Monday September 10 harvest

Somewhat decent harvest this weekend, with few cabbages that were saved from bunny, a lonely pumpkin, tiny watermelon, handful of peppers and eggplants, some tomatoes and nice harvest of beans. Also picked were few stalks of rhubarb for making jelly. A lot of basil, swiss chard and parsley were picked but I did not weight it so you'll just see a picture of them at the very end.

More mushrooms

Today was another nice walk in woods and thanks to the rain last weekend and early this week mushrooms were plentiful once again. I was able to pick enough Chicken mushroom to sautee and freeze for many meals in winter.

It's all nice, still young and tender so it will be delish in winter meals. This week night temperatures will dip into 40s so that means that Hen of the Woods - aka Maitake will start fruiting so that's my next target.

Bunny in the garden

We have a small bunny in the garden.. He has met with my cabbages, carrots, peas, beans and many of my fall greens and so far liked them all. Here's example of his work on cabbages - not much left to pick.

I'm yet to find a way to get him out of the garden and keep him away from anything I'm planting. He really loved all my fall plantings, to the point that I had to place an order for seedlings since most of mine have been wiped out.

Mid-week harvest

Another small harvest this week, including some kale, swiss chard, cabbages, carrots, beans, tomatoes, peppers, zucchini and even one tiny watermelon. Red and white cabbages had to be drastically peeled back to get rid of damaged top layers - we have a bunny in the garden who apparently loves most of my greens. For the same reason baby carrots were pulled - he ate all their tops. And normally I don't bother recording chard or kale, but this time I did - that's going to my coworker tomorrow.

Picking potatoes

Last of the potatoes that were growing on the back outside of the main garden have been picked. Not many and not large, because soil is very poor quality and I didn't bother with hilling them.  Also by accident was picked one sweet potato and my experiment - home grown ginger.

These will be used in next few weeks for eating while the previous harvest is being kept for winter as those were larger in size so they'll last longer. Plus I'll try to keep all Yukons for winter mash :)

Tomato variety review

Well tomato season is over for this year so looking back at what worked and what did not. Here is what was planted:

• Tomato Ananas Noire Or Black Pineapple - Was neither sweet or acidic but it could be the weather that affected taste. Will give it one more shot next year as it is very pretty on a plate.
• Tomato Big Rainbow - Pretty but not tasty. Very low production rate - I got 2 fruit from the plant.
• Tomato Black From Tula - Tasty but small fruit. Will give it another try.
• Tomato Black Giant  - no clue as it didn't produce anything. Will try again next year.
• Tomato Black Krim - Always good and this year was good for it too - very tasty, medium set fruit but not heavy producer.
• Tomato Caspian Pink Heirloom - didn't produce so will plant it again next year to see if it works.
• Tomato Cherokee Purple - hands down top tasting tomato but wish it would produce more of them.
• Tomato Chocolate Stripes  - didn't survive. Will try again next year.
• Tomato Grandma Oliver's Green - only 1 tomato produced but it was very tasty. Will try it again.
• Tomato Green Zebra Heirloom - interesting and different in visual and taste. Will plant 1 next year.
• Tomato Hillbilly Heirloom - not worth it neither good tasting or a good producer.
• Tomato Marmande  - did not produce.
• Tomato Mr Stripey Heirloom - will plant 1 more as it makes a colorful sandwich or a salad. Not too great on taste. Very low producer.
• Tomato Orange Fleshed Purple Smudge - Did not produce.
• Tomato Pink Brandywine - Good tasting but not a heavy producer. I think I'll stick to Red or Black instead.
• Tomato Prudens Purple Heirloom  - did not survive.
• Tomato Purple Calabash - small very ribbed fruit, very tough skin but tasty inside. Not sure if weather made it tough and small. Not planting again.
• Tomato Red Brandywine Organic - Definitely good flavor and will plant again next year.
• Tomato Red Mortgage Lifter - Not impressed with the yield. Neither large or productive but a good meaty slicing tomatoes. Once again weather might have played the role.
• Tomato Red Zebra Heirloom - didn't survive.
• Tomato San Marzano Lungo - good producer for sauce. Won't recommend for eating fresh.
• Tomato Sarah Black  - didn't survive, will try again.
• Tomato Super Italian Paste Heirloom - good producer for sauce. Won't recommend for eating fresh.
• Tomato Sweet Million Hybrid (Cherry) - surprisingly did not produce that many tomatoes. Very tiny but also very sweet. I'll give it a try next year again.
• Tomato True Black Brandywine - Winner in my book. Superb taste and holds well but does not produce many fruits.
• Tomato Yellow Pear (Cherry) - overly productive variety and taste pretty good. Limit to 1 next year as it gives too much for my taste.
• Tomato Aunt Ruby German Green - Good tasting and interesting variety. Only 2 fruits produced but will give it another try.
• Tomato Jersey Giant - didn't survive. Will try again next year.
• Tomato Genovese - small fruit, hard skin but nice pretty tomato with good flavor. Very ribbed. Still debating if i should plant them again.
• Tomato Old Italian - didn't produce.
• Tomato Subartic - didn't produce

Added later in May after main planting:

• Black Cherry - wonderful cherry variety with abundant amount of fruit. Limit to 1 next year - did not get blight.
• Indigo Rose cherry tomato - don't waste your time. Very long to get ripe, not good on taste, doesn't hold well at all, tends to rot very quickly.
• Black Prince - wonderful tasting tomato, produces small but fragrant and tasty fruit. Heavy producer - did not get blight.
• German Striped - very pretty and sweet tomato but doesn't hold well and is not a heavy producer.
• Black Striped Zebra - very visually striking and tasty tomato. Definitely planting again. Did not get blight.
• Black Truffle - very nice tasting tomato, small size but not heavy producer. Not sure yet if I'll replant it.
• Rutger - very prolific medium globes - good for slices or sauces or salads. One that did not get disease this year and still producing alot of green tomatoes.

Next year I will add several more varieties to try - Gaint Oxheart, Carol Chyko's Big Paste, Paul Robeson, Azoychka, Amana Orange,  Anna Russian, Bull's Heart, Carmello, Giant Pink Belgium and one hybrid - Big Mama Hybrid to see how it compares to other Paste varieties.

September 1 harvest

Harvesting continues at very slow pace and left over tomatoes are still trickling in. Mostly they're being used for salads and salsa. Few beans, one cucumber and small pepper for salad were also picked.

Not from the garden but still harvested were mushrooms that are very plentiful this time of the year. Chicken of the woods, chanties, oysters, boletes and black trumpets. Also was a nice surprise to find few Hydnum and Leccinum aurantiacum- Scaber stalks - they'll be dried for winter.

For now young and tender Chicken of the woods made a wonderful meal.