Monday, September 5, 2011

Harvest Monday - September 5, 2011

This is the one and only large harvest I had. The rest of the harvests were just going out to pick what I needed for dinner. I had very small harvests this week. I'm recovering from my allergy induced asthma and I'm staying inside. I have a feeling I might be allergic to tomato plants so I've been avoiding the cherry tomatoes (though I'll pick them for my CSA this morning). The beans take too long to pick so I've been ignoring them. I go outside as little as possible.

So life is depressing here. In addition all my plants in the brassica bed (which should be my big harvests right now) had some disease go through while I was on vacation and they are all dead now. The broccoli is the sole survivor, but even it is slowly succumbing. So I've got no Asian greens anymore. I'm so sad to lose my Chinese cabbage. I wanted more of the Michihili. The kale bed is fine so far. So between that and my chard which I haven't picked yet, I'll have greens to eat.

I ripped out the flowers in front of my house and planted a new bed of quick maturing Asian greens, but I don't know if they will mature in time. If the fall is warm and long they will be fine. I could have ripped out some of my cucurbits but the main beds right now don't get a lot of sun due to the low arc this time of year and the neighbor's house and tree. So the rock wall garden by the driveway is the best bet for growing in the fall. And the only place without perennials in that bed is the first part you see when you drive in. My flower bed. So the beautiful zinnias that used to greet my guests are now gone. I did get a good laugh this week though. I pulled out all those beautiful flowers. My husband asked that evening what I did that day. I told him he saw when he drove in. He didn't even notice the ugly row cover over them.

This is the first year I've been chased inside into filtered air due to allergies. I've always had my windows wide open this time of year doing things outside. Yeah I had a few sniffles and had to take some meds, but I've never been really sick due to them before. I was out two hours at a BBQ on Saturday and was sick as a dog afterwards. So I'll be starting shots very soon. I have an appointment with the allergy specialist this week. Next year I ought to be a lot better. But this fall gardening season will be done with a mask and very little will happen. It is the reason I really haven't been blogging. And I've been avoiding a lot of other blogs too. Too depressing to think about. But don't worry about me, I'll get over it. And as I always say when something bad happens in the garden, there is always next year.

  • Alliums 0.86 lbs
  • Broccoli 0.26 lbs lbs
  • Carrot 0.38 lbs lbs
  • Cucurbits 2.00 lbs
  • Greens 1.16 lbs lbs
  • Weekly Total 4.66 lbs
  • Weekly Spent $0
  • Yearly Total 446.67 lbs
  • Veggie Garden was worth $898.07
  • Fruit 1.69 lbs

Harvest Monday is a day to show off your harvests, how you are saving your harvest, or how you are using your harvest. If you have a harvest you want to show off, add your name and link to Mr Linky below.

46 comments:

  1. Daphne-I'm so sorry to hear your allergies are so bad. This has been an all-around crappy year--let's hope for a better one next year!!

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  2. Allergic to tomatoes? No! I was wondering why you hadn't had any posts this week other than maybe vacation. Sorry you feel so bad. That is funny that you ripped out your beautiful flower bed, I would probably do the same thing! Hope you get something. And hope you get some relief!

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  3. Sounds like a bloody awful week, hope the shots improve things. If its any consolation I think Zinnia's are overrated anyway - all form and no function. Give me a functional green anyday.

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  4. Sorry to hear about your allergies. I am lucky don't have a lot of problem with them. Hope you can get back to gardening soon.
    Do you know what hit the broccoli etc.?

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  5. Hopefully you feel much better soon. Is it a new variety of tomato you planted causes allergy? Some of my kohlrabi did not bulb that much and I was wondering about whether I can harvest it. But I glad to see your photo.

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  6. What a crummy week. I'm sorry you have been sick. And for an avid gardener to be allergic to tomatoes. There's something wrong with this world! I'm discouraged about our fall garden too. I'll spare you the details here. I'm hoping that you get lots of kale and chard to fill the gap left by your other losses.

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  7. This is a bad time of the year for allergies. All of my asthma is allergy induced. I know what you are going through and it's no fun! Good luck with the shots! I had to stop mine due to an allergy to one of the pre-meds!

    Your husband sounds like mine! He doesn't notice a thing outside!

    Hopefully your Asian greens out front will do well and you'll have some to enjoy. I have yet to put any in the cold frame beds...but, plan to do it this week.

    Feel better and take it easy!

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  8. Sorry to hear about your brassicas, Daphne. I definitely think you have time to start some more quick growing Asian greens, especially since you grow them undercover. I'm sowing my last batch of seeds indoors today in fact. I never get good results direct seeding them in the garden this time of year. Any clues on what the disease might be?

