We have had a bumper crop of strawberries this year! I grow a perennial "June bearing" variety. Who knows whether it was all the rain this spring, or the worm castings I topdressed the bed with, or just the fat that the plants are more mature now... or all three? But this is the first year we've had enough strawberries for a family of five - in the past the kids picked them all before the adults had a chance! And the alpine strawberries that I started from seed this spring have some nice green berries on them so we still have more strawberries to look forward to.
The snap peas have been yummy as well but the birds have had more than their share. Note to self: use netting on the peas next year! And I've even picked a few Sun Gold tomatoes already (no picture because I always eat them before I bother to go get my camera) which is the first time I've harvested tomatoes that I've grown myself from seed in July. I'm sold on Sun Golds!
Above: the entrance to 'England', my veggie box area with honeysuckle blooming on the still-waiting-to-be-replaced arch (it's on the to-do list.)
Above (clockwise from top left): marigolds, lettuce and rainbow swiss chard; cherries ripening in my "orchard"; nasturtiums with foliage of kohlrabi, carrots and parsley; more cherries; marigolds, lettuce and chard; scarlet runner beans, red orache, beets, lettuce and tomatoes.
What are you enjoying in your garden right now?
To see what's good to eat in my garden at other times of the year, and how the garden has evolved, click here and scroll down.
You must try Tumbler then as well. You can grow it in pots. Sungold is also my favourite as well, been eating them for a few weeks now.
Posted by: plantman | July 27, 2011 at 04:52 PM
I just picked three pounds of strawberries yesterday (I think I've had about 10lbs. this year)! Today I started on the raspberries. I agree with plantman on the Tumbler tomatoes - yummy. And have I mentioned lately that I love those raised beds?!
Posted by: Paula H. | July 27, 2011 at 06:58 PM
Sounds like it has been a good year for strawberries!
Paula, have I mentioned lately that I'm jealous of your greenhouse? Plantman, do you have a greenhouse too? As you know, I don't so I'm just thankful to have tomatoes in July. I do have Tumblers as well this year, with many green tomatoes on them so far but none ripe yet.
Janice
Posted by: Calgary Garden Coach | July 28, 2011 at 06:56 AM
Wow, your edible garden looks so nice! Mine seems to be a little more of a mess, but that's what I get for trying to jam so much into one plot.
I am trying Tumbler out for the first time this year grown from seed (and in hanging baskets) - I have a couple of tomatoes that are almost ripe too (like you, it is my first year getting vine ripened tomatoes that I grew from seed so early). I also been having a great strawberry harvest and they still seem to keep on coming.
I'm sure you've mentioned it before, but what kind of cherries are you growing there?
Posted by: Megan | July 28, 2011 at 08:30 AM
Thanks Megan! I have a Cupid, a Crimson Passion, and a Carmine Jewel growing at the edge between the Adventure Garden and "England". They are quite exposed but seem to do OK, although Crimson Passion died back to the ground over the winter of 2009-10 so I moved it to a slightly less exposed location last year and this year it has come back well but still has no fruit. I planted Cupid last year when I thought CP was dead, and the latter 2 were small when planted in 2008 so I haven't had much of a crop until this year so I am very excited!
Will keep you updated!
Janice
Posted by: Calgary Garden Coach | July 28, 2011 at 11:10 AM
No greenhouse, but I do want to build a small one next month.
I was too busy this year so I just bought a big Sungold that had fruit on it already way back in May. I also bought the Tumblers.
Posted by: plantman | July 28, 2011 at 02:43 PM
Aha! That is probably the best way to go for us greenhouse-deprived...
Janice
Posted by: Calgary Garden Coach | July 28, 2011 at 03:01 PM
Tumblers you can now buy anywhere (hurray!) but only Garden Retreat seems to sell Sungold. They're cheap though - I bought a very healthy one gallon for $8.
Posted by: plantman | July 28, 2011 at 03:23 PM
Thanks!
Posted by: Janice Miller-Young | July 29, 2011 at 05:48 AM
I have had great luck with tomatoes from Garden Retreat. They are pricey, but they have a nice selection.
Posted by: Paula H. | July 30, 2011 at 08:06 PM