i know that you can't help but wonder...

..How does my garden grow?

well, this year...i am trying extra hard to take better care of it than last year. i just recently have noticed random patches of dead leaves throughout my tomato plants! i just can't seem to figure out why their leaves are dying in chunks..its kinda like they are molting!

I gave all my tomato plants a little primpin' on my lunch break tonight. I pulled out all the dead stuff, and tried to rip off all the suckers (because Anita told me i have to!). I gotta say...they look like whole new tomato plants..and all but one of them are standing so proud and tall.

I have big tomato plants, lots of flowers, lots of fruits...and every day a handful of either cherry or grape tomatoes ready to be picked (i planted way too many of these little things this year)... but i love these little tomatoes. in just two quick slices you have cut an entire tomato into bite sized pieces ready to throw into sauces, on wraps, in rice, or my favorite...in cottage cheese with pepper! yummmm. and of course, just walking by the counter and popping one in your mouth as you pass by is pretty easy too.

One of the new tomato plants that i tried this year are the health kick tomatoes. so far, they are the only bigger tomatoes in my garden that have turned red yet. i really like these, too. they aren't huge, but definitely the perfect size for a BLT sandwich! That's all I've used them for so far, but once all these green ones start turning red, I'll finally be able to make salsa!

I have a few different kinds of peppers this year. My chili peppers are looking so nice and colorful and hot!! i also have some banana peppers that love their spot on my deck, as well as jalapenos that are sitting around getting hot at the bottom of the deck stairs. the peppers that were potted, are the winners this year...the ones planting directly in the garden are now just starting to flower. interesting...

these little peppers are hot! i tried a bite of one the other night..thanks Tanner for giving me a handful of sunflower seeds to throw in my mouth immediately afterwards! yikes!!

I am going to have an abundance of zucchini this year again, which i cant really complain about since i'm the one that wanted it. if you stop by my house over the next few weeks there's a pretty good chance you're gonna get offered a zucchini or two to take back home with you. just take it (them) and say thanks. :) My spell-checker says i spelled Zucchini wrong..well, then at least tell me the correct way to spell it! anyone know?

this stuff here is supposed to be broccoli. i have had this silent war going on with the rabbits this year since the day we planted our garden and flowers. At this point, i think i'm losing control. they like my broccoli, my brussel sprouts, the few slow growing pepper plants that they demolished at the beginning of the summer and are just now starting to grow back, my zucchini flowers, my clematis, and my mum. i barricaded the mum and clematis..they are on the road to a fine recovery and are growing wonderfully...its the garden that pisses me off. i know, i know, all i need to do is put up some chicken wire fence and the rabbits will be kept out. you'd think that our big privacy fence would work just fine, along with the rabbit/squirrel spray we've used all summer..the boys and i thought we found every possible nook and cranny where they were sneaking in and covered them, fixed them, shoved rocks in front of them, etc. i guess we forgot that rabbits suck and can squeeze into anywhere and also can dig enough room under things. Asshole rabbits.

Despite the rabbits, my garden is doing great for the most part...cant wait to start canning!