Hard work by many students is beginning to pay off. Those tomato, pepper, and basil seeds that were so carefully planted in school last spring, have really come in to their own–Country Taste and Black Brandywine are most prolific in the tomato department. Black Hungarian peppers are popping out too. (Unfortunately, there has been a bit of pilfering in that row as well as in the cucumber, eggplant, and melon sections).
Speaking of charentais melon, 6 or 7 small sweet fruits have been enjoyed by various students and gathered faculty; the vines are now at the end of their days. Romano polebean vines on the other hand, are all over the Russian sunflowers, and Japanese soybeans, (aka edemame) are leaning on the rosemary — a truely international arrangement.
On the other side of the balance sheet, we have to note that the dreaded ‘downy mildew’ has infected zucchini plants. It is happening at many gardens, including Brooklyn Grange where serious pruning is the solution of choice. Or as Clint Greenjeans would say, “go ahead, make my garden..”
I’d love to see photographs of the fruits and vegetables you describe–both the beautiful and the blighted. I’m not familiar with charentais melon, and would enjoy knowing what it looks like–and how it tastes! Thanks.