I'm late starting this, but I had to do it today, since I just saw my first ripe tomato today!! It was a Yellow Warren - new to me this year, like a number of them - and was the first to flower, and set fruit, as well.
First ripe tomato!!! The Yellow Warren, 6-17 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Since it is June, I figured I'd get around to putting my garden diary in, finally! I won't get all of it in, but at least you can get an idea of what's been keeping my busy.

Here' are most of the varieties - I tried to get the ones out that didn't work out, but there were only a few, fortunately. and all of my "extra" plants I gave to a friend - not a new gardener, but the family finally bought the property they have been on the last 4 years, when they were just gardening a little. Now, she has as much planted as me, or more, so she got the bug! Her son is the one that grew the 6' tall Death Spiral last year - this year, I started a Carolina Reaper for him.


* = new, to me
Here are the tomatoes - more new than old this year!

New varieties

Cherries and Grapes:

Amy's Sugar Gem
Green Grape
Red Grape
Tropical Sunset
Warren's Yellow Cherry (earliest to flower, and set fruit!)

Larger Varieties:

Brandyboy F2
Dad's Sunset
Nyagous Black
Oaxacan Jewel
Spears Tennessee Green
Surrender Indian Jewel
Orlov Yellow Giant?
Sunneva ? det

Peppers, however, as usual, I have a lot (though not as many as usual) of old varieties I have to grow, but only a few new ones:

NEW VARIETIES

Aruna
Kanthari, violet
Kanthari, white
Santaka - cluster Thai

OLD FAVORITES

Aji Dulce
Big Jim
Chocolate Habanero
Hanoi Market
Jalapeño M
Superchili
Thai Vesuvius

Eggplants did better than ever, so far:

New
Behold (looks like Neon?)
Green Knight
String

Oldies

Hari F2
Ichiban

Here are the Misc. veggies. Don't even have all those Asian greens in here, I've been eating while working on all these!

BEANS - all pole
Bhavna Long Valor bean*
Blauhilde
Blue Lake Pole
Thai red long

BITTER MELON
Big top*
[strike]Comet*[/strike] No sprouts
Number One *

Pickling Melon*

BOTTLE GOURD
Bhim Long

BUTTERNUT
Polaris
also have Butterbush, I might plant

CARROT
Shinkuroda*

CUCUMBER
County Fair
Wisconsin 58
Sambar*

OKRA
Clemson Spineless 80*
Emerald
Little Lucy
Nirmal *

Surprisingly, I started my tomatoes later than normal - soaked 4-4 overnight, planted 4-5, instead of 3-31 then planting 4-1, because tomatoes have been getting leggy, the last few days, and this seemed to work. However, I have been diligent about trimming them - getting the great majority of the suckers out, and it has worked great, and this is the earliest I have ever gotten a ripe tomato, even when starting 10 days earlier in WOWs! 6-19 was the earliest for that.


I'll show the tomatoes, first, before I fall asleep! The seeds were started on 4-5, instead of the usual 4-1, as they usually get tall and leggy, by the time it's ready to go out, so I started them late. Here they are, hardened off:
6 tomatoes and 2 tomatillos in L tray, 36 tomatoes in R tray, hardening off, 4-30 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

They started growing really fast after planting on 5-1, and some of my later, larger tomatoes, were some of the earliest to flower! Brandyboy F2 and Oaxacan Jewel had flowered and set fruit before the end of the month. Of course, this has nothing to do with when they will ripen, but it is still really unusual.
Brandyboy F2, 5-31, showing one of the set fruits (maybe more), to the left of the main stalk. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

And Yellow Warren was the first of any to flower on 4-17, and had 1/2" fruit on 5-23. And these were not on stunted plants - they were growing like they were on steroids!
First tomatoes set in '22, on Yellow Warren. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Here's that same cluster a week later, with 8 fruits set, and 4 blossoms still!
First cluster of blossoms on Yellow Warren, 5-30, set every blossom so far. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

And it turns out they were first to ripen, almost 2 months after first blossom.

That Brandyboy F2 and the Oaxacan Jewel were the two earliest non-cherry varieties to set fruit, which surprised me, though no telling when they will ripen, or how fast they will grow.

Eggplants also grew faster this year, both as seedlings and outside, though I had to delay them considerably, due to some cool weather. I started the EP in Jiffy pellets, only because I was out of space in regular trays, but had some room in a "pellet tray".

I am going to have to plant the eggplants later next year, like I did the tomatoes, this year, as they are just incredibly vigorous, grown this way! I started them on 3-27, sprouting the seeds, then putting them in jiffy pellets. Here they are from that photo above, re-potting on 4-23:
Eggplants and one Carolina Reaper, replanted in larger pots, 4-23 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

And here they are today, just one week later (!), starting to harden them off:
13 eggplants, hardening off, 4-30 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

A couple grew so fast they grew into the lights, and scarred some leaves a little, but it was minor. I couldn't believe how fast they took off, after transplant. The smaller ones were those Hari F2 and F3, that sprouted last, but are taking off well now.