    I'm surprised more of us aren't allergic to tomatoes. Whenever I shower after working in the tomato patch, the water always turns bright yellow from all of the pollen I pick up.

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  9. Your harvest may be small, but it looks delicious. Sorry to hear you are suffering from your allergies,
    I wonder if at the BBQ you got exposed to some pollen you are particularly sensitive to that caused a big flare up? I hope the shots improve things for you right quick.

    Bummer RE your poor brassicas! Any idea what the cause was? I didn't realize brassicas were at risk for that kind of quick death.

    Hope the lookout improves this upcoming week.

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  10. Oh no! Sorry to hear about your tough time. I hope you feel better. Hopefully those Asian greens will grow good for you. I had a groundhog come through and take out my earlier crop of brassicas. I didn't even bother for a fall crop because I know he'll do it again!

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  11. I agree with henbogle, your s(pictured) harvest may be small, but it's beautiful. Sorry to hear about your allergies! I would be pulling up everything, too!!! I'm sure the shots will help and you'll be given some relief! Keep your chin up, Daphne! This too shall pass!

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  12. Sorry to hear about the flare up. Being miserable sure doesn't help one enjoy the garden. It has been a bad year for disease for both plants and people. I don't think Irene helped any. We had mildew blossom all over the garden after the storm. Hope you are better by next week.

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  13. Each passing year my allergies get worse and worse and I know it is the fact that I live in an area that just teems with molds and pollens. This year has been the worst of all and at some point I am going to have to do something about it rather than just gut through it. I hope you get on an effective regimen to control the allergies so you can return full time to the garden without worries. In the meantime, recruit some help to pick those beans and the tomatoes for you so you can reap the harvest you have sown but stay healthy. If I lived closer I would be right over to help out.

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  14. Sorry to hear about your allergies. I suffer from them as well and this year they have been worse than ever.

    Good luck with your new bed of oriental greens, I hope they do great in this location.

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  15. Sorry about your allergies. I hope a little break from the garden will have you feeling better. It's too bad about the brassicas. I hope your quick planted seeds do well for a harvest! Feel better Daphne!

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  16. After years of apartment dwelling, I finally managed to buy a house two years ago. I planted my long-dreamt-of garden, and promptly developed a dangerous allergy to tomatoes.

    Admittedly, I had been harboring an allegy to hot peppers, which had sent me to the emergency room at the hospital more than once. But tomatoes? First, it was a poison-ing-like rash from touching the plants, and then my throat started closing up when I ate them.

    I cut all nightshades out of my diet (and garden), which was a bummer. On the other hand, it has forced us to be more creative with food. And goodness knows, we've saved a ton of money since I pretty much can't eat at restaurants at the moment.

    Do know that food allergy testing is often really inconclusive. Despite my violent reactions to hot peppers, I tested "negative" to the serum. Good luck with all of this.

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  17. So sorry allergies are making you so sick. I have some mild allergies and have been bothered quite a bit this week as well. The extra wind and moisture from Irene and humidity late into the season is not helping matters at all. There is still some time to make up some soil blocks and seed some quick growing fall crops to be planted out later when your allergy tolerance is improved. I hope you feel better soon.

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  18. Eek! I was wondering why you were so quiet this week. Hang in there, and I will say prayer that the allergy specialist will work magic for you.

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  19. Allergies, a farmers worst nightmare!!

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  20. Sorry to hear that you have been suffering so badly. Sounds like the veggies have gone the same way! :-( Hopefully the cooler Fall weather will soon reduce the allergy symptoms for you

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  21. I hope you get your allergies in check and can return to enjoying your garden. Good luck to you.

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  22. Oh I am soo sorry to hear that your allergies are keeping you inside. At least you have harvest a lot already. Now just take care of yourself!

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  23. Sorry to hear about the allergies. I never really had many problems with allergies but in the last few years (as I've gotten older) I have even noticed that I'm starting to get them.

    I really enjoy your Monday Harvest series! It's a great idea, thanks for the chance to participate.
    Rick

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  24. Really sorry to hear about Your allergy induced asthma = I have a type of that myself should really not touch tomato-flowers, but I can´t help it! I have to have tomatoes!!! The Brassica bed sounds really sad! I really feel for You!!! Sounds good with new asian greens, though! Hoop that You will be much better soon! Cyberhugs from Sweden! :) Mia

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  25. Wow, your haul of 446.67 lbs is impressive, even given the setbacks. It's heartbreaking when you invest time and energy in growing something and it doesn't work out.

    By the way, have you hear of these nose filters? http://www.filteryourlife.com/
    I saw them on the TV show Shark Tank, it seems like they might be a cheap solution to your allergy issues so you can get back outside.

