8-11-2010-Windsor, California-I picked up a couple of bulbs of Early Garlic at Harmony Farm Supply in Sebastopol this morning and will plant them right away. I just put in Tuscan/Dinosaur kale plants and flat leaved parsley. Imwalle Gardens in Santa Rosa has Fava Bean seed in bulk. I might plant a few of those too. As soon as the shallots come in I'll plant some. I have edible pod peas to plant a little later after the Mortgage Lifter tomato is finished...finished? It has barely started. Lots of green tomatoes but we get impatient with it every year. ItÂs worth the wait because the fruit are so good.

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 didnÂt care for them so we wonÂt 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 itÂs good in soups and stews due to the fact that it holds itÂs texture so IÂll try it that way. Supposedly it doesnÂt 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 dÂItalia I got from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds in Petaluma didnÂt taste all that good to us so IÂll 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 fruitÂitÂs 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 itÂs close neighbor. Live and learn.

ThereÂs more but I didnÂt set out to write a book so Happy Gardening!