After 4 straight frustrating days of rain and storms we caught a break today.

DH set in place the final arbor connecting the 2 front raised beds and also - yippee - finished the plumbing part of the new irrigation system. That’s just awful nasty dirty work. Next he will install the new controller, then testing can happen.

I finished filling the left front bed so only 1 more to go.
Then we’ll do some leveling, DH will install the metal edging and finally mulch, mulch, mulch.
Last stage will be placing and filling the barrel planters.

As the horse racing announcer says, "DOWN the stretch they come!" Completion (if there really is such a thing) is near.

I can't wait to see it all with mature plants in it! That arch just sets it all off.

Our annual tomato tasting event is in a couple of weeks. Looking at what’s still on the vine we’ll just make it.
In the meantime the neighbors are happy.

@PlainJane that's a very nice harvest. Your tomato tasting ought to be a huge hit with all of those varieties coming in.

PlainJane wrote: ↑Sat May 27, 2023 2:10 pm Our annual tomato tasting event is in a couple of weeks. Looking at what’s still on the vine we’ll just make it.
In the meantime the neighbors are happy.
IMG_3614.jpeg

Why, because everything was earlier this year?

We just went through 5 days of rain, it's splitsville on what is left. Usually, the end is a gradual process, but that rain really took a toll.

Your harvest looks great.

Yes @Barb_FL - the extended forecast has hot and humid weather settling in after a couple days break. And I’m seeing a fair amount of early blight and septoria on almost everything out there.

It was 67 this am, and felt wonderful. And no rain.

Could you move up your taste testing? My friend just told me the GGWTs didn't have as much flavor as they had all season. It was a great year for GGWT.

I wish we could @Barb_FL but some of the tasters are unavailable before.
Next year I’m hoping we can sneak in for first weekend in June instead of the second.

Moving along to the edging phase.
We have a giant (tarped) mound of mulch piled in the driveway going nowhere until the edging is in so I convinced DH to wait on the irrigation controller shenanigans. We’ve had plenty of rain and more forecasted later this week so we can live without the irrigation system short term. The area to the bottom left will have the stonework extended to fill in the curve. The entire raised bed space will be pine bark mulch. I considered gravel but decided wood will be cooler. This section of the garden bakes in the sun all day.

Part of today’s haul. The 2 ripe Solar Flare are destined for dinner somehow.

Last raised bed finished and started on the mulching. DH is wrapping up the edging hopefully this weekend.

Now that I have the space to let things like melons sprawl I’m so excited to be close on the first planting.
Second planting is ramping up too so I got cradles under everything.
These are Diplomat F1 honeydews. I took advantage of Renee’s Garden 50% off sale to order a little cantaloupe called Sugar Cube. So lucky to have a long growing season!

Soooooooo close to having a big "FINISHED!" stamped on the project!

At that time you can pull a few chairs into the middle of it, grab your beverage of choice and just sit there looking around and enjoying it. Don't look too hard... you might find a few things you want to add or tweak. That would be the Garden Stretcher whispering in your ear.

Our annual tomato tasting party is in the books and what a blast it was.

The week leading up to yesterday was a constant juggling of pulling new fruit off the vine and giving to the neighbors what was going to be overripe. Getting the Tasters plied with adult beverages is key to interesting conversation and feedback notes. Most of the tomato overflow went home with the participants.
Lol I was also able to offload zucchini, summer squash, beans, sweet peppers and honeydew melon.

PlainJane wrote: ↑Thu Jun 01, 2023 11:52 am Part of today’s haul. The 2 ripe Solar Flare are destined for dinner somehow.

I planted two (2) Ronde de Nice Summer Squarsh that look a lot like that round one lower left; what kind is it?

The Gotch

@Cornelius_Gotchberg that is an Eight Ball zucchini. Pretty tasty but I shouldn’t let them get that big. The middle gets a tad soft.

PlainJane wrote: ↑Sun Jun 11, 2023 9:25 am Our annual tomato tasting party is in the books and what a blast it was.

Thanks for posting about your tasting event; very interesting and fun to read about. Anything more you would want to share about people's reactions/reviews to the different varieties?

I'm curious about the "nice fibrous texture" description for Pamplemousse de Grand Pere. I think of fibrous as a bad thing. How does the texture compare to Cherokee Carbon or KBX (two that I'm familiar with)?

Also, in your third picture, which are the Pamplemousse?

@Seven Bends the remaining Pamplemousse is in the lower right corner. I found it to be visually beautiful but just average in taste. The texture was creamy to me but it was very very ripe.
Lol, not sure about the ‘fibrous’ comment; that’s one of the fun things about having a tasting party. You never know what people will come out with.
Pretty much everyone loved Cherokee Carbon. BKX was second by quite a bit.
KBX and Amalfi Orange F1 were both hits with voting split on which was favorite.
Everyone was most surprised by the GWR tomatoes, especially Green Bee with its crunchy texture.

"And a good time was had by all". Great party! I'm just jealous that you have so many tomatoes you CAN have a tasting party.