I’m compiling a personal database of what can grow in my garden without my help. Thus far, snow-peas seem to rule. I planted some in the spring and forgot about them. Mid-summer, we were eating them by the litre. Planted another batch mid-summer and I’ve been able to pick them for suppers and lunches for the past few weeks. Looks like we’ll get another week or two out of them.
Zucchini were another forgotten treasure. Poked a few seeds in the ground and more or less gave up on them. They produced a nice crop of squash for us without any intervention on my part.
The tomatoes really surprised me, though. I plunked them unceremoniously in a warm corner of the garden and watered them when I though of it. The second harvest came off the vine today, as you can see above. The first was roughly the same quantity, but entirely ripe. So what you see is half of a crop yield from eight plants. Must try that same spot for them next year.
Herbs are sporadic, but I do have a nice supply of fresh thyme (frozen, for future use) and oregano (drying). Thinking of making up some bruschetta-like creation for the weekend and trying my hand at some exotic creation from The Fresh Loaf to go with. I’ll post the recipes later, as I try them.
So why is it that when I do exactly the same thing with tomato plants, I get – count ‘em – four tomatoes?
Hmph.
Because you give me all your compost?
Seriously, though, I suspect it has to do with the fact that you garden in containers. Container gardens tend to dry out more easily and are more suceptible to temperature fluctuations. You need a coldframe-type greenhouse or some such thing, to retain moisture and heat. Maybe we could rig something next summer….