Deck Garden, End of the Year Assessment

 

Summer has nearly come to an end, and it is time to recap how well things went in my deck garden this year. For the most part, I consider this year to be a bit on the mediocre side. After all of my efforts, loving care, not to mention expense, I was underwhelmed by the lack of production.

My inability to grow peppers, other than jalapeños, has become quite frustrating. Year after year I plant pepper seeds, all kinds, all colors, they will reach a height of between 3 and 4 inches, and stop right there and never do a thing.

On the plus side, I got loads of tomatoes and cherry tomatoes, so much so that I was giving them away. That’s a good thing because there’s nothing more delicious than a summer tomato warm from the vine. On the downside, despite vines crawling all over the deck, I didn’t get a single cucumber. That puzzles me because generally, as with cherry tomatoes, I am giving those away.

  Another plus (and I am thrilled beyond words at this) is that the seeds I had harvested from a black heirloom tomato that Melissa’s Produce had sent me, germinated and produced! I planted this late, so I wasn’t really expecting anything, even though I got a couple of blossoms. There are two tomatoes here; one is small and obviously pecked by a bird, unfortunately. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that the other one makes it to the ripening stage. It should. Generally, I don’t have a need to pull up tomatoes until mid October, although the shorter days do impede their growth. I’m going to keep a careful watch on this, and photograph it weekly, so that I can capture the point when it begins to turn black. I’m so excited! 

The charentais melon seeds that I planted did quite well. I got 100% germination from all six of the seeds that I had harvested from an organic melon that I got from Melissa's Produce, and, like the cucumbers, those vines crawled all over the deck. Also, like the cucumbers, I didn’t get any melons… or so I thought. When I went out to pull up the vines, I got three of them pulled up, but when I pulled up the fourth, I heard a clunking sound. Upon examination, I noticed that there were six tiny melons on that vine. I cursed myself for having not been more patient. I did find another melon on one of the remaining vines, and I have been babying it ever since. I doubt, at this late stage, that it will be big enough to use, but I have been encouraged by this, and will certainly plant melons again next year.When I went out to water this morning, I saw yet another one on the way. It’s probably too late to actually turn into anything edible, but it’s exciting nonetheless. Clearly, I can grow melons. Noted for next year.Speaking of melons, this little mystery melon started growing in one of my window boxes. It’s not the same as the charentais melon because each striation is actually an indentation. This may just be a pumpkin! I have no idea where this came from. The only thing I can figure is that the neighbors have pumpkin seeds in the mixture they use to feed the birds, and one of the birds dropped it in my window box.

The scallions did well, my cash crop was jalapeños (I couldn’t give those away), the basil bolted way too soon, and I didn’t get one batch of pesto out of it. The Alstroemeria did quite well, and I am very pleased with the result of that bit of experimentation. I am going to dig it up, bring it into the house, and attempt to overwinter it. The petunias put on a very colorful fuchsia show, I’m also going to try to overwinter them; the zinnias were their usual beautiful self.

They attracted loads of hummingbirds that are always a delight to watch, as well as goldfinches that love to hang onto the branches, and painstakingly pull out the pedals, in order to get to those delicious fresh seeds. They’re so cute that I just let them. I’m already in the planning stages for next year.

What were your successes and failures this year?

I’ll see you in the spring for more garden talk.

Deck Gardening 2024: Heirloom Tomatoes from Seed

  

 Have you priced seeds recently? I was shocked when I went shopping for them this spring. The prices have doubled and, in some cases, tripled over what I paid last year. Generally speaking, I don’t plant a lot of things by seed because it takes longer to get to the harvest. But I also find that unless I want to pay top dollar for specific seeds because plants aren't readily available at local garden centers, I need to come up with a better alternative…and I have. Harvest my own!

 Case in point, these beautiful heirloom tomatoes. I love heirloom tomatoes, not just for taste, but also visual appeal, and I love that there’s a history behind them. These beautiful tomatoes pictured came from Melissa’s Produce. I used them in this salad. While I was slicing them for that salad, I pulled out some of the seeds and set them aside to dry. Two days later, I planted them, and within a week they had sprouted, and with great gusto, I might add. (I'm still kicking myself for failing to harvest seeds from the yellow tomato.).

 

I cannot tell you how happy I was to see these little tomato plants coming up in the pots on my deck. Will they reach fruition this year? Who knows, but I will certainly have a wonderful time growing them, and I will keep you posted as to what happens.

Since that time I have planted seeds from an all red heirloom tomato, as well as a charentais melon that I also got from Melissa’s Produce. All of these are organically grown, so I know the seeds are going to be free of toxins, and these are the most comfortable I feel growing and eating.

Alstroemeria update.

They are thriving! A fuchsia petunia self-seeded beneath them, so it is quite a lovely display.

  “Who plants a seed beneath the sod and waits to see believes in God.” 

-- Anonymous