How Does My Garden Grow?

Pretty well, considering that I just haven't had time to get out there to take care of it for the last few weeks. Fortunately, we've been having regular rain. I should've done before and after pix for the weeding as the bed was looking a bit shaggy, but the veggies all had had a good enough start that they were holding their own (except for the beets, which got a late start and weren't growing much under the canopy of weeds that had outgrown them badly).

I ate the first ripe grape tomatoes, which were delicious, and there are a couple of full-sized tomatoes coming along to look forward to with the basil, which is doing well as well, although not quite the thicket I've had in some years. Chard's also doing great. The cucumber vines have unfortunately got the same fungus as last year - I did pick the more infected leaves off today and threw them in the dumpster (no fungi in the compost, please) and sprayed the rest some peppermint oil spray that's supposed to help - maybe if I can do better about getting out there I can save them but it's been going on for a while now. Have already gotten a bunch of nice cukes though, at least - in fact there were so many ready to be picked I gave a couple away.

Went for a surfski paddle afterwards - boy, after a season with the surfski out of commission, getting back on it is requiring some building up, I'd forgotten how much more demanding than a sea kayak it is! I used to do a fairly regular after-work paddle of 8 miles, out to the Marine Park Bridge and back; I have paddled the ski twice now this year and it's very clear that the old regular is something I now have to work back up to - first ski paddle was on July 3rd and I think I went about 6; today's paddle ended up being a bit over 7, made it around the corner to where I could SEE the bridge at least, but it got a bit choppy out there and I felt like down to the bridge was going to be pushing myself a bit too far. Great having the ski as an option again, at least!

Growing fairly well except the beets that are supposed to be under the recumbent tomato cage in front (cat discourager).

Delicious grape tomatoes! 

Cuke

This is the sad disease that the cukes have again - starts like this -

Then the yellow spots turn brown and it just spread until the whole leaf dies. This is where the distance to the club really makes it hard to be a good gardener - I noticed this was happening a couple of weeks ago, I forgot to take the anti-fungal peppermint spray last weekend, and there's been too much going on for me to make it out after work - I did clean out the dead and sicker leaves and spray today but I'm not hopeful. May try another variety next year, or something different, clearly whatever got last year's vines was still in the soil waiting for this year's. :(

Nice mystery tomato coming along - got the Dragonetti's mixed "Heirloom Tomato" pack this year, they don't say what you're getting. Glad I planted the grape tomatoes for faster gratification!

Chard & basil doing OK. 

Canarsie sunset. Must've been pretty from the dock but there was laundry to do so I had to head for home after my paddle.