and the sun shining through the trees, early Monday morning...
Here it is Thursday already and I've just come in from the garden...
Is it as hot there as it is here??? Good grief! I thought I would roast! and there must have been 200 or more little sun gold tomatoes to pick, and there were just about that many Japanese Beetles on the bean vines. Most of those got thumped into a pitcher of soapy water. It's been like this since early June.
Please, would anyone know why the Gomphrena in the garden looks like this...
so many leaves and so few blooms? The Gomphrena we grew several years ago reminded me of red clover. It was tall with a larger flower head...easy to pick and tie and hang up to dry. I'm disappointed in these. We ordered the seeds on line and paid over 5.00 for the little pack which was supposed to be mixed colors.
The house seems empty and too quiet today. Poppy had to go in to work and won't be home until 6:00, and Eli is at the groomer's getting a much needed bath and brushing. Nobody here but the cats, Weetie, and me.
Speaking of cats...
Better get busy and do something with all those little piles of stuff I brought in from the garden. Hope to be back soon. Oh, and I have an idea. I am really going to try and reply to comments from those of you without a blog. It is easy to correspond with those of you who have a blog, and whose blog I follow, but replying to comments is the only way to respond to my friends without a blog. Good grief...here I go again. :)
Love,
Henny
Oh my gosh look at all those tomatoes, and those gorgeous eggplants! My friends bread and bake the eggplant slices and then freeze them for winter. If I get ANY eggplants this year that's my plan as well! It's doubtful since the plants have not grown one inch since I put them in the garden over a month ago - I'm not sure why but they obviously hate me. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteYour place looks cool and green and shady. I guess not the cool part?
ReplyDeleteYour garden produce continues to amaze me. We are so far behind in our growing season. There are almost no tomatoes set on the vines. I had to BUY zucchini in order to bake a chocolate zucchini cake for tomorrow!
I do wonder what Poppy is telling those cats!
Great harvest from your garden Henny! It looks like Poppy and the kitties are having quite a conversation.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your quiet day!
Robin
Your garden goodies are so colorful and shiny. Yum yum! It's so hot here too. My tomatoes aren't even blossoming, it's so hot. I'm not blossoming very much either because it's so hot! Poppy and the cats look like they are having an interesting conversation. I wonder what they are saying.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lot of tomatoes; I've never heard of little sun gold tomatoes but they sure do produce generously. So far we have exactly one cherry tomato but we see some green ones both regular size and smaller so in time....
ReplyDeleteI haven't heard of Gomphrea either so I'm no help there. Hopefully someone else can make a suggestion as to why they are short and why they are NOT mixed colours!
Your morning sounds so peaceful sitting out on the porch. A good way to start your day.
ReplyDeleteI've started seeing those beetles around here the last week.
Those eggplants look perfect. I didn't plant any this year and I'm sorry.
We are just getting little tomatoes on our plants now and some peppers too. I've noticed the beans finally appearing too.
Your garden looks amazing and so does your haul of veggies there . I cant stand the Japanese Beetles we have them bad this year as I have had to do away with lots off of my flowers or there would be no flowers left if I didn't . It is very hot and humid here to Miggs and I have been inside in the cool for a change lol ! Sorry I cant help you with the Gomphrena never seen the leaves do that hope they are ok . Poppy and the kitties look to be in deep discussion lol ! I love going outside first thing in the mornings as the sun rises and watch and hear nature wake up with my cuppa tea in hand and Miggs by my side . Lovely photos . Thanks for sharing , have a good weekend !
ReplyDeleteLots of leaves and few flowers could be from a number of things but too much nitrogen and not enough sun are common causes. It sounds like you got a mislabeled package. If you've still got the seed packet, send it to the seller for a refund or at least tell them what happened. You probably aren't the only one. Reputable companies will give your money back or a credit.
ReplyDeleteThank you Denny. It's funny, those seeds came in a tiny zip-lock plastic bag and was packed with what looked like tiny little cotton balls. I searched the stores around town for a pack of Gomphrena seeds but no one had them. I think they get plenty of sun and these haven't had any nitrogen added. I appreciate your thoughts and help. Maybe these will get better?? Thank you.
DeleteThe gomphrena is still healthy-looking though. I've found that some things bllom more when they have more sun and less rain. Anyway, it looks nice. Not to worry. Phil, Minnesota
DeleteThe gomphrena is still healthy-looking though. I've found that some things bllom more when they have more sun and less rain. Anyway, it looks nice. Not to worry. Phil, Minnesota
DeleteThank you Phil. The Gomphrena is healthy looking. I was looking forward to hanging some to dry. Maybe it will keep growing and improve. Thank you for commenting.
DeleteIt's hot here.28- 30 C(83-85 F) . I don't have ripe tomatoes...still green.
ReplyDeleteYour harvest looks so yummy. I picked two little red tomatoes today and ate them right off the plant. That's it...two tomatoes. All the rest are green. Not enough sun this summer but fingers crossed for what's left. I like that photo of Poppy talking to the cats. He's an old softy with them, I think. ;-)
ReplyDeleteMaybe the Gomphrena is like hydrangea in that the acidity determines the color? I am cluesless though.
