Beth Skwarecki

My garden still looks puny compared to the neighbors, but it's making food. I've still got a favorite lettuce plant making me salads, and now I've got beans!

I don't know how they got this big without me noticing. The purple beans above are a variety called "Royal Burgundy". In a nearby bed, and harder to see, are the similar-shaped green beans of "Provider". Back in the corner I have "Light Red Kidney", which has much bigger, lumpier pods.

Meanwhile, the tomato plants still have tiny green tomatoes, getting bigger every day. The late-planted zucchinis are getting big for being so young; with luck I'll have fall crops of all the usual summer veggies. I also planted a second and final round of beans (provider and LRK) and Ashworth corn. Both are supposed to mature early, so I expect I can harvest those in September or October.



The garden's not working out super well as a substitute for trips to the grocery store (I'd hoped we could get most of our veggies from our own garden) but Chris and I are learning a lot about how to grow a garden for next year. And since most of our crops are heirloom varieties that breed true, we'll be able to save the seeds from our hardiest plants to use in next year's garden.

Here's to next year, and to late crops of early vegetables!