I also put the tomatoes out again, @ about 50°, when they first went out, and sun on that side in the morning. I moved them out of the sun when I bought the EP out, around 11 am, when it was about 55°. Leaving both out now, in the shade, around 65°.
6 tomatoes and 2 tomatillos in L tray, 36 tomatoes in R tray, hardening off, 4-30 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

And here are the first String and Ichiban, plus a Behold that I harvested today.
First eggplant of the season, 6-9, String on L, Ichiban on R by pepperhead212, on Flickr

First Behold eggplant, next to some of the garlic from last season.6-17 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

WOW great garden @Pepperhead212!! I am jealous!

@pepperhead212 I saw this and giggled. Made me think of you!!

That was a good one @Spike!

I got 3 more eggplants today - one of each of the String and 2 Ichibans. I also saw green fruit setting on the Hari F2 and Green Knight plants.
First fruit set on Hari F2, 6-19 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

I also saw more of those Yellow Warren tomatoes ripening, and I ate that one that looked ripe 2 days ago, and it was delicious, as always for the first ripe tomato! Also, the Sunsugars are just getting a hint of ripening! I checked everything else thoroughly, but no signs of ripening.
Sunsugars starting to ripen, 6-19. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

@pepperhead212 , you mention String eggplant and have a photo of it next to the Ichiban. Are you growing Chinese String eggplant or something else called String? Just asking because the Chinese String I've been growing is really long and maybe just an inch wide.

Your stuff is looking good!

@GoDawgs I am growing a plant from the seed I got from you, and I'm picking at about 7 or 8", like I do the Ichiban, just so they don't get seedy. I'll have to let at least one grow longer, just to see. The plant is more compact than the 2 ichibans, but both started flowering about the same time, and are loaded with eggplants, and more blossoms! The fruits look almost identical, and I was expecting the string to be skinnier.

Here is a photo of the 3 eggplants I harvested yesterday. Sometimes, like with some okra, you let them grow 2 days longer, they are overgrown! lol Which is why I harvest some even smaller than usual.
Eggplant from 6-19 - String on L, Ichiban 2 on R. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

I gave a friend a couple of plants from those seeds, so I'll be waiting to see how those look in comparison.

Wow, it sure doesn't look like Chinese String. What I gave you came right from the Baker Creek seed pack too. Go figure. But then Ichiban is slim too so it may be an optical illusion but the color is supposed to be more of that reddish purple. It will be interesting to see what your friends' Strings look like. Here's mine from this morning, started from that same pack:

Yes, I remember the lighter color in photos, too! It will be interesting to see what this turns out like in the long run - Ichiban always stops producing for me in long periods of high heat, and I know string doesn't for you! This early and rapid production is the only reason I have kept planting Ichiban since I discovered it, back in the 80s! If I find a replacement, that is also heat resistant, so much the better.

Here are those two eggplants, showing how the String eggplant is considerably more compact than the taller Ichiban.
The only String eggplant growing this season. 6-20 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

The two Ichiban eggplants this season, showing how much less compact they are than String. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

A few days ago at least one of each okra variety had a blossom. And yesterday, all of these were forming, the Little Lucy were largest at least 2". Here it is today.
Blossoms on all varieties of okra today - 6-16 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

First of several okra, 6-20, only about 2 inches, so far. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

The bitter melons and bottle gourds showed their first fruits on them yesterday. The female bottle gourd blossoms I hand pollinated, since they open at night, and these are the first ones, and no nighttime pollinators are around until later in the season.
One of many male blossoms on a Bottle Gourd, 6-19 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

On of the two female blossoms - one on each bottle gourd vines, 6-19 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

The first Big Top bitter melon set, 6-19 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

The first Number One bitter melon set, 6-18 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

And the butternuts are blooming, though only male blossoms, which I might still have in the freezer, from last year!
First Polaris Butternut blossoms, 6-19, all male, as usual this early. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Yes, the string is more compact than my other eggplant 'Millionaire' which is akin to the Ichiban. I cut six strings off last evening, including the ones in the pic. I hope the string keeps producing for you in the heat. The one here does get some afternoon shade so it doesn't get the full bore hot sun.

The extra String EP I gave to a friend has the lighter color, and the few that she has, so far, are thinner, like yours. We'll see if either one does any better, as far as production, or heat resistance.

