An Odd Harvest

This should be tomato season. But, mine are still green.

However, the pumpkins are ripe. I harvested these today:

Pumpkins are not supposed to be ready until September. I like to decorate the front porch with them for Halloween. I’ve never had to store pumpkins – but we’ll try putting these in a cool corner of the basement and hope they’ll keep for the appropriate season!

Only one small pumpkin had a hole in it, and was filled with worms and other crawly things, and rotting flesh. I tossed it into the chicken yard. The hens were thrilled. They wish that the entire harvest was squishy and buggy. Sorry girls. You’ll get these in October, when they’ll be just the way you like them.

Comments:

  1. How strange. Did you plant the pumpkins early, and the tomatoes late? Our tomatoes (started inside from seed in late February, planted out in May) have been ripening for the last week or so. we’ll be envying you later, when we are tomato-less and your eating fresh tomato salad! We don’t have the space to grow pumpkins, though. :(

    • I planted the pumpkins when I always do in the spring – but it was hot and sunny this year so they got a fast start. Most of the tomatoes are old-fashioned varieties. Maybe these ripen later?

  2. Terry the tomatoes, peachs and sweet corn are about month early here. Lot’s of rain and hot too soon. I have not heard anything about the pumpkins.
    This is the first year I didn’t really plant a garden. I was tired of feeding the rabbits and squirrels. I tried a few of those topsy things, waste of time and money.

    • I don’t like the look of those upside-down tomato planters. The plants look contorted and unhappy! I know I’m reading emotions into it – but I don’t want them around.

  3. My indoor tomatoes are fantastic this year (pumpkins still green and lurking in the borders), especially a variety called ‘Sweetie Millions’ – up to 60 little fruit on each truss and they really are like sweets. I’m not a fan of raw tomato usually, too acid, but these are delicious.
    Sweetcorn a disaster, the male bits emerged too early before the silks were out!
    Old fashioned varieties of most things ripen over a long period (especially peas) as they were always harvested by hand. These days everything on the plant must be ripe at the same time to make one mechanised harvest efficient and profitable. Not sure what the situation is for tomatoes but it’s a god excuse!

  4. I love the bright orange color of a healthy pumpkin Hope your tomatoes turn soon they look delicious.I wish I had room for a garden, there’s nothing like home grown veggies.

  5. Those look like plump little romas. My tomatoes here in NC are about done. I made lots and lots of salsa, mainly from the three roma plants. Also, I grew a tomatillo plant for the first time and boy did it go nuts. Lots of salsa with those, too.

  6. Well, I must be a “devil’s advocate”. AfterYEARS of trying to grow tomatoes and trying everything possible I resorted to the dreaded dang “topsy turvey” and VOILA! Beautiful tomatoes abound, fat green leaves, a very happy plant! Go figure! I also saved a cute yellow pear tomato plant from the farmers market that was on its last leg. The lady gave it to me for a dollar because it looked so pathetic. Went home and threw it in a pot and watered it and we have had a salad every night since with the tomatoes from that poor sad plant! Terry..your veggies all look wonderful! Do get tomato worms? I found my first one and nearly died…So disgusting!

    • When I was about 5 years old, and not allowed any pets, I kept a tomato horn worm! In a shoe box! Can’t stand them, now. Even the chickens say they’re too big and ugly to fuss with.

      • How funny! They are truly a disgusting looking thing! Terry, I could not have pets either..do you think we are on to something? Let’s see…3 cats, 1 llama, 3 horses, assorted parakeets and 1 cockatiel, and 40 chickens……I used to take eggs from the frig and hide the under my bed in hopes they would hatch…….HHHMMMMM?????????

  7. Our tomato plants are loaded with green fruit too! We are not too far from you in Ma. I planted cherry tomatoes indoors during the winter and by spring had some ripe ones. Now it is loaded with lots of red cherry tomatoes. When my 1 yr old gets into the garden he makes a mad dash for them and grabs the red ones! We had the best beats ever this year! I agree that things have grown quite differently this year than in the past years!