How does my garden grow?

Scarlet runner beans are ready

This year I put in more effort than the last couple of years, but the year has been an odd one.   This summer has been the driest in my neighbourhood since the UVic Weather Network starting keeping data in 2005.  At the same time it has been the coolest summer and not by a small amount, but 1.5 degrees in June and July.

Everything is way behind.   I am only now getting into major zucchini production.   Today was the first day I had a serious surplus.  The same is true of the scarlet runner beans this year.  I have green beans to harvest, but the tomatoes are way behind as are the cucumbers.   I am worried I planted them in a location where the soil is not that fertile or is too acidic.

2011 zucchini plants

This year I moved most of our herbs onto the sundeck so that we would make more use of them.   We have used more, but I have also been on top of the more so they are generally do better.   We have almost enough basil for a pesto.  We have an abundance of parsley.    Or new oregano plant is a happy camper.

Sage on the sundeck

Our rosemary is a serious bush now, I am not sure why it took off, but it has and it means we have enough rosemary to last us forever.  

Nearby are the thornless blackberries.  We have a week left of August and they are still not ready to harvest.   I finally have enough canes that there is enough fruit to do something small.   When we moved in there was a single cane that had been ignored for some time it would seem.

My strawberries have finally expanded to the point where we get a harvest, though the timing was weird and the weather did them no favours.   The location is also a spot in the yard where we are not on a daily basis and I tend to neglect them.

My apple tree is a decent size that it should bear some fruit next year as will my apricot tree.  My fig once again has a huge crop again, but most of it is being eaten by the birds.  I like a few fresh figs but they are one of the few things I have tried to dry that has not worked well.   I am getting something wrong.

Given how well figs seem to grow here, I have no idea why there is no one in the CRD with an orchard of them.   Figs, like peaches, plums and nectarines, are soft treefruits that really do not travel well.  Local production trumps the stuff in the stores.

Rosemary bush

Thornless blackberry still not ready