    - Jaime

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  26. Daphne - sorry to hear of your ailments both plant and personal. No fun that being outside makes you ill.

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  27. What a bummer! It has not been a good year at all, we can only hope next year will be better. Take care of yourself, you are more important than your garden.

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  28. Allergies must be such a bother - I hope you'll be feeling better soon!

    Funny, though - now that I'm gardening again, I say the same thing - "there's always next year." I used to get really worked up about things not going according to plan, but having a "garden" again (even if it's only a balcony) has made me feel much calmer.

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  29. So sorry to hear about the allergies ... have you tried local unfiltered honey? ... it sometimes helps ...

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  30. Sorry you don't feel well, hope you feel better soon. Some Asian greens are fast growing, I've tried a bok choy that could be harvested in 35 days. Darn, wish I could remember what it was.

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  31. Sorry to read about the allergy problems and I hope your appointment with the allergist fixes them.

    Looking on the bright side - at least you have kale and chard :)

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  32. Fall allergies are no fun. I just started taking Claritin yesterday for ragweed allergies. I can see that tomatoes can be a problem, they must secrete a lot of chemicals just in the foliage. Hope you feel better soon.

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  33. Sorry to hear about the allergies acting up, what a bummer. Hope they get better soon.

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  34. I'm sorry the allergies are giving you so much trouble this year. I hope the doctors are helpful!

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  35. I have allergy induced asthma too. I've been using an inhaler in the morning and evening and I have an emergency inhaler to help if I get really bad. It's been the best thing. Let me know how the shots go. I'm hesitant to make the long drive here weekly for a year. Also THANK YOU for the onion braid demonstration. I can't wait to give it a try. I posted my onion harvest today. I still have a row that I'm going to leave in until the end of October because they are so small.

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  36. Hope your allergy shots will improve your allergy symptoms quickly. Do you grow sweet potatoes? The sweet potato leaves cook up nicely and taste good, too.

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  37. I sure hope that those shots give you some relief. There is nothing worse for a gardener than not being able to garden!

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  38. Thanks everyone for the well wishes. My allergist is just two blocks away from my house so it will be easy to see him even in my carless state. I am staying optimistic that next year I'll be a lot better. And those newly planted Asian greens are up. I checked on them yesterday. So cute. Sadly I forgot to plant the choy sum. dang! I love choy sum and it is pretty fast maturing.

    For anyone that asked a question I answered it below.

    wilderness, no I don't know what hit the brassicas. I've never had a disease in my brassicas before. I'll probably be redoing my rotations this winter so I can keep them from being in the same bed from spring till fall.

    Diana, no it isn't a new variety. And I'm not 100% sure it is an allergy to tomatoes. I'm going to see a specialist and have him figure it out. Allergies sometimes just pop up when you are exposed to a lot of something.

    Thomas, nope no clue what disease it is. But everything died within a week of me seeing an issue. Well except the newer broccoli. The broccoli seems more resistant.

    Ali, I'm allergic to ragweed which is high right now in our area. Everywhere outside is bad. And no idea as to the cause. This garden is so strange. It grows things so much faster than at my last house, but the diseases here are amazing. A lot of rot diseases that I've never seen before.

    Lisa and Robb, I so hope I don't have to cut all nightshades out. That would be so sad. I really think right now it is only an issue with the plants, and not the fruit. But for now I'm not eating any raw tomatoes. I'm hoping my doc can do a skin test of tomatoes and find out if I'm right. If not I can devise a test myself to figure it out. Good to know the tests they have aren't very accurate though.

    Jaime no I hadn't heard of the nose filters. Those sound useful. The masks I currently use are big leak a little around the edges. I do have respirator that is fabulous that I can't even smell anything when I wear it, but it is so hot I don't use it often.

    Deb, no I haven't tried unfiltered honey. It sounds a lot like the idea behind shots. I have eaten unfiltered honey recently, but not on a consistent basis.

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  39. Wow, I'm really sorry about the allergies!! That is just about the worst thing I've heard up. I hope you find something to help.

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  40. sorry about your allergies - that's terrible. Be well.

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  41. It was sad to read your blog. Avid gardener allergic to plants? that's really bad luck. So very sorry to see that you have to suffer so much to be in the garden. I hope you feel better. Like Granny said, your health is much more important than gardening! Although, you have had such impressive harvests so far.... Today's harvest looks good too.

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  42. Hope you are feeling better, Daphne.
    I think the reason for the brassica problem is because of all the rain we had in August and mostly at night. Next year will be a better gardening year.
    Take care, Norma.

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  43. Sorry about your allergies... it must be terrible to have something like that keeping you from one of your hobbies.

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