I'm starting to see some cukes on my WS 58s. I also see some little balls started on that Sambar variety. That pickling melon and Armenian cucumber are also getting a few early fruits starting, like those bitter melons, which have a lot of set fruits
First WS 58 almost ready, 6-26 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Also picked a few more tomatoes, but these are still the only ones ripening!
Two Yellow Warren and 6 Sunsugars, 6-27. Still nothing else ripening. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Here's some of what I harvested today. The eggplants are starting to get a lot of fruits on them; though the Behold has only that one I harvested, so far, it is the largest plant, and has a large number of fruits set already. Soon, I'll have more than I can use!
2 Ichiban, a string, green knight, and Hari eggplant. First WS 58 cuke, and a couple more okra, 6-27 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Pretty soon I'll be getting a good amount of cukes, as well, and I saw one of the Sambar cucumbers about 3" long, so they won't be far behind.

The Nirmal okra is still the only one of the greens to have one large enough to pick, but the Emerald has the largest plants, and will have some to harvest soon.

Got a lot done today!

I did harvest my garlic today - looking closely, almost every one had at least 3 brown leaves, so they weren't going to grow much more, even those small ones. Didn't want to leave out there for the storms Saturday.

As always, the Estonian Red was largest, with only a few smaller ones, which were the larger metechi and music size! Only planted 28, however - from my harvest last season, which was 7 very large heads, all 4 cloves each. Maybe I can get more this season. The Georgian Fire had many larger heads, much like the ER, but some smaller ones - I'll find out how they store this season. Music and Metechi were smaller, but traditionally these have stored even longer than larger heads, even when small.

Only had 4 of those heads that had totally turned brown - about the same as other small ones, but I always group those together, and use first. They've all on the back porch, to cure enough to dry the surface, before brushing the dirt off, and tying them up in bunches, to hang in the basement. I still have a bunch down there - just sent some home with a young friend of mine, that replaced my kitchen faucet a couple days ago - I paid him and his friend, as well, not just with garlic! That was mostly for his Mom, who wants me to help her grow garlic this next year!
The largest, as usual - the red by pepperhead212, on Flickr

The other 3 garlics - a row of Metechi, and small and lager head rows of Music and Georgian Fire. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Here's another bed I uncovered today, and it has a lot of scallions and shallots, besides the greens. Both of these varieties were started indoors in mid-February, and transplanted there sometime in later March. The shallots are much farther apart, as I didn't have as many, plus was hoping to see them grow larger, but the scallions I just want for scallions.
Shallots on left, scallions on right, 6-29, planted in early spring. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

I uncovered the bed with greens, carrots, shallots, and scallions... and a lot of weeds! by pepperhead212, on Flickr

I have one row of carrots in that bed, and only picked 4, that were growing together in pairs. I was surprised that there weren't more like that - I thinned them well!
First carrots of the season, pulled on 6-29, only because they were two pairs, stuck together. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

As I was weeding, I noticed a lot of volunteer dill!

The most I've picked in one day yet, this season! The first non-cherry - Marion - I knocked off by accident, would have left a couple more days, and those 4 Tropical Sunset are not quite ready, but I'll watch them, to see how red they turn. That one that's the darkest doesn't seem to have gotten any darker while the others were turning. Sunrise started turning today, but didn't pick yet.
Most in one day yet! 6-30. Top 4 the first Tropical Sunset, center one Marion, and the rest Sunsugar and Yellow Warren. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

First Sunrise tomatoes to ripen, 6-30. Did not pick, however. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

First non-cherry tomato to ripen - Marion, 6-30 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

One tomato out there is not doing well - Amy's Sugar Gem. This is a large cherry tomato that is developing a small BER on almost every single fruit! Usually, I have not gotten BER on any cherry tomatoes, but it reminds me of a variety from many years ago - Salsa Fresca - that was about 1½", and every single fruit developed BER, and I eventually pulled the plant. I might do that with this one, and maybe start a cutting of Yellow Warren in its place.

Something I always get a few early ones of, before a long lull, before the late crop, is the Polaris Butternuts. I just found the first two fruits, on different plants - will probably get one on each plant. Definitely early for butternut squash! The Butterbush haven't bloomed yet, and they are early ones. There are countless male blossoms, that I harvest a lot of, as well.
First Polaris Butternut seen, 6-30. About 4 inches. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Found an even larger Polaris Butternut on 6-30, about 7 inches so far. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

I picked that first Sunrise today, and sampled it next to the Tropical Sunset, which is slightly larger. Both were delicious, but if I had to pick a better one, the Tropical Sunset had a slightly stronger flavor. The Tropical Sunset definitely had a thicker skin, though not too thick, and I had no problem chewing it up.
First Sunrise ripened, 7-1, the smallest one, next to the 4 Tropical Sunsets. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

I picked another WS 58, and the first Sambar cucumber, which didn't seem like it had grown any more in 3 days, which is why I picked it. The seeds were barely growing, so next time I'll leave it longer; maybe it will grow more, or get more round, and might turn yellow.
The second Wisconsin 58 - the largest one - 7-1, with the first Sambar, only 3 inches. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Here's that first Sambar cucumber, seeds not at all developed. Made just over a half cup, diced up. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Every day there's more now!

