in this post, i want to post some of the problems that are showing up in some parts of the garden. (what is a garden without its problems, right?) i just want to document this to reflect on next year.

small bugs with large black spots outlined with either a sliver or whitish color have been congregating on my plum tomato fruits. They seem to be eating it, but there are no outward signs of penetration...the only thing that happens, that i can see, is that the tomato becomes very soft. i can lightly press on the tomato and it gives - almost like pressing on a water balloon. i'll try to get them on camera.

the majority of the tomato plants that i am growing are showing some outward signs of stress. for example, the cherry tomato plants are slowing drying out, although i have been watering them the same amount as before. maybe its due to the extreme production of tomatoes on these plants? maybe some nutrients in the soil have become depleted? i will be giving these plants some organic fertlizer and maybe some compost and see if that helps.

the watermelon plant's growth has slowed and some yellowing of a few leaves have happened. water amounts have not changed. i have given it some fertilizer yesterday so i'll see if that helps. is it a bug problem? too much water? too little? does it have enough nutrients? i went out into the garden one morning this past week and it was very chilly. i usually can just go out there with a short-sleeved shirt and shorts, but that morning, i had to jump back into the house and put on a long-sleeve pullover and long pants. it was chilly enough to blow smoke without even trying. maybe that cold weather hurt the plant?

most of the days this past week have been seriously HOT. upper 80's to upper 90's. we have not had rain since around April of this year so i have been trying to water my plants (at least the seedlings, new transplants and the watermelon plants) every morning and every evening. if with this set up, i've had a few seedlings dry up on me. it makes me realize that i have to continue to sprout more and more seedlings just in case!

my latest planted seeds include fava beans, snow peas, sugar snap peas, broccoli, lettuce, chinese cabbage (pak choi and michihili), red and yellow onions, and spinach. i think i will not try to grow any more soy beans and green beans since they are hot weather lovers...plus i don't think i have any more room. the fava beans are cool weather lovers, so this will probably be something I will try grow more of now.

i took some pictures of the garden and the harvest i had yesterday and i will post them up soon.