Tomato worms.

They are so well adapted for their environment – tomato plants.

Their coloring, their form…mother nature has disguised them well…good for them, bad for organic gardeners…

They are quite the creature. Soft green body, white angular stripes, little black spots lined up along the white angular lines creating another line of sorts…the long reddish thorn/horn sticking out of the top of their head, their little white tipped sticky feet…I despise them. They can wipe out a crop of tomatoes in no time.

Thankfully I found them before they devoured my beautiful, yet still very green tomatoes…they are a gardeners nightmare…

So, I disposed of them. One by one…

While clipping away all the excess leaves and stems on each of my 5+ foot tall tomato plants I also clipped them.

I felt terrible. Yet, it had to be done.

My tomatoes were under attack.

Homegrown tomatoes come once a year and the process is a long one, particularly in this region – I’m not going to let this beautiful menace of an insect eat my tomatoes. No way.

In each of them I saw the disappearance of my dreams…my dreams of slicing into a juicy ripe tomato – picked fresh from the vine (literally), grown and cared for with love, for months…those threatening horned headed creatures were not going to ruin my summer. No.

Instead, I apologized to each before snipping it in half. I felt terrible and relived all at the same time. My tomatoes are safe for the moment, though my eyes are opened now. My borage helped me last year, this year, not so much…

The squash bugs have been perpetrating my cucumbers ever since they were transplanted, poor things… though my daily retaliation (I hate squishing them – I cringe with every squish – yet one must do, what one must do) has helped and they are still thriving…sadly, my pumpkins not so much. I fear this may be my first year with no pumpkins – shame.

Oddly though, just across the garden, my gourds are going mad. I’m trying to train them to grow up the corn stalks…some have been listening, others are beginning to take over that section of the garden…either way, these beautiful ornamental gourds will most likely be gracing our trees (as bird feeders) and our home (as decoration) this fall. Or at least I hope…

 The bean flowers have produced a prolific crop of green beans. I’ve already frozen one batch and enjoyed another. Simply steamed then topped with butter and salt. Yum. So fresh. More green beans on the way…

I also planted Mexican sunflowers for the first time. They are great! Super full and so colorful, very different than the traditional sunflowers I’ve planted in the past…thanks Kate for the suggestion.

My other new planting were leeks. They are looking good and I’m so excited to make potato leek soup with them! I think I’d like to try planting potatoes next year – though I’ll need to create a new garden for them…I’m always planning…aren’t all gardeners always planning or at least thinking about ‘next year’? …

I hope the corn makes it before frost arrives. I hate to even type that word (frost) but reality is reality and nights have been getting a bit chilly lately…summer is far too short here…note to self – start corn indoors and transplant. Then, perhaps I will have an abundant crop, in time…

Swiss chard is glorious and I will be posting about it soon – more specifically, swiss chard tart. It is so good, especially when paired with minestrone soup!

Radishes were fun. I had never planted radishes before but I came across a packet of free seeds (from a local store I frequent – also how I got my gourd seeds), so I planted a row – and in days (or so it seemed) I had radishes.

I will definitely plant this veggie again. Does anyone have a great recipe for radishes? If so, share in the comments section below – thanks!

Fennel is growing, slowly, but steadily…in its own bed, beside our breezeway…fingers crossed all goes well there too…I am so looking forward to some braised fennel…

All in all, for such a crazy summer (weather wise), the gardens (both the vegetable and flower) are doing surprisingly well. I’ve recently planted more lettuce and spinach seeds and am planning on planting garlic this year. A wonderful reader (thank you Mim) recently gave me three beautiful garlic heads from her garden and while I will enjoy two heads now, one will go into my garden for next year!

(I’m all covered in the photo to thwart the bites from the incessant mosquitos…)

How has your garden fared this year?

Have you tried anything ‘new’? If so, what was it and how did it work out?

Love to hear your thoughts on gardening.

Happy planting!