The day has come. I picked and then ate my first homegrown tomato (heirloom Carmello). Pretty big moment. I decided to celebrate with pure, unadulterated tomato. That's right. I just sliced it and ate it all up. All by myself. I also ate some of the basil I grew.
I should mention now that this post is going to be about nothing more than tomatoes, peppers, and failing zucchini. So if you have no interest, leave now. It will save you the nauseating details of a struggling garden in 2 10-gallon pots. This is for me, however, a significant moment. I've been teetering on the fence of becoming a full-fledged gardener for at least two months. (Oh I know. That's not that long.)
Well, I think I just fell off the fence onto the side of GARDENER. My tomato was much sweeter than I anticipated and smelled like a lemon. I guess my expectations for tomatoes have slowly settled with all the pinkish-orange, mealy tomatoes I've purchased at grocery stores. Now that I know how good I can have it, don't think I'll ever go back (to non-local).
There is one tiny, white blossom on the bell pepper. I planted at least eight pepper plants, but only one has a flower on it. I suspect these won't mature in time for the end of our summer season. But at least I tried.
As you can see there are lots and lots of big beautiful blossoms on the zucchini. But then they promptly shrivel up and die. So, I did something wrong there. I have two of them and both of them are doing the same thing. (Technically I have four of them, but the two that were planted from seedling, rather than seed, look like crap.)
PS -- If you're thinking you might want to try planting a few vegetables of your own, I've found great motivation in reading Barbara Kingsolver's Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life. It's every bit as lovely as all her fiction, but this is her own account of her own garden.
3 comments:
Sigh,, the jealousy..I want tomatoes too!! Ours are green still. But on the upside we have tons of zucchini, squash, and red potatoes.
Congrats. Isn't it funny how small things mean so much when we do them ourselves? You don't need to come, we are good. With him home, life will be better. Thanks for the offer tho'. You are a sweetie. And you would never be in the way....it would be a pleasure, but we are okay.
That is a good looking tomato. So good that I would only eat like a apple. Its too good for a sandwich or hamburger.
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