My Monster

My zucchini is a monster, though it is zucchini so I really shouldn't be surprised. I planted it the same time as my yellow straighneck (puny bottom plant). I was deluded into thinking they would be fairly similar in growth habit. As little seedlings they grew similarly. The yellow squash was a little smaller, but I assumed that was because two seedlings sprouted in their newspaper pot where in the zucchini pot only one sprouted. They really weren't much different when they were planted out three weeks later. I pinched off the extra seedling of the yellow squash then so the strongest could take off. In the early race I had my money on the yellow squash. The zucchini wilted all day long. This is pretty normal in squash on hot afternoons, but not in the morning. It was wilted all the time. It was growing more leaves than its poor little roots could handle. I thought that would do it in. But I was so wrong. If one leaf died because of lack of water, two larger ones would take its place. Finally its roots caught up. My monster is alive.

My tomatoes are starting to form. (Insert noisemaker sounds here). They are just cherry tomatoes, but really cherry tomatoes are my favorites. These are only about 1/4 inch across right now and I impatiently wait. And wait....and wait...