Here’s the update on crops that I mentioned Friday night. If you have questions, feel free to reach out.
Let’s just lead off with everyone’s favorite summer crop, the tomatoes. This season, Mother Nature has thrown everything but the kitchen sink at the crops and tomatoes have been the most affected. This is not just in the Quad Cities, but across the country, and especially in the Central states. We’ve had heat, cold, too much rain, wind, high heat with humidity, wind, rain, fog, wind, and in the last week we’ve had days below 70 degrees and several nights at 50 degrees! The high wind storms that came through about a month ago blew all the cherry tomatoes off the trellis and blew all of the blossoms off ALL the tomatoes. I have been doing all the things that I know to do for them and they have given us a good first round of fruits. Sizes are varying and ripening is slower than normal, but we have tomatoes. For now. You see, most of the plants were so stressed by the time that wind took out the flowers that the majority failed to set new flowers for the second round of fruits that we expect in late August. The cherry tomatoes are finally doing great, and will start giving us normal, full harvests when the temps come back up a bit. The others are struggling and the cool days and nights have them thinking that fall is coming. The plants are trying to ripen as many fruits as possible right now. If you wanted those 5# bags of mixed tomatoes (Romas and smaller slicers) for your freezer – get in touch and I’ll do my best to get you covered. But, the tomato season is going to be fast and furious before crossing the finish line very early. Again, we are fortunate to have these crops at all. Others have pulled their plants or are barely getting any fruits. So, there’s your sad news. The rest is better. I promise.
Heirloom tomatoes have been fair this year, especially considering all the wet air. They have avoided fungus and disease, probably because they’re planted along the south edge of the garden. It looks like the Amana Orange will outdo the tri-colored one again. Orange ones are ripening fast!
Broccoli Round 1 has finished, been pulled, and Broccoli Round 2 is growing well in the small hoop house! I gave them some organic material this afternoon and looked through the plants well. No signs of insects and there are the tiny makings of flower heads starting to show themselves on a handful of plants.
Beets and carrots have been plentiful, thanks to many seedings this spring. More will be available at upcoming farmstands. Today, more of the slightly smaller carrots and Babybeats got seeded for late fall crops.
Peas were just OK earlier this year because of the early high heat. There are some “summer” peas that are still giving a little bit, but trying to finish up, and more have been seeded for fall crops.
Zucchini and yellow squash have been struggling because of high humidity and then the squash bugs arrived! In the new beds – darn it! I had hoped the first season would be insect-free. There are spent plants to pull tomorrow and I’ll decide if there’s time to reseed again or if it’s time to say “It is what it is” on the squash front. The ones we have gotten have been very nice, but again, low numbers.
Peppers continue to be consistent providers. They may slow a bit here and there while they set new flowers, but they continue giving! We will probably see another huge harvest period late in the year, so get ready to stock some in your freezer! *footnote: there are Paprika peppers ripening to a beautiful orange. Let’s hope for sun and 80+ degrees.
You may have noticed less cucumbers at the stand, and you’re correct. When it was time to seed the second trellis, we were having a high heat streak followed by a week of rain, so the seeds went in later than expected. The first patch is slowing, but new flowers showed today! The second planting is doing great and is loaded with flowers! They’re still on the smaller side, so it will be a little bit before we start seeing nice harvests, but it looks like they’ll come.
Kale and chard have been bombarded by insects for the last couple of weeks, and I hope that we’ve broken the cycle or at least disrupted it. More seeds and some baby plants were set out today. Fall crops of these leafy greens is generally fuller with cooler overall temps.
Lettuce was miserable early this season with high heat and intense sun, but more was seeded today and some baby seedlings were planted, too.
Okra wants the temperature to hang out at 85 or better to keep flowering – the plants have oodles of little buds waiting to burst open.
And now to the star of the season, green beans. Whoa! They have surprised me with the quantity they’ve given – despite the wacky weather. I know how much you all love them, so they got the platinum treatment in an effort to keep them happy. Here’s the rundown: Bed 1 is giving its second heavy crop and it will be done. Bed 2 is loaded with flowers and tiny beans (green and yellow), and randomly giving beans here and there for its second crop. Bed 3 is loaded with its first set of flowers and tiny beans. Bed 4 has a row of transplanted beans and 2 rows of seeded beans (so, they’re at different ages). Bed 4 is a shorter, faster-to-mature variety and today there were signs of flower buds on the older row. If all things work as planned, we should have beans until frost!
Herbs have been variable, with cilantro coming and going twice, dug up by rabbits, and there are babies growing and lots more seeded today.
Sunflowers may be slowing or finishing up soon, but we have had a beautiful season with them starting early. Zinnias and other flowers are still doing well (in need of deadheading like always at this time of year) and flowers should still be available for quite a while.
Whew! That was a lot to type up, but now you’re caught up on the status of the gardens and what’s coming. Oh wait – there are acorn and small spaghetti squash growing! How did I forget them?! Easy to do when the season has been so erratic. We’re still getting good quality produce out there for you, just not as much as we had hoped. Look forward to seeing you soon!