I have a very small garden space. Moe built me raised garden beds a couple of years ago. This year all I planted was tomatoes. Ten potted tomato plants. They share the space with various herbs.

They were planted the first week of June and aren't doing too bad. Considering we haven't really had any long warm spells.

I am not sure my "garden" fits the classic definition, but I just moved into my home last week and the backyard took my breath away. It still does. Too late this year to do much with it as far as planting vegetables, but next year...

Jo

I only got some pepper and tomato plants in the past 3 weeks and I'm stunned, the tomato plants are flowering. Since it's happening so late in the season, I'm hoping I have fruit. But with our summer being in record temps for heat, I'm sure something will come of them.

The first thing I got was some lovage and chives from a friend. Love the lovage.

I think I'll pick up a basil plant yet. I might keep it in the pot or stick it in the soil. Does it spread like mint, or will it keep compact?

Jasdip, nice that you can have your own garden. Basil doesn't spread like mint.

~Ann

I'll take a few pics. Not much to show really!

Eileen

I'm just down the road from you east of Bakersfield and it’s just too hot this time of year for cilantro. I got one of those plastic planters about a foot long and maybe 5 inches deep planted cilantro in February. I have it in a sunny window in the pantry room. I’ve been clipping it since May and the great thing is it just keeps growing back. I don’t know how long it will keep going but I will plant some more and see if I can keep it during the winter.

Claudia

They look a little scraggly today because I clipped out suckers on the indeterminates and wove the stray vines through the fence. Lots of blossoms, but all I could find was one ping pong ball-sized Black Krim and a few pea-sized cherry tomatoes.

Every one has such impressive and productive gardens.

I grow about 70 tomato plants in a small suburban garden with nosy neighbors and large shading trees.

I have developed systems which worked for me for many years, in particular, a support system without stakes and cages, a system of support which promotes good plant health and nearly invisible.

At the moment my plants are about 8’ tall. My system can support plants up to 10’ tall and had held up well in very strong wind storms.

Some old pictures. It has been raining for me to take new pictures.

Dcarch

You might want to check out his system here:

dcarch's system

Scroll down.

That support system works with my removable greenhouse to achieve a few months of extra growing time in my zone.

I envy Vancouver's long day light hours and mild weather. A lot of good growing can be done in your zone.

dcarch

DH wants to know what your removable panels are. We have a lean-to greenhouse/front porch attached to our house. He's always looking for new and better materials.

The panel I am using is TwinWall 4 mm insulated acrylic UV protected panel. It has been 8 years now, still good as new.

The green house can be put together in 15 minutes and removed in 15 minutes, takes very little room to store away.

dcarch

You'll have to view the larger images of the pictures in order to read the labels I put on the plants, but I got most of them identified. I have a bunch of tomato seedlings growing, and also quite a few basil seedlings, but the chili seeds I plant never seem to grow. Dill and cilantro grow for me from seed in cooler seasons, like the winter. I have some old chili plants that are still producing but they are not shown here. If I get a good chili producing plant, I can put it in a larger pot. I'm growing a lot more chilies than anything else because that's what I use. I like tomatoes, but Kevin doesn't, and so I do not use them often. He likes them if they are vine-ripened, however, but the chilies are easier to grow, once they get started.

I need to repot the epazote, mint, and Italian oregano, as they are all rootbound. So is the thyme, but it does not seem to mind as much. I have rosemary in the flower bed, as well as some more oregano, but they are not photogenic.

Lars

I will be out of town the first full week of August, and I do not know what will happen to my potted planted while I am gone. I might move some of them to an area of the yard where they will get some water from the sprinklers. Otherwise, I will have to ask someone to come and water for me a couple of times. Jimmy says that he works not far from my house and couple possibly check in on things for me when we are out of town, but I haven't spoken with him lately - he's been difficult to reach this summer, and he and Maartje might be in Europe in August.

Lars

We planted 10 heirloom tomatoes but they all pretty much look alike so here's a sample.

Not edible but our only profitable cash crop. I sold my 'Homigo' hydrangeas for $2.17/stem to be picked in mid-September. They're turning now & will end up blue, red/pinkish, & green by the time they're harvested.

We have potatoes also but they are soooo not photogenic. Also the usual herb suspects.

/tricia

Tricia, I guess potatoes are not very photogenic, but I've never tried to grow them in California. I loved pulling them up as a child in Texas because it was always such a surprise to find the potatoes under the plants.

I'm finding a few insect pests now, such as Katydids, which are pretty easy to catch and destroy, but I missed one on my avocado tree today. The tree is losing a lot of leaves, and I think it does not like my soil. I was afraid that it might not make it because I have very dense hard soil, and avocados prefer soil that drains very easily. I had no trouble growing an avocado tree in Venice, except that white flies attacked it mercilessly.

Lars

The row of pots are poolside. Dharma is in the background.

One ripening cherry tomato.

And the rest of the vine. I only have 4 producing tomato plants. Three of them are cherry tomatoes. I had one Early Girl but the dog wrestled it into submission. It may come back and give me a few tomatoes. I saw some blooms.

Grape tomatoes.

Herbs. Lemon balm, two kinds of thyme, Greek oregano.

More herbs. Rosemary, tarragon, mint, pineapple mint, basil, purple sage.

It's not a very ambitious garden but it's been fun. I have harvested exactly 4 tomatoes. I think I'm going to have to hit the farm stand if I want to can any salsa this summer. :)

I found a visitor on my infertile zucchini plant. Many pretty flowers, not one zucchini. But I hear they don't like to be potted.

Eileen

The saving grace are my fig trees. They've loved the additional rain in our area this year. We've picked about 15 pounds so far. I will remove the nets tomorrow and let the birds have the remainder.

dcarch