Greetings Rural Sprout readers,Another week has passed, and I'm still waiting on tomatoes. I've been growing German Pinks for the last three years. They're lovely heirloom tomatoes with great flavor, and I easily get several two—and three-pounders. But this season has turned into a high-stakes waiting game.I got my seedlings started on time, but the spring weather and my calendar had other plans for my garden. It wasn't until mid-July that I finally had most of my garden built and my raised beds filled and ready to go. So, my tomatoes didn't get planted
until then. And, doing as tomatoes do, they were off like a shot.It didn't take long for them to look like they'd been growing all summer long, instead of only a few weeks. I've got tons of green tomatoes, many of which are at the stage where, at any point, they'll get that first blush of color.Â
I've got my eye on two huge tomatoes in particular. I start my morning with
a cup of coffee and tomato inspection. I even talk to them and give them a little encouragement.
But it's now September, and the weather has cooled considerably. I've already topped the plants to give them a little nudge in the right direction.
At this point, all I can do is be patient.I've struggled with patience most of my life. But I have to say, the longer I garden, the more patience I have. Nothing teaches patience quite like a battle of wills with Ma Nature.Â
With all of our tips and tricks, there's only so much we can do before we have to step back and wait.Â
The
nice thing is that either way, whether I harvest German Pinks or German Greens, I'll still get to enjoy tomatoes from a garden I finally got around to planting halfway through summer.
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Back in August, we published an article in which I was advising our readers on what plants we can take cuttings from. Next to dividing plants (which I also talked about here), I think taking
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Saving seeds is a great way to save money. Here are six of the easiest to save seeds in your vegetable garden!
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When summer color fizzles, these ornamental perennials heat up bringing drama and bold color to your fall flower garden.
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Both the garden and I get a second wind in September. After the mellowness of summer months, and leisurely August pastimes, my mind craves a refocus and regroup. It's not quite the back-to-school feeling of
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Have you ever heard of anise hyssop? I hadn't until a few years ago when a generous gardening friend shared an extra plant she had oversown. That first spring, I was hooked. My love story
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Fennel, caraway, mustard and coriander are just some of the edible seeds that you can grow from scratch in your backyard garden.
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This tutorial is going to walk you through the very basics of making a gallon of hard apple cider. It's so much easier than you think.
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When cucumbers are in season, you've got to make at least one kind of pickle. Dill, garlic, 5-minute fridge pickles, or even bread and butter pickles if you are so inclined. My mom absolutely loves
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Here's how to forage for autumn olive berries and eleven delicious things to do with these vibrant and abundant berries.
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As the leaves change color and fall from the trees, most of us are busy closing up our gardens for the season. But don't put your garden tools away just yet. There's a common spring
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Did you miss a newsletter or want to read a few for inspiration? Find past newsletters here. Don't forget to check out our Facebook page for daily updates. That's all for this week, Rural Sprout Readers. |
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