Since I didn't have a harvest in July, I didn't expect a harvest in August. But, the plants had different plans!
These tiny, little tomatoes came from some volunteer seedlings that grew outside my small vegetable area. Somehow, they were never pulled up by me, and never mown over. I guess they were in just the right spot between the grass and my pathway.
I don't like these little types of tomatoes very much. Although they are sweet and good to eat, I prefer larger tomatoes to can. These were run through the juicer for homemade tomato juice.
I also had some jalapenos to harvest. I have had loads of jalapenos all summer long. I have had more than enough. The jalapeno plant is still out there making more, and I wish it would just stop! I gave these away.
These purple hull peas were another surprise. I had already picked all the peas - I thought. I had plans to discard these plants to make room for my fall garden planting. I just hadn't gone outside (because of the heat) to pull up the plants yet. So, they decided to take advantage of my laziness and grow more pods!
These I have shelled and dried, and put in Ziplock bags.
Thanks to some tough plants that just wouldn't die, I'm joining The Gardening Blog for Garden Bloggers Harvest Day!
You really had quite a bit out in your garden. I understand about this year's heat. I have not been out any more than I had to be either.
ReplyDeleteCher Sunray Gardens
It gets truly unbearable here, and I spend the few minutes I can take out there to tend to my roses. By the time I get around to the vegetable garden, it's just too hot to worry with them!
DeleteWhat a bountiful harvest!
ReplyDeleteAmazing what plants will do, if we just let them live!
DeleteHolly, I love these purple hull peas! I had very poor pea harvest.Hope you'll can purple peas. Or will eat?
ReplyDeleteI dried these, but I had already canned some before this. I'll eat them this winter! Yum!
DeleteWell, as you know the grasshoppers got my edibles. Waiting until the cool front this weekend to start to think about a fall garden.
ReplyDeleteI've heard a lot of things won't germinate in triple digit heat, anyway, so that's my excuse for not starting one yet! :O
DeleteHi Holley, I love to eat veggies also--but growing them is not a passion with me. However, like you, I do love my flowers --especially ROSES....
ReplyDeleteBUT--speaking of eating, I do love Purple Hull peas. I used to get them at a produce market when I lived in Texas. Haven't had them in a long time.
Thanks for sharing.
Hugs,
Betsy
I think Purple Hulls are only popular around Texas. ;) But I like them more than black eyes!
DeleteI’ll eat just about any fruit, berry or vegetable, but it takes more attention than I can manage to grow them myself so I have given that up. I just have some early strawberries and some herbs. Perhaps I should go for your tomatoes?
ReplyDeleteVegetables do take a lot of effort, I think - usually, anyway. I was surprised to see these tomatoes growing, I guess that's why I never killed them. I felt like they should be given a chance.
DeleteWhile we don't have quite the heat that you do in Texas--darn near it though--, I share your sentiments on letting the veggies go in favor of the roses. Our garden, though seems to be thriving in the heat, especially with plenty of water and a husband who tends it. Your tomatoes will make a great salad. Good stuff from your garden, Holley.
ReplyDeleteI suppose my vegetables would have done well if I had given it plenty of water, and tended to it some. I just ran out of steam! I'll try vegetables again this fall, when it's cooler!
DeleteThat's a nice surprise. Suppose those plants must love the heat and sunshine!
ReplyDeleteYes, all three of these thrive on heat. I guess that's why they did so well, even without the gardener's care.
DeleteThat's quite a bountiful harvest Holley!
ReplyDeleteAmazing what can come out of just a small garden!
DeleteThat's quite a harvest for no care during such a summer! My veggie garden turned into a rather unmanageable jungle, which was awesome except for it was usually the veggie that nobody eats that did so well (no more impulse purchases in the veggie garden!) Thankfully we've had a decent amount of rain the second half of the summer so I didn't have to go out there in the heat to water.
ReplyDeleteWe got lots of jalapenos as well, so I canned my first can of pickled peppers! It's something we usually buy since my husband eats a lot of them, so I was quite happy to be growing them instead. I cleared out most of my veggie garden for the fall season but left the jalapeno plant since it was still going strong and not taking over the veggie garden (unlike the tomatoes and cucumbers).
I have pickled peppers from last year, so I planted these specifically to make hot sauce. I have been surprised, though, that the jalapeno plant just keeps putting out - all summer long, even though I've ignored it most of that time!
DeleteHow nice to have an unintentionally plentiful harvest! I agree with you about the little Tomatoes--they're tasty and sweet, but they're too plentiful, they take over the garden, and one plant goes a long way. But I love the large slicing Tomatoes. I think I'll have a BLT again tomorrow night--yum!
ReplyDeleteI like the large tomatoes best, too. I prefer to eat my tomatoes without their skins, and these little tomatoes are too hard to take the skin off!
DeleteWhat a beautiful harvest, though I know what you mean about little tomatoes. At least it wasn't the zucchini producing like that! Have you tried slow-roasting the tomatoes? (Cut them in half and roast until not quite dry; then freeze and add to soups, etc.)
