Abundance of Fruit and Vegetables this year

Everyone is talking about how much fruit & vegetables are on the vines and trees.  It's true, there is an incredible amount to harvest this year.  The old saying is that when this much is available, watch out for the winter that follows, mother nature is preparing us for what's to come.  If that's true, then we are truly in for an amazing winter.  

Raised Bed Evolution II

The tomato vines pictured are at least 6 feet tall, and have completely covered the raised bed, with some hanging over the sides.  So far we've harvested many tomatoes, with tons on the way!  In the raised beds we use liquid fish as fertilizer, and in the last photo, the zuccinni pictured is nearly 4 feet long, and about 10" around at the largest part.  Even at that size, the squash and zuccinni are still delicious.  One of our favorite methods of cooking this sized squash is to cut them into "steaks" and grill them with olive oil, salt and pepper.  Wonderful!

Greenhouse Evolution

As you can see from the photos, we've come a long way with the greenhouse from just 2 months ago. (See the previous blog regarding the construction of the greenhouse).

In the photos, you're seeing; tomato vines, that are nearly 8 feet tall, this, after just 1 month of growth!  In the last photo, the drip-irrigation system is shown, which is used for fertilize (liquid fish), and semi-daily watering.  So far, it seems that most plants are growing approximately 3 times their normal growth cycle.  Temperatures during the heat of the day have exceeded 110º, and it's normally around 75º - 80º.  During the winter months, grow lights and an electric heater will be used to insure constant temperatures.