garden happenings

Are we really getting into the end of July?  How is that even possible?  This past weekend I walked into Target and saw all the back to school stuff.  Now, I love me some new office supplies…but it still seems so early to be calling quits on summer.  Especially when the garden is just starting to produce!  At least mine is just starting.

For harvesting, peppers seem to be the big thing.  My jalapenos and green peppers are growing amazingly well this year, so I am starting to pick them.  I am washing the jalapenos and putting them in the freezer whole.  It is so easy to freeze peppers, and I love having them available in the winter when we make a lot of chili and other Mexican dishes. 

Then the greens are also doing great.  My kale and swiss chard seem to get my attention the most.  I am able to be out daily grabbing kale for green smoothies or some swiss chard to saute up with scrambled eggs.  

My cabbage is doing well, although I have to say that the slugs are definitely getting to my green cabbage.  Yet, for some reason have left the red cabbage, which is right next to it, alone.  Not that I am complaining.  I would prefer not to pick cabbage next month just to cut into it and see a slug – yuck!

The garlic looks great as well, but I don’t know when I should pick it.  I have to look back and see when I picked it last year.  It looks ready, but maybe I will wait another week or so.  I don’t want to pick it too early, and I want it to cure.

I have a ton of little green tomatoes all over my tomato plants.  Some of the potted plants have gotten a little too much water with the deluge of rain we received over the past couple of weeks and I think I will need to get some nitrogen into them.  But, they are still alive!  And that is always a good thing in my book!

How is your garden growing?  Any surprises thus far into the season?