ReplyDeleteI haven't tried slow roasting tomatoes, but it sounds yummy - I bet they are quite flavorful! Thanks for the idea!
DeleteHolley, it is amazing, that these veggie plants did continue to be so productive despite the heat and I hope you mind me saying this your kind care. Other than you I love, love, love these sweet mini tomatoes. I just pop them in my mouth or put them in a salad. I have never heard of or seen purple hull peas. Are the peas purple, too? Just stunning.
ReplyDeleteChristina
The peas are brown. Not quite as dark as a black eyed pea, but fairly close. I like them better than black eyes. And yes, the pods are really pretty, aren't they? They also will stain your hands purple while you're shelling them if they are wet!
DeleteYou have a lot of harvest. Those tiny tomatoes are nice..;O)Have a good weekend!
ReplyDeleteI know a lot of people actually prefer these small tomatoes. And they really are pretty. I shouldn't complain about a vegetable that produces!
DeleteThank you for sharing!I totally get the heat. Here in Arizona, I have not been out for long periods of time for weeks! Can't wait for cooler days! Everything in your garden looks beautiful!
ReplyDelete"I have not been out for long periods of time for weeks" - same here! I am really looking forward to fall in order to be able to stay out in the garden all day! I miss it more in the summer, I think, than the winter, because I feel like I should be out there - it's just not physically possible!
DeleteDo you think that those might be Carbinjiner peas? I didn't spell that correctly, but they are a heirloom variety?
ReplyDeleteJen @ Muddy Boot Dreams
I think you mean carrapichio cowpeas? Anyway, no, I don't think those are it. I got these seeds from my husband, who bought them on a whim, and I pretty much planted them on a whim! Not even sure they're heirlooms, even though most of the time that's what we buy.
DeleteI grow those yellow tomatoes. Very tasty. Nothing tastes like summer like homegrown tomatoes.
ReplyDeleteI agree. We can hardly stand to eat restaurant tomatoes anymore!
DeleteAmazing those tomatoes! I can't wait for my spring sowing to produce....patience!! THanks for sharing with us on Garden Bloggers Harvest Day. I love seeing what everyone is growing. Those beans are incredible. I remember mine just kept producing.
ReplyDeleteYou have done well by having a harvest all year! I've been very impressed with you and your vegetable growing. Perhaps some day growing vegetables will be just as much fun to me as growing roses!
DeleteWhat a delight Holley that your veg garden had other ideas...
ReplyDeleteI think plants are much tougher than we give them credit for sometimes!
DeleteThose peas look really interesting, I'm having visions of purple pea puree on a dish :)
ReplyDeleteI haven't talked much about my veggie garden either, oppisite to yours, mine has been washed out by the last winter rains and it will take a few weeks to get it going again. Thanks for joining our Harvest Day!
Sorry to hear about the rains washing yours out. It's must be frustrating to have to start over again!
DeleteThat's exactly what I need...a garden that produces in spite of me!
ReplyDeletehaha - If only it did that all the time!
DeleteI never saw peas like that. You got a nice harvest there.
ReplyDeleteThey are southern peas. I think northerners call them "cow peas" because they feed this type of pea to the cows!
DeleteWhat a lovely surprise! Looks like you have a great harvest! Nothing better than when your garden surprises you!
ReplyDeleteThat is so true! I love that the garden surprises me - almost daily!
DeleteThat is quite the harvest you have there Holley. I must say I am envious that your mild weather affords you a second chance at a fall planting. Here I am already thinking I need to get going on a cold frame.
ReplyDeleteWe are lucky - there are some winters that we can grow things through December before getting a freeze. Other times, though we will get a freeze in October, but still, that's a nice growing season.
DeleteWe didn't have the heat here in the UK to keep us indoors but it does seem those veg' I tended the most have been the disasters. There's always next year for us both xx
ReplyDeleteIsn't that funny! Maybe plants don't like to be coddled!
DeleteThat's an impressive harvest, Holley! The purple beans are especially pretty, and I hope you made something yummy with them.
ReplyDeleteThe hulls of the purple hull peas are very pretty. They look lovely growing on the vines, too!
DeleteWhat a good harvest!! Purple hull peas are new to me, I have to find out and yellow tomatoes... last year I had striped tomatoes, although they taste good I prefer the red ones. I was reading in your blogposts about roses and than I thought what on earth are Knock Out roses, but after reading futher I understood, funny name. Anyway I love all kinds of roses also the knock
ReplyDeleteouts (haha). I shall follow your blog.
Glad to meet another rose lover. I have never grown striped tomatoes. I like the yellow tomatoes, and the red ones, even purple, but this year I also grew some that stayed green, and they had a very sharp, un-sweet taste to them that I didn't care for.
DeleteYou could have frozen a few of those itty bitty tomatoes to toss into homemade soup.
ReplyDeleteOh, I didn't think about that! That's exactly what I should have done!
Delete