Harvest Monday August 17, 2009

Tuesday's Harvest Part I

Last week was all about the tomatoes. Lots and lots of tomatoes. Most of my tomatoes are cherries this year. The most prolific of all the tomatoes by poundage are my Sungold F2s. This week they produced 9.94lbs for six plants or 1.66lbs per plant.

Tuesday's Harvest Part II

The next most prolific is Miracle of the Market. I have two plants and they are my only large tomatoes. I picked 2.25lbs or 1.13lbs per plant this week. There is an amazing amount of fruit on these plants and if they can only survive the late blight for long enough, they will put in the most impressive show from any beef steak tomato that I've ever grown. Most beefsteaks don't produce well for me. They tend to rot before they ripen. These plants have been amazingly healthy and productive so far. They have one flaw. I don't pick the tomatoes. They fall off the plants before they are totally ripe. They seem to survive this treatment without harm, but I keep thinking I'll have to rig up something to make sure the partially ripe tomatoes don't keep hitting the lip of their pail.

I do have a question about those tomatoes though. Are they really Miracle of the Market? It was described as a 2-4oz tomato. These are 4-12oz tomatoes. They are beefsteaks not regular tomatoes. It isn't an indeterminate as it is supposed to be. So what is it really? I did find a tomato called Market Miracle (which is just another translation of the same words- Чудо рынка) that said it had 8-12oz fruits on a determinant plant. So maybe there are two strains of of tomato with the same name. I suppose whatever it is it grows well here so I'm keeping it. Seeds will be saved. But maybe I should start calling it Market Miracle since this is what most people call the strain that is larger and determinant.

Thursday's Harvest

This week has seen a nice spike in the pineapple tomatillo harvest, but then the dreaded chipmunk found out that there are tasty treats inside those husks. Now I don't get any. Sigh. I've been enjoying the little morsels myself. I was thinking that I would finally be getting so many they would pull their own weight in the harvest tally, but nope. Not with the chipmuncks eating them all. Their total harvest so far is only 3/4lb and it might not be going up any more. They have about 8-12 sqft of planting space. They are taking over the eggplants. I don't blame them much. The potatoes are taking over their spot so they are just moving over to the next weekest plant.

The eggplants are having trouble. The Lavender Touch is sick. The Slim Jim seems to be healthy. They are finally starting to produce. I picked one solitary eggplant last week. I don't think they will survive the incursion of the tomatillo if I don't cut it back. I might do that for the Slim Jims but not for the other. It isn't worth it.

Saturday's Harvest (Sunday's harvest wasn't photographed but included lettuce and squash blossoms)

The serranos are in full production. I need to get out and pick them, but the jalapenos are in a lull. I think I left some of them on the plant too long and they quit blooming. My pole beans are also in a lull. Last year they kept producing all summer long. This year they are on and off. Sigh. I love my beans. I hope they get ramped up with the heat we have had in the last few days.

The cucurbits are finally starting to produce some poundage. My cucumbers have started. I don't have enough to can yet, but I've been throwing them into the premade brine for refrigerator pickles. Yum. The zucchini is limping along. With four plants I should be giving a ton away, but nope. I don't even have enough for myself yet. The winter squash has set two small squash. I hope they get ripe before it gets too cold.

So here are the weekly tally totals:

• Alliums 0.38
  
• Beans 0.11 lbs
• Cucurbits 2.67 lbs
• Eggplant 0.14 lbs
  
• Greens 0.81 lbs
• Herbs 0.04 lbs
• Peppers 0.30 lbs
• Tomatillo 0.54
  
• Tomatoes 14.99 lbs
  

Weekly total: 19.98 lbs
Weekly spent: $0
Yearly total: 86.89 lbs
Yearly earned: $229.69

I'm almost to the 100lb mark. Whoohoo!

If you would like to join in showing off your harvest, put your name and URL into Mr. Linky below. It doesn't matter how big or small your harvest is. You don't have to count the pounds like I do. If you have had a harvest this last week, show us and join in!