even more out of control

Oh dear. The garden has absolutely taken over. I may have been a bit..."remiss" in weeding the backyard this summer.  I was in school, and working, and it was hot out, and there was a Bones marathon on TNT...you know how it goes. I promise myself every year that this won't happen, but let's be honest: the weeds and crab grass are going to take over the garden around July of each year and I will be helpless to stop it.

Case in point:
This is my garden. This is my garden on no drugs, just raised garden beds. Any questions???

lawn mower included for scale/laziness

I ended up pulling the patty pan squash from the bed on the left. It was the only thing producing, except the cherry tomato, and I have no idea what to do with patty pans (those flutey white squashes). They are an SOB to cut open, and let's face it, I'm pretty lazy.

Knife crushing patty pan squash

The cherry tomatoes are out in force this year. I'm not even sure how many plants there are. One? Two? Apparently whatever I picked was an indeterminate variety, because there are little vines of tomatoes on all four sides of the bed. I keep mowing them over with the lawn mower. Sorry, tiny tomatoes, but you are in may way. Also? I hate tomatoes. I know, I know...why do I grow them? Did you see the top picture? I am an ace at growing things (not including green beans, but including patty pan squash and tomatoes), so I grow things. It's pretty simple, really.


six of many

As for that tall stuff in the back, along the fence? When I planted them in (ahem, late) May, I assumed they were bush beans. They were in a sack labeled "bush beans," but I plant them every year and forget they are really pole beans. Do I re-label the bag they came from? Nope.  So, surprise, pole beans. Also surprise? They aren't producing. No beans! Not even a flower on these babies. Too little potassium? nitrogen? phosphorous? One of those elements that belongs in soil and is responsible for producing fruit?

I thought, for a while, that the tomatoes were also duds.  I had seen a few larger fruits growing in the depths of the jungle, but hadn't seen any ripen.  I was reading in the backyard Saturday when I saw a flash of black sneak behind me into the garden bed. I didn't have my camera out quickly enough, but you guessed it: Bristow stealing green tomatoes!!!  Maybe he is stealing all of the green beans, too? I bet he enlists Nellie to get the ones on the top of the vines. She's quite the little jumper. Cheeky little bastards.


Don't let their puppy dog eyes fool you. They are ruthless vegetable thieves.