Hello friends! My garden is not doing well this year at all. After reinjuring my back, it’s been really hard to keep up with weeding it, coupled with super hot temperatures, it’s not looking great. Even watering twice a day wasn’t super great, so I’m not very hopeful for some of it. A few of the herbs are growing really well, but most are a bit crispy. I may have to buy at lot more produce than normal this year to make my salsa. The squirrels have eaten every single pepper that has started to grow and something else munched on my zucchini. It’s been a disappointing harvest so far.

Luckily, I took pictures quite soon after planting things, so they look nice! I’m looking forward to my blackberry harvest as well, because there are so many on the bush! Some of my tomatoes have fruit on them to, so hopefully those will perk up. So here’s what I planted this year and what I’ve gotten so far.

Tomatoes: Mr. Stripey, Green Zebra, Large Cherry tomato, Sungold, Bonny Best, Early Girl, San Marzano, Roma, Grape Tomato, Midnight Snack, Yellow Oxhart, and Celebrity.

So far I have gotten Sungolds, Midnight Snack, and Grape tomatoes. All my cucumbers (Gherkins and Japanese Cucumbers) died, I think. But I did stake them in the middle of the tomatoes to save space and they started to grow.

For peppers, I leaned into the hot pepper side of things, although I don’t know if I will get any. I planted Cherry Bomb, Jalpeno, poblano, Sweet banana, hot banana, and habanero.

I also planted tomatillos- which seem to be doing alright, peas, beans- squirrels ate them.

I did get two zukes before the plants got attacked and eaten, so I don’t know if I’ll get any more. I’ll have to see if the neighbor has any extras.

I planted three kinds of mint- Strawberry mint, variegated pineapple mint, peppermint, and I had spearmint, but it died. The rest of the mints are growing really well and I want to make strawberry mojitos, maybe this weekend, with the strawberry mint. It actually does smell like strawberries! I didn’t like the variegated pineapple mint, so wouldn’t buy it again.

I also had anise hyssop, cilantro, parsley, wine and roses thyme, common thyme, eucalyptus, variegated sage, dill, rosemary, and three kinds of basil- lemon, sweet, and thai. The thyme is still growing well, as is the rosemary.

I did have lettuce come back and planted bok choy, arugula, and swiss chard, but I think they needed less sun, so I may clear out the pots and try again in a shadier spot.

These are the blackberries! Excuse the weeds. I haven’t had a chance to manage them with my back.

The mulberry tree went crazy this year and I managed to pick a few handfuls to throw in some jam. Next year, I need to get a sheet and start shaking the tree instead of harvesting them one by one. This year I was foiled by an unexpected patch of poison ivy underneath the tree.

I’m not sure exactly when I’ll can this year. I think I might buy some produce ahead to freeze and can in the fall. We have plans that might disrupt my normal Labor Day Canning. It’s so satisfying to have rows of home canned things though, so I really want to keep doing it. This year I’ve just been off kilter a lot and not able to do what I would normally get done. Hopefully next year, I can plan a little better and figure out some easier ways to do things. I hope you enjoyed seeing my garden this year and that your gardening efforts are going well!