ReplyDeleteEverything looks really good though. God bless. :)
You have been blessed with an amazing harvest, a reward for all the hard work. The tomatoes look good. Looking forward to seeing Eli, groomed and handsome.
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with you about being outside listening to nature beats listening to the news. Your eggplants look beautiful! Me thinks that Poppy is just teasing those sweet kittens. ☺
ReplyDeleteRarely do I ever get a blogerless reader. It is flattering to have one though, since they read your stuff without anything expected like going to theirs and commenting there
ReplyDeleteWhat an abundance of produce, your garden has outdone itself !
ReplyDeleteKudos to you and Poppy for all the tending.
Eli and the kitties are the most precious babies, it's always a teat to see them.
~Jo
Yes! It has been hot as blue blazes, around here! I am done with the triple digit temps and high humidity but it is only July so we have at least 2 months left. Wow! Your tomato harvest looks like my squash harvest!
ReplyDeleteGrace & Peace,
Pam
I enjoy reading your blog very much. Your aprons are lovely & I enjoy your gardening & animals. Thanks for sharing. It's also roasting in Georgia, thankfully we have been blessed nearly every day with t storms. It cools it off briefly, but then there is the humidity. Have a lovely day.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy reading your blog very much. Your aprons are lovely & I enjoy your gardening & animals. Thanks for sharing. It's also roasting in Georgia, thankfully we have been blessed nearly every day with t storms. It cools it off briefly, but then there is the humidity. Have a lovely day.
ReplyDeleteBillie, thank you! We really need a shower of rain and all the thunderstorms this week have missed us. You are right about the humidity! Poppy is from Georgia.
DeleteOhhhh I love photos, right at the sun. Your photo of sun rays, is so beautiful
ReplyDeleteMercy, but you have planted a lot of things!!!!!!! And now, to harvest and deal with them!!! :-)
Luna Crone
Mama, I love your house and gardens! I wish I knew more about Gomphrena. I don't remember if I've grown that before. I does look like a lot of leaves. I love you! -your girl
ReplyDeleteIt's really a good thing to be this far into July without having to water the garden. It has been a hot and humid week here too, with every day being a bad hair day for me! The front porch is definitely a better place to start the morning than in front of the T.V.
ReplyDeleteYour garden is really giving you some nice produce . . . I am sorry about your beans though. We picked our two first cherry tomatoes . . . clicked them together and toasted to the tastes of summer. This week I started getting zucchini, crook neck, onions, and carrots. My raspberries are finished and my blackberries and turning red. I just love the fresh produce of my garden. How did I ever live this long before having a place to grow my own food? That photo of your home in the first picture is so welcoming . . . you have such a pretty place :)
ReplyDeleteHave a lovely weekend.
Your blogging sister, Connie :)
Look at those tomatoes!!! That is incredible! I ate my first little ripe one today, and it will be a few days before there are any more. I have a few eggplant plants, but I'm not sure they will come to anything, they look pretty sad. I did buy some eggplants the other week at a roadside stand at a big greenhouse. We made eggplant fries, very good, but a bit of work. Then I made eggplant jerky in the dehydrator, and that was good too.
ReplyDeleteWow...I have tomato envy! Sorry about those beans..that is my least favorite thing about gardening- the bugs and fungus. I quit growing tomatoes years ago because of blossom end rot. I do not have a very green thumb. Have a super weekend!
ReplyDeleteI think gomphrena may be one of those plants that prefers fairly poor soil. Too much fertilizing will result in lots of growth and foliage and not many flowers. I made the same mistake with growing nasturtiums around a patch of zinnias this year. I fertilized the zinnias and they are doing great. The nasturtiums are growing like crazy but have had only about three flowers that I have detected. At least this variety of nasturtium has lovely marbled coloration on the leaves and makes a nice little petticoat around the zinnias. Live and Learn.
ReplyDeleteThank you Vic. I wonder if that is the problem, even though I don't remember putting any fertilizer on the Gomphrena. I am disappointed in the color too. The picture showed pink blooms. Your zinnias sound so pretty with the nasturtium leaves. I have a few zinnias blooming and a few bachelor buttons, but none of cosmos came up. Next year I want two full rows of flowers in the garden.
DeleteYour garden looks wonderful as well as your harvest! I have never heard of gomphrena.......maybe the weather is making it not bloom as well?
ReplyDeleteI am jealous of your tomatoes. We have bottom end rot really bad. I had plans for salsa, spaghetti sauce and canned tomatoes. The flowers are pretty sorry they did not come in variety of colors. What does an eggplant taste like and how do you cook it?
ReplyDeleteLove you bunches.
Like you, I have trouble listening to the news. I feel much calmer listening to the birdsong and watching the sun thru the trees. That is a mystery about the Gomphrena; I know you are disappointed. The photo of Poppy talking to the cats is hilarious. We have a talk with Theo our dog with the attitude a few times a day! lol
ReplyDelete