor Cherries. We have two trees like this. 

They are TART - but I've been told we bought two of them to cross pollinate the two Rainier Cherry trees. We only had about four cherries on the Rainier trees....but they were THERE...and the one Michael and I have sampled is sweet. We are dreaming...of a few years down the road.
Too high for Lucille, the free range hen, to get it

We also have apples on the trees....Gala and Braeburn....

The moose have found the orchard; we've had to add electric tape to the fence. 

All in all - we are happy. We planted these in memory of Dad and Mom G. I'm looking forward to shade, fruit, and a picnic table in the orchard.