Good Year for Flower Boxes

All of Jen's flower boxes have done very well this year. The boxes on the front of the house have been quite satisfying, and are looking really good despite the dry weather recently. This is especially nice since the last two years saw everything dry up and go to seed by this time. Compliments to Jen for a good job staying on top of the watering this year. See more pics of all of the boxes at Flickr.

Dog Day Update

We're past the middle of August now, and the tomato plants are still producing very well, but a noticeable slowing of the ripening process is now evident. The big producers right now are the Black Cherry, Snow White and Reisentraub varieties. We're still getting some Sungolds and Peacevines, but they are well past peak production (a week ago we were covered in both of these).

The Yellow Pears are complete duds, with no good fruit coming off of that plant. The Red Pears are marginally more productive (but not any better in taste - bleh). Both of the pear vines have tons of unripe fruit, but nearly all of those look like they are going to succumb to blossom end rot...these are the only two plants showing that problem.

The Green Grapes appear to be finished. They really only produced a couple of big clusters, but what they lacked in quantity they made up in size. Also finished are the Isis Candies...not much from them at all.

We are still battling white flies and aphids (sprayed soap solution again yesterday), and splitting & withering a little bit on the Black Cherries and what's left of the Sungolds.

First Annual Tomato Tasting

Jen and I had a tasting of all nine varieties of tomatoes this evening. The tomatoes in the picture are, from left to right: Snow White, Green Grape, Yellow Pear, Red Pear, Sun Gold, Reisentraub, Isis Candy, Peace Vine and Black Cherry. Our top five - 1) Sun Golds, 2) Green Grapes, 3) Black Cherries, 4) Peace Vines and 5) Snow Whites, though not necessarily in that order. Our least favorite are the Yellow Pears...they really don't taste like anything. For more information, see the video of the entire earth-shaking event.

Cosmo Lives!!

Last Thursday, we thought that a raccoon had finally discovered the fish in our pond and eaten the biggest one - Cosmo (the one in the middle with the white nose). He (or she, not sure) was nowhere to be found that evening. Low and behold, though, Friday morning there was Cosmo. We're not sure where he was hiding, but we sure are glad to have him back.

Balloon Flower in Full Bloom

I think that we've had this plant for several years now. It's been transplanted several times, and still thrives. Right now, we're appreciating a nice crop of blooms on it.

Foxglove Working on 3rd Set of Blooms

Our lone Foxglove in the yard has been working overtime this summer. It's on its third set of blooms. Each set has gotten more blue than the previous (the first being mostly pink). Last year we only got one set of blooms and then the plant sort of fell over and died.

August is Here...

...and the harvest is bountiful. We continue to pick up to a dozen of each type of tomato off the vines every day. I'm still battling the mites and white flies a bit - hit them with soap spray today, although I'm not convinced that this stuff actually does anything. The hot weather is cooking the plants each day, but a good watering each evening brings them back. All of the fruit is good, though the Sungolds, Black Cherries and Peace Vines are the sweetest right now.