Below is a list of my main warm season crops that have done well this year.
Tomatoes
Most of my tomatoes have been removed to make way for cool season crops although a few ‘Tommy Toe’ remain over my bike wheel arch to give people an idea of how I grew them as vertical vegies. Some are still hanging to ripen in the carport however their time there is limited as I will need to empty it out in preparation for Easter Open Garden. I grew around 15-20 different varieties and love them all, and my kitchen still has bowls of tomatoes in various stages from green, slightly coloured and ripe and ready. Check out this video from a few weeks ago.
The ripe tomatoes have since been cooked and frozen and those that were very green have been turned into cake for our Easter Open Garden. It really is one of my favorites. Check out the recipe HERE
Eggplants
This year, most of my plants have been grown in wicking beds for no other reason than I try to move crops around. I grew several large black varieties as well ‘Thai Green Egg’. I am very hopeful that I will have my poly tunnel up before the first frost, and if so, I might see if I can keep the eggplants which are growing in two wicking beds in this area going till next season. It is possible to get two years out of eggplants on the Adelaide Plains where it is frost free so hopefully a plastic roof will allow this.
Capsicums and Chillies
I grew a number of capsicums from orange and red varieties to Hungarian yellow wax and they have been very productive although my short season means they are usually hitting their straps when the frosts hot in early May. I have also got a number of chillies and have transplanted them to the area under the future poly house and then I will see if they too will survive a second year under frost protection.
Zucchinis
I grew all sorts from the common ‘Black Jack’ to round ones, ridged ones), yellow ones, pale green ones and my favorite of all, the climbing ‘Tromboncino’. This last one is one of my favourite vertical vegies and you can read more at http://adelaidehills.realviewtechnologies.com/ page 23 of the 24th January and also on the 31st January. Peere. Most bush varieties have now been pulled out, except for three plants which were planted later and continue to be reasonably productive. The ‘Tromboncinos’ have been affected by wind and powdery mildew although I am hoping they will hold out and still look good for Easter which is just two weeks away.
Pumpkins
I planted 35 different varieties and the reality is I have no idea how many are actually growing because they have all grown in such a scramble I can’t tell. Some of the early plantings are starting to die off yet those planted latest are still looking fabulous. Again the frost will determine the outcome so fingers crossed for a long frost free autumn.
New Guinea bean
This really is my favorite vegetable. Link to vertical vegie article As I write this, I am thinking about the delicious green chicken curry we enjoyed for dinner tonight and how everyone around our table commented that it was the best ever. It was made two days ago and yet the New Guinea bean retains its texture without turning to mush after being reheated. The New Guinea bean arch looks stunning and keep cropping abundantly. Most visitors to Sophie’s Patch over the past month have been leaving with several.
Squash
Actually, New Guinea bean is really a climbing squash, however I love this vegetable so much I am going give it its own category. This year I also grew two varieties of Gem Squash, spaghetti Squash and a curious pimply squash which is another of my weird and wonderful vertical vegies
Malabar Spinach
This really was an experimental planting to see just how tall it could climb. Well Its about 3m high growing on Builders mesh on the northern side of Richard’s shed and looks fantastic.
Tomatillos
– I have four different varieties growing this year however due to late planting they are still not ready yet, so time will tell if they mature before the frosts start.
My Caigua or Achocha
Another late bloomer or performer. It has really taken off yet I cant see any fruits yet. From pervious years I know that it fruits late so again we will see whether I sowed them too late to get a crop. Everything is really hanging on when the frosts start.
Powdery mildew is my biggest challenge in the vegie patch at the moment. It affects pumpkins, squash, zucchini and my precious New Guinea beans. In our dry climate, it is usually only a problem at the end of the season when the plants start to get hungry and run out of puff, combined with the start of evening dews. In more humid climates, it can cause problems right through the growing season. I bought Eco-fungicide, an organic fungicide based on bicarb several weeks ago but didn’t get around to using it, and although I now have sprayed everything, I probably let it go too much.
