Vegetable garden progress - successes & failures - June 2014

PLANTS DOING AWESOME 

Potatoes -- I grew these kooks from a pile of scraps bound to be compost. I decided to bury them in a pot of soil and what payoff! These beauties are strong & huge. Now I just need to find a bigger place to transplant them and then figure out when to dig them up. 

Spearmint -- I pick like 2 cups of this per day and I swear it's always grown back the next morning. I chomp on this stuff like it's cake. Delicious. 

Chives -- if you follow me on Instagram (@amyjoyharrison) you've seen Oliver's giant bowl of chives that we sliced and laid out in the sun to dry. We have enough for a nuclear apocalypse. And ain't the flowers pretty? (I have vases and vases full inside.)

Radishes -- they've only been planted a few days but they look wonderful. I do think I need to thin them, yes?

Brussels sprouts -- I CANNOT wait to roast these babies in lemon juice & honey. Jsidbsnaksoduennejsns. 

Eggplant -- also looking good. The leaves are so fuzzy like velour. It's weird. 

Cucumbers & squashes -- welcome to the jungle! These are monnnnsters. Blooming and ready to be pollinated. (Come on little bees!)

Peppers including hot peppers -- they will start producing soon, I can spot a few little developing buds. Not sure how spicy they'll be but I'm up for the challenge (and Calvin can always bring them to band practice to torture each other).

Blossoms!

Carrots -- I should probably thin these also. I haven't in the past and I always end up with a mix of small and large carrots, as well as some weirdly shaped ones. 

Tomatoes -- our most important crop is doing amazing! We will be enjoying them any day now!

See the little babies?

And some self seeded ones...

And these stubby Tiny Toms that produce cherry tomatoes but are like sturdy as a rock and only 6" tall. 

PLANTS HAVING PROBLEMS 

Almost all the herbs. Basil, cilantro, thyme and parsley aren't growing much and look a bit pale. I think it's because the pots don't have good drainage so they're either dry or drowning. 

Blackberry cane (also rhubarb, not pictured) -- it's not exactly taking well to joining our backyard family. I guess it'll take til next year to provide us with fruit. 

The greens patch -- while the 2 greens I'm not sure the name of (I think one's just "green leaf lettuce") are okay, the kale keeps bolting. I'll be sure to plant it in a shaded area next time. This year it just self seeded so I had no choice. 

Sunflowers -- they are totally covered by other plants and are dying for some sun. I feel bad for them. 

Beans and peas -- some meanie rabbit or squirrel didn't get the memo that we need to let the plants produce and ripen before we share. No use wrecking the leaves and then no one gets beans and peas! Bums!

So gardening gurus, have any advice? Show me photos of your crops!