The Harvest!

My spooky neighbors!  They (she) LOVES Halloween, and begins with a few things at the beginning of October.  By Halloween night that house across the street is crammed full of bodies and pumpkins (only 59 this year), and lights.  It's a spectacle, and a great one!

The time came a few weeks ago, to pick most of the tomatoes from my one plant.  When I lifted the towel which has been giving a little extra night-time protection, I found a preying mantis cocoon.  I love those guys!  They are so ferocious, the way they eerily turn their heads to stare you down, and give you the creeps... and they take care of many garden pests, so I would like this one to survive.  I carefully replaced it and will remain as patio decor over the winter.

Still thriving, I decided to put the tomatoes in the garage, and have canned tomatoes and onions for the future.

Halloween?  This is all of the decorating I can muster...

Above photos from October 23, 2015.  Since then, we've had frost.

Black Tomatoes This Year!

Not very big yet, but YUMMY!

Variety:  Black Prince.  Not really black but extra dark!

Yes, We Have Our Tomatoes

The miracle of gardening late in the year.

Remember when I planted two tomato plants in ... July?  Well, BARELY July! 
And I had only one small tomato to show for it when I pulled them up towards the end of October.
Then, instead of throwing them out, I hung them up.  I did this years ago and got some satisfaction so I decided to try it again.  Amazing!  In the garage with temps from mid-40's to mid-50's, they are ripening.

I have to chastise the hub from time to time if he leaves the garage door open too long. But now that he's tasted them... no problem.

A miracle, I say! December tomatoes.

Tomato Follow-up

Not that successful:  One month later I have one of two plants looking like a tomato plant, but only one fruit.  I believe it's the same one that was there a month ago, too...  And look how the grass and weeds have grown!! And I HAVE PULLED some weeds.  There are WAY fewer grasshoppers after spraying every week and putting out poison.  Here's the Original Post.

 A month later:  Lucky me!

  I have friends with tomatoes...  No worries.  At least the roses are nice!

 

Tomato Optimism

This morning I had a craving:  Tomato plants.  I didn't crave the taste, just the plant.  I should have tomato plants growing within reach.  What's wrong with me?  It's July 30 and any tomato grower knows that by mid-May they should be out braving the elements. But alas, mid-May I was packing my suitcase.  It's only now, thirty days at home, and the prospect of 2 more months of summer that it occurred to me that there might be a homeless, orphaned tomato plant, so I went shopping.  Here they are: Annie 1 and Annie 2.  Annie 1 even has a tomato that could be picked for supper!  BONUS!!

This patch of dirt was recently rid of a huge overgrown pyracantha with numerous cottonwoods seeded into it.  Or maybe they arrived by traveling root--I don't know, but they were 8-10 feet high (3 meters, eh?).  Perfect mostly sunny spot, inside a protective patio wall - what's not to like?  GROW!!
btw: It's a jungle out there:  I was surrounded by wasps at the front of the house, and bitten by mosquitos at the back of the house.  What's to do in 88ºF/31ºC temps?  Sit inside, knit some little projects, and listen (keeping one eye on) to "Days"... (poor Elvis)