The Year of the Tomato

Just got back to my garden after a two week visit to see my family in Missouri. Although, I hate to leave my garden, I love to see the amazing transformation that can happen in a small amount of time. Joseph did a great job keeping everything thriving and happy. I told him not to weed, and the wild ameranthus kept everything just shaded enough to not burn up in the intense New Mexico sun.

I first tried gardening, because I wanted to have my own flavorful tomatoes. There is nothing like it in the world. Grocery store tomatoes shouldn't even be considered the same thing. Unfortunately, I've never had much luck with them. Last year was my best year, and I only got about 40 tomatoes the whole season. I had a good feeling about this year, and I was right. It IS the year of the tomato. I left with some small, but healthy tomato plants (about 25) and was just hoping they would survive. I came home to 3 foot tall tomato plants with tons of flowers and a fair amount of baby tomatoes. The tomatillos are four feet tall, and on the verge of taking over. They will probably need to be cut back in the next couple of weeks.

Green beans, watermelon, and cantaloupes are all doing well, too. The only thing I am a little disappointed in is the cucumbers. They are small and shriveled. There's always next year!