Olericultural musings
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Okay, I think the disease panic is over. For now at least. After extracting the Taxi tomato plant, and trimming off all yellowish leaves from the other tomatoes, The tomato crop appears to be healthy again.
And three of the plants now have ripe tomatoes, including Isis, Reisentraube (pictured), and...
Ramapo. This has to be the most perfect-looking tomato I have ever seen. It looks like a simulacrum of a tomato. Perfect even color. Perfect size to cradle in your palm. Taste? I haven't dared yet.
This variety has an interesting history. It was developed by Rutgers University in the 60s, and quickly became a favorite of home-growers in the Mid-Atlantic region because of its excellent flavor, and its suitability for our climate. But plant breeders at the time were really pushing for plants that would grow reliably in various conditions across the country, tomatoes that ship well, and all kinds of other factors important for large-scale commercial operations, but unrelated to flavor. So the original strain was discontinued, and the open-pollenated derivatives were said to be not as good. 20 years later (this year) the original version was ressurected. The guy at the farmers market gave me the seedling for free on the condition that I report back on how it does. I'll tell him: FAB.
Lots of blossoms. Have at 'em, pollinators!
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On the left, some tiny broccoli that I have to put in someday when the soil dries up. This is my effort to try to grow "something James likes". On the right, sunflower is now almost 6 feet tall.
I also planted lettuce, carrot, and beet seeds this week, and I'll add spinach next week. Here is the lettuce peeking out (life size!) I hope these all grow to harvest before it gets too cold.