Annual 4th Of July Garden Check-In

I love these check-ins and highly recommend doing them if you have a vegetable garden.  Every year, I seem to worry about something--usually that my tomatoes aren't growing, or my garlic looks small.  Checking back on prior years reminds me that it was the same back then, and by the end of the season, I had plenty of fresh organic produce to go around.

This year, my tomatoes do seem behind by about 3-4 weeks, driven largely by a busy May that kept me from planting on time, and then a cooler than normal summer.  But that aside, they are all looking exceptionally good this year!

Peppers came early this year, fueled by an early heat wave in the spring.  We've already pulled in a couple sweet bells.

This is a new-to-me variety of spaghetti squash called "Small Wonder" from Territorial seeds.  They are supposed to max out at about 6" per squash, making them a perfect sized meal for two.

I will be pulling in pole beans soon!

Radishes (left) and bush beans (right) we planted after I pulled my garlic out.  They are two varieties that can be planted as late as June because they grow quickly.

Sun Gold tomatoes (left) and Cherokee Purple (right) are beginning their way up the arch trellis.

Pumpkins are literally taking over my garden.  I have 8 of them, and the plants are crowding out other veggies.  It will be a project this weekend to start cutting them back and making space, without sacrificing the 8 pumpkins I've got growing on the vines.

Cantaloupes are starting to come in, fighting for light among the pumpkins.  They will be happy after I do some pumpkin pruning.

Sun gold cherries.  Most of them just get eaten right off the vine and rarely see the inside of my kitchen.

Green beans about a week from picking!

A new-to-me variety of patty pan squash, "Jaune et Verte" from Johnny's Seeds.  I picked them because they grow like little bowls, perfect for stuffing.

And no garden is complete without regular old zucchini.

My oxhearts were the first to produce this year, though I'm still waiting for them to ripen.

"Big Beef Plus" from Johnny's Seeds is usually the most lush and productive of my tomatoes, but this year, I think they're getting crowded out from the pumpkins.  Time for some garden surgery!

Cucumbers are just beginning to form.

Acorn Squash, "Night Shift" from Johnny's Seeds.  I need to pick them earlier this year, because I learned last year they can over-ripen on the vine.