First tomato was ready!

 

Color was good so grabbed it and it was slightly soft and with one tug it came off! If you have to fight to pull fruit off it may not be ready. #tomato#smallgarden@greendinigardenguru

Good size tomato!

Second one in the background still on the bush. The cracking is from a variety of factors I suspect, inconsistent watering and likely a bit on the overripe state. Don't care, it's a gorgeous fruit that I grew! We will see how it tastes once it cools in the fridge for a bit. Other tomatoes and picked a handful of peppers as well. Despite being on the small size they were starting to color, though it's hard to tell in pictures. Had to adjust the picture to show other details.

Other details on the peppers are the brown corky stripes which is another sign of uneven watering and age of the fruit. Salsa here we come! Fresh tomato is going to be eaten with salad, too lazy and don't trust my cooking with a fresh one yet.

Since I forgot what I was going to add to my previous post, just going to move forward and show the #zucchini may well have taken!

Pollinated flower on the left

Almost all boys.

In the bright sun I couldn't see there was a small female at the back of the second bush on the right. Have to go back out and see if I can pollinate that little one as well. Flower is already closed up though so may be too late. I also fertilized with the last of what I had in the small bag, going to spring for some dry Gro Power on my next visit to the nursery. Don't have a good watering can and I prefer dry, already covered that.

It figures that the male flowers are fully open before the females are even ready. Might have to get a little collection jar and a paintbrush at the craft store today. Cotton swabs! Why didn't I think of that before? Anyway.

Something else that people sometimes panic about are perfectly normal plant things that a lot of other garden experts with videos and such rarely cover.

Cracking stem at base.

Again due to my inconsistent watering and the age of the plant, this happens. The stem is still very healthy and actually has some fruit on it up at the top. Unless this increases and totally splits, there's nothing wrong with this. I have a huge plant and stress will happen. I'm glad I have a cage around it. There's a garden on another street we drive by occasionally and that man's tomatoes are on a trellis, hardly any leaves yet but a good dozen tomatoes all ready to pick. It's bare all they way to the top and the vines are about four maybe five feet tall. Facing south with no trees or fence to block the sun so it's a perfect spot for them.

Since the wall behind my bed is not my wall and there are other things that need to happen before I can set that up, can't do a trellis. Might do some peas on a trellis after the tomato and pepper are done and keep it in the cultivated part of the bed.

Oh and there was a sign of someone leaving a calling card in the garden, luckily it got the hint and didn't do anything in the bed with all the sticks in there.

 

After I pushed dirt into the scrape

 

Feral cats are so uncivilized, leaving the little divot with pee just out there without covering up (yes I know that's what they do). My cat smelled it and immediately balked and was making all kinds of growling noises. He hates going in the garden because of that. Should have watered it down but you can see how dry and dusty that soil is. it would bead up an run off, don't need a muddy spot just because of that.

The inconsistent watering is totally on me because I forgot a day or two and they got exceedingly dry. My next day for watering is Wednesday but I'm going to Disneyland so may have to water tomorrow as well just a bit in order for them to stay cozy for a whole day. 

Watering is the number one cause of 99% of the plant problems out there. Either too much or too little, inconsistent or improper watering. The other 1% is soil and sun exposure issues. That's it. Food, not really an issue, I've seen plenty of plants thriving and no one feeds them (ahem... weeds... mint).

It's one of the reasons why people buy succulents and cacti but even those cannot survive without some water. I know, I almost killed some by not watering them for a year. Yes.. a year in a tiny pot, mostly shade and no water. They looked pathetic by the time I had to move so just tossed them, it's okay to throw out plants that you've killed. Own that guilt, everyone makes mistakes and you have to move on. LOL!

So, mulch, mulch, mulch! Listen to me.. haven't mulched a bit but if you have the money and ability do it! I preach what needs to be done but doesn't necessarily mean I can do it myself. I think the sticks helped a little for the larger bed but it's still not enough.  Will try and do better next time, promise.

 

Really looking forward to taking pictures at Disneyland, besides the obvious ones of all the rides and stuff. When my kids were younger and we went to the zoo my daughter complained, 'you take more pictures of the plants than the animals'. Yeah and? What's your point? Everyone takes pictures of the animals. I'm a plant geek!

 

Okay getting last things done before the trip and need to run some errands. Keep on digging!