We’re orbiting for a fall.
A fall into fall.
Move to New Zealand for the next six months anyone?
In New Zealand, spring is arriving soon.
We have less than two weeks left of daylengths over twelve hours.
In these waning summer hours, let’s take a quick look around the Wishetwurra Farm garden.
Over by the greenhouse, there’s a bud.
A big, fat, twisty, tendriled, cigar of a bud.
Don’t smoke this cigar! You’d be ill-advised to ingest any part of this poisonous plant.
It’s a wonderful bud to watch open.
The bud twists as the folds unfurl, exposing pastel-rimmed flowers.
It’s a datura.
Another bud.
A gourd.
I don’t know the name of this variety, so maybe it’s a “huzaksis” gourd?
Bud and embryonic fruit of “Futzu” Japanese pumpkin.
Here’s Mr. Futzu, nearing maturity.
High Mowing Seeds says: HEIRLOOM -A rare Japanese specialty for the porch or the table. Small pumpkins have heavy ribs, a warty texture and average 3–5 lbs. The outer skin remains dark green or black until ripe and then become a muted chestnut color with a powdery appearance in storage. They are very attractive. Flesh is bright orange with a yellow inner rind and is dimpled from the exterior skin making an attractive slice when roasted. Texture is firm and flavor is nutty and fresh. Each plant produces 3-5 pumpkins. Stores very well. Will produce well in large containers. (Cucurbita moshata)
The “true red” cranberry pole beans, a long-season dry bean, have podded, and the pods are fattening up nicely.
Last week when I opened up the pods the developing seeds were still green.
Now the beanlets are getting some color.
Fedco says: Open-pollinated. This is one of the most difficult seed crops for us to produce, being slow-growing and finicky, especially in cool moist seasons. Nevertheless, it is well worth the effort as it is one of the best baking beans. Inspired by a description of “Red Cranberry” in a 1700s gardening encyclopedia, legendary bean collector John Withee, after an 11-year search, finally obtained it from a Mr. Taylor of Steep Falls, ME. The plump round maroon seeds without streaking look like Thanksgiving cranberries, unlike the speckled oval bush cranberry types. One of our oldest varieties, probably Native American, True Red Cranberry is listed on Slow Foods’ Ark of Taste. Won plaudits for its rich full-bodied flavor at our staff taste test. Soak seeds for 24 hours to aid germination
We’ll close with some hot pink zinnias.
Johann Gottfried Zinn, whose name the zinnia carries, did not live past his 35th year.
thetompostpile 