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Saturday, August 1, 2009

How Does Your Garden Grow?

Robin has been at this Summer Stock Sunday thing for a while now but we're having trouble with summer it seems this year here in the Chicagoland area.

Last summer, for the first time, I planted a vegetable garden. This year I added a few pots because it had been so successful and fun. But growing things just don't seem to be growing so well this year. I've heard this from veteran gardeners as well as newbies like myself. So...an update on my growing things:

Here's a cucumber. It's cute, isn't it? There's a few more that are starting to grow but this is the biggest so far.
These will be yellow grape tomatoes when they're done. I hope.
And my pepper plant, which has a few of these pretty things growing on it. I thought they would be a little wider.
Does anyone know what the black stuff is at the joint of the branch of my pepper plant? Just wondering if anyone out there can tell me.

I know that we're coming into August but I was hoping to have some tomatoes to show for it. I do have a bumper crop of mint and basil, so I'll have to make something with all of that. Pesto, anyone? What do you do with a LOT of mint besides um...tea?

See more Summer Stock Photos here.
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15 comments:

  1. AnonymousAugust 1, 2009 at 10:39 PM

    Peppers are my personal favorite! Nothing survives my care - may be some day I will try a cactus :) You garden is lovely!

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  2. Julia Phillips SmithAugust 1, 2009 at 10:43 PM

    Not sure about the black spot on your peppers, but I would assume it has to do with the cool, damp weather you've been having (I assume. We've also had a cool, damp summer on the east coast.)

    What you've been able to grow looks very cheery.

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  3. judi/GmjAugust 2, 2009 at 5:25 AM

    My pepper plants look like .. not so good. cukes are fine, I goofed and planted pickling ones... short and stubby but tasty. Would love some pesto shmeared on a bagel with tomato. And mint? Jelly to go with some lamb?

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  4. LeoraAugust 2, 2009 at 5:31 AM

    I use mint in tabouli. See Mollie Katzen's Moosewood Cookbook for a recipe.

    I've never grown cukes. Yours looks good. My tomatoes are slow this year, because less hot and more rain. Finally got some red ones this past week.

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  5. AnonymousAugust 2, 2009 at 7:54 AM

    This year we are only doing zucchini (my photos for today) as last year's tomatoes were a disaster because of the constant rain.
    Nice photos. I wonder what the peppers will be like in a mild climate like that of Chicago.

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  6. Jew WishesAugust 2, 2009 at 10:02 AM

    You photos are wonderful! I love the cucumber...so cute looking, yes.

    My tomatoes are taking their time..we've had so much rain that it's a wonder they survived at all.

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  7. JoyceAugust 2, 2009 at 11:04 AM

    I am sorry but I can't answer your question about the black spot. Lucky you to grow your own veggies. Thanks for sharing the photos.
    Joyce

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  8. AnonymousAugust 2, 2009 at 1:30 PM

    Looks very nice, I like the new shape cucumber....lol
    It will still taste good.
    Mint, over here we have mint sauce/jelly to accompany lamb....or, I use it on a roast dinner of any kind...
    Love it....

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  9. Sara at Come Away With MeAugust 2, 2009 at 3:11 PM

    Such a lovely brilliant shade of green in all of these. Very summery!

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  10. DimpleAugust 2, 2009 at 5:31 PM

    You have a very nice garden. Especially for the weather! Lettuce, peas, radishes, and carrots don't seem to mind rainy and cool. Also mint! :0)

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  11. Phyllis SommerAugust 2, 2009 at 9:05 PM

    thanks everyone!

    in case you're interested - a twitter buddy told me that the black spots are a reinforcement of the joints to hold up the peppers. cool, huh?

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  12. RobinAugust 2, 2009 at 9:32 PM

    Things are really wet and cool on the east coast too. My mom's plants aren't doing much better, other than the basil and other spices. I think there will be an awful lot of pesto around this winter...

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  13. Mama PajamaAugust 2, 2009 at 11:18 PM

    Your peppers are looking better than mine! And I haven't been able to get to the strawberries before the chipminks (yet)! My carrots are tiny, but the pumpkins seem to be growing all right...

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  14. MichelleAugust 2, 2009 at 11:30 PM

    What a wonderful garden! I can tell that you and the kids tended it with love. I was so sad that none of my cucumbers grew - they probably didn't get enough sun. I am looking at our garden this year as a test - we are new to this house and I wasn't sure what would grow well with only a few hours of morning sun. Let me know if you want a yummy recipe for refrigerator pickles :-)

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  15. Beth @ TheAngelForeverAugust 4, 2009 at 6:51 AM

    We planted some veggies for the first time this year (in pots since we have bunny issues). The only item that is producing a bumper crop is the jalapeno pepper plant. There are a bunch of tomatoes coming now, but they look small. The cucumber plant has a lot of little spots, but after a week or so they barely have changed. I think the extreme amount of rain here has hurt us. We had almost 10" in July alone. Hope you have more veggies in August.

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