There's been about another 40 days of rain here since my last posting!

My container garden at the apartment is almost doing better than the garden at the farm, because I can dump the excess water. I've harvested three little pickling cucumbers at the apartment from two plants, many more on the way. I have a nice "Sungold" cherry tomato plant with several green fruits and lots of flowers. My coral Salvia has put out a second flush of blooms. Herbs: an abundance of basil (14" pot overflowing); tarragon; cilantro and dill that have bolted, unfortunately; chamomile that hit its peak a month ago, some chervil and other late-started herbs still to put out in pots, and a gourd vine that got a really late start. There's a yellow hot pepper plant that overwintered and is finally reblooming after some late May cool nights zapped all the initial flowers. The Stevia from last year died back severely two weeks ago by accident, but a little branch remains, so I hope to bring it back and keep it a few more years.

Out at the farm (15 min away), I saw some puddles in my beds this last week. A pepper and an eggplant actually wilted from too much water, and could be dead by now. The rest of the eggplants are stocky and short--they should produce eventually. The tomatoes are sprawling, but got hit by golfball-sized hail that we didn't get at the apt (we got some, but it was tiny). The weeds got gigantic, and I need to spend much more time out there weeding, and the dill is going to suffer when I pull out the adjoining weeds. I should have had a crazy overabundance of beans, but between the lack of sun, drenched soil, slugs, snails, and hail, I'm not sure they are going to do much at all unless this weather really changes. I've seen one 1.5" bean so far (as of 4 days ago).

The okra is up and WILL take off when/if the sun finally comes out. The whole squash family was nearly a bust, due to the slugs/snails eating the small plants. Only the strongest one I put in there is still alive. The wild berries are good, but a bit watery (on the farm, and confirmed by a friend who walks a lot in Burlington). Radishes and turnip greens grow well, but aren't my favorites. The daikon is doing the best so far of the root crops I planted in a rototilled section (versus just plowed and harrowed). I got a few peas, might have gotten more if I'd taken better care of them, but not a lot germinated to begin with.

On the bright side: 1) FOB's step-mom's potatoes are the best thing in the garden, really huge plants. She planted a ton of them, Kennebecs, and (knock on wood) the late blight that's hitting a lot of places' tomatoes around here hasn't showed up. 2) I have harvested a gorgeous bunch of beets, more to come.

My Strategy: I started some cabbage last time I was there, and planted the rest of the okra seeds where there were spaces in that bed. I'll do a lot more beets, since they seem to grow well here, and I love them (roots and greens). I'll plant the rest of my squash seeds with the shortest maturity times--I can always thin out if too many make it. I'll start kohlrabi and brussels sprouts in peat pots, outdoors at the apartment, and not put them out in the garden until they are BIG. Then: cover the later crops with clear plastic to lengthen the season.