Cucumber Harvest / Joining the Bee Line

When I was hand pollinating the cucumbers this morning I noticed at least ten bees buzzing around in the garden. They were having alot fun with all of the squash. Yes! This means that I don't have to hand pollinate as much any more. I won't get too excited though. I'll have to wait to see if the squash they pollinating actually grows.



Today was also my first cucumber harvest. I think all of the hand pollinating paid off. I expect to have at least five cucumbers by the end of next week.

Picklebush Cucumbers (about 4.5")

Bush Champion Cucumber (7.5")

Bush Champion Cucumber on the vine

Picklebush Cucumber on the vine

Another Picklebush Cucumber on the vine

Week 9: The Pains of Watering

It's been 66 days since I started this whole gardening project. I have to say, I'm very pleased with the results.

Last week was marked by very hot weather with degrees in the upper 90s. It's probably because of this hot weather that I now have to water the plants twice a day. Yep, twice a day! Geez, it's like having to take care of a baby or something. I have to get up early and water the plants before I go to work, then I have to rush home to water them in the afternoon when I get out of work. Note to self: Next year, I'm going to get one of the automated watering systems!

Below are various pictures from the garden. Click on the picture for a larger version.


Straightneck Squash


Yummy Petite Orange Pepper


Cloud Nine White Eggplant


Super Sweet 100 Tomato

Cucumbers in the Ground

Lilac Bell Peppers

Evolution of the Earthbox

I have been growing cucumbers in the Earthbox for a month, and the success of the cucumbers' growth is mind-boggling. I'll definitely invest in some additional Earthboxes in the future.

Cucumbers in Earthbox - April 26

Cucumbers in Earthbox - May 24

Bush Champion Cucumber in the Earthbox - due to my handpollinating and not from the effort of highly productive bees!

Picklebush Cucumber in the Earthbox

Tomato Harvest

Finally, the Bush Early Girl Tomato ripened. I tried to take off two tomatoes and didn't realize that three of them were on the vine. That's why there is a green one.

My mom eat half of the tomato with a hamburger. I had the other half. It was very tasty.... much better than store-bought tomatoes.

More Harvest Pics

The Harvest

Sweet Banana Peppers
Sweet Green Bell Peppers
Utter.Disappointment.

Crookneck Squash

Ichiban Eggplant


Zucchini from Plant 2.


Lilac Bell Pepper

Harvest Time

Just in time for Memorial Day, the plants are producing fruit like crazy. I even have gotten some harvests.

The tomatoes on the Bush Early Girl Tomato finally started to ripen. (It's been 40 days since the tomato first appeared that they began to ripen).

The bell peppers are not doing so well. They all seem to be suffering from the dreaded Blossom End Rot. And, they are much smaller than I expected. Overall, I am disappointed with the bell peppers.

Week 8: Fruits of My Labor

This week was marked by three days of heavy wind and rain. The plants held on.

Many of the plants are producing fruit. The Bush Early Girl Tomato plant has had a green tomato on it for weeks now, and it is yet to ripen. According to my calculations, it should ripen right around Memorial Day.

Better Bush Tomato

Bush Early Girl Tomato

Super Sweet 100 Tomato

Ichiban Eggplant

Chocolate Bell Pepper

Sweet Green Bell Pepper

Sweet Banana Pepper

Crookneck Squash