The Mexico tomato has just a hint of rosy cheeks on a couple of the large fruits. The Stupice and Early Girl have been producing nicely, supplying the whole neighborhood. I just picked the first two San Marzanos.

The little round, zucchini like, Tatume squash grew very well but we didn’t care for them so we won’t plant again next year. The Zucchino Rampicante completed a couple of robust squash a few weeks ago but the new fruit looks spindly so I hope it continues with a few more big ones. We found it low on taste when floured and fried like zucchini but I hear it’s good in soups and stews due to the fact that it holds it’s texture so I’ll try it that way. Supposedly it doesn’t turn mushy when frozen.

I planted a couple of peppers, Lipstick and Corno Di Torro in black pots to hurry up the warmth of the soil this spring, then sunk the pots to keep them from over heating in the hot weather. They did very well but have paused for a couple of weeks now, dropping their buds. They seem just a little stunted so next time they will go into the ground. It might have been the side dressing of compost I gave them when they looked like they needed it. I see tiny buds returning now. The California Wonder bell peppers, in the ground, are slow and just now have lots of ping-pong ball sized fruit.

The squash Striata d’Italia I got from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds in Petaluma didn’t taste all that good to us so I’ll plant the smooth gray zucchini and the black next time.

The rosy and black egg plant I have in 35 gallon flower pots have some nice large fruit…it’s time to pick them.

I wish I would have thinned the Fuyu (Jiro) persimmon. It set very heavy on this first year of fruiting for a four year tree. It hurts when perfectly good, green 2" fruit is pushed off the tree by it’s close neighbor. Live and learn.

There’s more but I didn’t set out to write a book so Happy Gardening!

Ground Cherries from Baker Creek grow really well in Simi and taste, well, funky. Sort of musky. I don't like them one bit. Really icky. No one liked them.

Ichiban Eggplant is crisp, sweet, and delicious and I will never grow a large, spongy, bland eggplant again.

Japanese Cucumbers (Soo Yoo and un-named) are sweeter and more flavorful than any others we have tried. You know it's good when people at a meeting are eating cucumber slices instead of Cheetohs and fudge brownies!

Renee