Clark County, WA Gardening - It's time to reflect
It's time to reflect and take note of the summer gardening season in Clark County, WA. Each year, we discover something new, or learn what grows well, or doesn't, in our Pacific Northwest climate. After all, it tends to be a bit cooler and wetter here, which means a few challenges.
This year though, after a particularity cool spring, summer arrived with a vengeance and we didn't get any measurable precipitation after early June, at least until recently. Naturally, all that dry, warm weather was particularly good for our tomato crop.
Now, since the rains have returned, the veggie gardening is rapidly coming to an end in Clark County, WA. Therefore, we pawed through the vines yesterday and found the last few tomatoes, several small peppers and a head of swiss chard.
Clark County, WA Gardening - Reflecting on a few unexpected plantings.
We had a few surprises this year. Apparently, the tags on the heirloom tomatoes got mixed up and we ended up having few unexpected varieties. For example, we kept wondering why the tomatoes on one of the plants stayed stubbornly green.
It turns out, it's a variety known as the Green Zebra - not an heirloom at all. It was cultivated in Everett, Washington and is known for its dark green color and tart, zingy flavor. It produced quite well, but it's a bit pulpy and didn't seem to hold up well for sauces.( We won't plant it again.)
Another surprise visitor was a tomato called Mr. Stripey. This big heirloom is red with yellow stripes and has a high sugar content, making it quite delicious. Sadly, we only had 3 huge tomatoes, as it requires a long growing season. ( Next year, we'll start it in the sun room - it's that flavorful.)
Our Stupice tomato always performs well, and this year was no exception. It's a cold tolerant heirloom that grows easily in our climate and ripens sweet, red and slightly oval, in about 60 days. It's great for snacking or early summer salads. (Next year, we've decided to have two Stupice plants in the garden.)
We had high hopes for a variety called, Orange Blossom. It's known to be an early tomato, but seemed to take its time in our garden. Perhaps it was shaded by its big neighbor to the left, the Green Zebra. We've also read that it might perform better if it's "hilled" like a potato. ( We'll see if it makes the cut next year.)
Finally, the Jaune Flamme tomato produced well, but we were a bit disappointed with the flavor. It's described as a zingy little french heirloom with a uniquely fruity taste - we found it a bit bland. Apricot looking tomatoes grow in clusters along the plant and it looks pretty on the vine, and in salads. ( The jury's out on this one.)
Reflections of the successes and failures in our Clark County garden.
As for the rest of the veggie crop, we want to plant more green beans next year. The rainbow swiss chard we planted from seed definitely wasn't worth the effort and space, and the lemon cucumber needs a more protected spot. The peppers too, need to be planted where they get plenty of heat.
Clark County gardening requires a bit of trial and error, as depending upon where you are in the area, micro-climates can also impact what grows well. As the 2012 growing season comes to an end, it's time to reflect and decide what earns the honor of a spot in your summer garden next year.
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