SUCCESS!

Although many told me it was too hot and I would NEVER get any cantaloupe out of my vine, I am happy to report... THEY WERE ALL WRONG! I have been noticing the past week or so that my cantaloupe vine is a major hang-out for the local bees. This gave me great pleasure due to the fact that bee populations have been on the decline. I just knew in my heart with all that good pollination going on, my vine just HAD to produce at least one melon. Well, I went digging around in the vine, as it is huge and taking over my yard, and what do you know. baby melons! There are 2 that are about 2-3" in diameter, one that is 1" in diameter and two brand new ones just starting. So FIVE folks, FIVE melons growing on my vine, yee-haw!

My jalapeno plant is producing fairly well, the bell peppers are starting to rally in the cooler (by this I mean less than 100*F) weather, and the tomato plants are starting to produce! The "sweet 100" has little teeny tomatoes all over it, in fact, we harvested 3 bright red ones yesterday! I had to laugh, as I had no clue what "sweet 100's" were, as it turns out they are very small, very round little tomatoes. Very cute, but hardly a mouthful! So it's good that the vine is covered because it will take 30 to make one salad! The cherry tomato vine has a little tomato on it, so there is hope there and the "Golden Boy" is actually flowering like crazy, so maybe tomatoes to follow!

I also got the great news yesterday that I can replant zucchini and squash in mid-July here. The temps start decreasing, the borers are out of season and from what I understand, Texas has 2 summer growing seasons, the late spring through mid-June season, take end of June and early July off, then replant for the second round in late July. Then I get to plant a winter garden. I hope by next year I'll have this all under control. I do know that I need to get that second bed done though in the next couple of weeks as the cantaloupe vine has taken over my one bed, so I have no room for zucchini and squash! No prob though, I can knock a bed out in a weekend! I even still have dirt leftover from the first bed. I am loving this gardening stuff! And just as a note, those little tomatoes may have been completely puny, but nothing ever tasted SOOOO sweet! Ah yes, the taste of fresh, home-grown tomatoes and with a pinch of success thrown in!