My only black variety - Nyagous - has one showing signs of ripening, the largest one yet. And Surrender - a determinate type - is starting to get some ripe ones, and all the tomatoes on some of the branches broke one (though not completely), and bent 2 more close to breaking, so I had to get that tape and support them (should have done that before!). The Red Grape just got its first ripe ones, and that one, being the largest plant (already 6', maybe more), is loaded with fruits!
The first Nyagous showing signs of ripening,. 7-2. The only black variety I grew this season. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

First Surrender ripening, 7-2. A determinate, so it will be ripening in mass! by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Had to support 3 branches of the Surrender, as the tomatoes were too heavy for them! by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Red Grape, starting to ripen, 7-2. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

This photo is not a good view of the color, but shows how those Red Grapes grow clusters of almost all the same size. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

3 more WS 58 cukes, and other cucurbits are starting to develop now. The first 3 bottle gourd fruits that I hand pollinated didn't seem to take, but the 4th one finally did, and there are a bunch more. The Number One bitter melon has gone apes#©%, and I can't keep those runners pinched off - like some indeterminate tomatoes. The Armenian Cucumber and Pickling Melon are the same way, and are just now setting fruit. Still early for peppers - only harvested a few green Superchilis, and watching others grow. And okra is early, and I just got my first two Emeralds today - Clemson Spineless are the smallest plants, and still none harvested.
First Number One bitter melon, 7-2, about 6 inches. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Bottle Gourd finally starting to grow, after a couple of fruits just sat there. 7-2 by pepperhead212, on Flickr


That Green Knight eggplant plant is going crazy! I've only picked 2 from that plant, but I can count 16 fruits on it now - not just the little set fruits, and there were so many I actually pulled some off, leaving just 2 or 3 fruits per cluster. I figured that there is no way the plant can support all those fruits. I can count 13 of those fruits in this photo!
Green Knight eggplant, showing an incredible number of fruits! 7-2 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

I found some more ripening that I was not expecting this early - that Brandyboy F2, and that Oaxacan Jewel, which is the only other PL variety I have, and definitely not an early variety. And that Green Grape is starting to ripen; I picked two, and I'll wait to see how golden they get. They are not at all grape shaped, despite the name.
Brandyboy F2 ripening on 7-3! Was not expecting this, even though it was the first non cherry to bloom. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Oaxacan Jewel also ripening on 7-3 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Green Grape beginning to ripen on 7-3. Not at all Grape shaped! by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Two Brandyboy F2, and two Green Grapes, starting to ripen, 7-3. The Brandyboys are 11 and 9.30 oz. by pepperhead212, on FlickrV

And more eggplants, with even more, to be picked soon.
2 String and 3 Ichiban eggplants, 7-3 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Here's what I harvested today, plus a few things to come.
I got 4 of the Behold eggplants - only got one before, and these were all about the same size, between 4.3 to 4.9 oz. They are similar the Listada de Gandia that I grew only once, since they were not very large or productive, compared to others at the time. This plant looks very productive, and the largest of the eggplants this year. I'll see how heat will affect it, compared to others - I've gotten some 90+ days, but not enough in a row to stop the blossoming, as happens with many varieties of eggplants I've grown, like with tomatoes.
Things harvested on 7-4 - a WS 58 cuke, 4 Behold eggplants, and a bunch of different types of tomatoes. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Behold eggplant, with 4 full sized fruits, and at least a dozen other sized, and more flowers. 7-4 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Hari eggplant, over 10 inches, and several more fruits, and a number more flowers. 7-4 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Largest Pickling Melon of two - about 5 inches, so far. 7-4 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Armenian Cucumbers starting out - about 2 and 3 inches, so far. 7-4 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

And I have never had problems with vampires in my house:
Finished cleaning off and tying up the newly harvested garlic, to hang in the basement to cure. 7-4 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Here's the first Number One bitter melon - I picked it because it seemed to stop growing at about 6" a couple of days earlier. There are many more smaller ones out there, and I have to do some trimming on all those cucurbits and tomatoes, as I didn't do any today, since I was mostly working on the hydroponics. I also picked a few tomatoes, but that was it.
First Number One bitter melon, 7-5, a little over 6 inches. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Two Nyagous and one Brandyboy F2, ripening, and the last chard from the hydroponics, 7-5 by pepperhead212, on Flickr

Nyagous Black, 7-5, showing relatively small core. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

I cut one of those Nyagous tomatoes up, to see what the core looked like, which wasn't large, then to taste it, with a little salt on it. I wasn't overly impressed with the first one - the flavor wasn't very strong, and no good aftertaste, like some of those better ones, like the cherries I tasted next to it.