Garden Update!

The garden is looking pretty fabulous - I put in 18 plants from Kassenhoff, and I have volunteers all over the garden as well as other random places such as next to the driveway, by the trash cans in the front yard and such.  I think the birds and squirrels were busier than last year.  I have decided this year to do stakes - though I am putting cages on some of the tomato plants, esp the volunteers which I know are going to be cherry tomatoes.

I planted some broccoli - late, I know - but with our late rain (it poured all day on July 5th!) and overcast skies, it is thriving.  I had about 800 ground cherry volunteers - some were potted up and many handed off to local folk who responded to my Freecycle post. 

James turned me onto Annie's in Richmond - I got a spaghetti squash plant there which is just going absolutely nuts.  There are about 10 softball size spaghetti squash.  My cocozelle is doing well, having already produced one 18" long squash (oops! I blinked!) though some are false starts, indicating that I need to digitally facilitate pollination again (or get bees).  Cucumber plants are doing well -- but none of the squash or cucumbers are following the lines I staked down around the leaves to make them climb UP to the trellis (dammit!).  The small honeydew I got from Annie's - supposed to be softball sized - is NOT thriving.  Neither are my two bell pepper plants which probably want way more sunlight.

Parsley & chard are both going to seed, following cilantro and arugula.  I'm waiting for the seeds to shape more maturely so I can pull them off and sow them back in the ground.  The fresh cilantro seeds, however, might get eaten.  I have been quite lazy and haven't yet planted the half wine barrels - but they will soon be planted with some radishes, basil and lettuces.  I know - basil likes hot weather and radishes cool but this *is* July in Oakland afterall.

Pictures coming - I promise!  My neighbor gave me a zinnia start which just opened its first red blossom today and it is stunning!