With the increase in cultivated area this year (.004 of an acre, woo!), I’ve decided I’m going to weigh our harvests as they come in, see how much a backyard “farm” can actually produce.  We’re off to a great start, harvested 3 1/2 lbs of carrots yesterday!
 

Those are Hercules, Purple Dragon (still our favorite), Atomic Red and Yellowstone.  The latter two were deemed tasteless and the entire crop consigned to the compost heap.  That’s the beauty of this…you can experiment with new varieties and if you don’t like them, all you’ve lost is time.  The rejects go into the composter and make lovely soil amendments for next year.

Remember the crystal apple cucumber?  It’s gone all Plan 9 From Outer Space:  
 

I had to remove the strawberry plants from the box as they were getting covered over, and put up a side trellis so the crazed vines would leave the climbing rose alone.  Should be a good year for cucumbers.

The shoepeg corn is going strong:
 

The first round of peppers is blooming like mad:
 

The pumpkins impress even before fruiting.  Those leaves are easily dinner-plate sized:
 

Some of the tomatoes are doing magnificently, fruiting already:
 

(Carbon)
 

(Chocolate cherry)

While out front the flowers are coming along nicely.  Like this seed-grown Cape Daisy:
 

The amazing 8 foot tall hollyhocks:

The grown from seed (last year) alyssum have finally decided to thrive:
 

The Red Hot Poker is busy self-propagating and may actually grace us with blooms this year:
 

The tall strawflowers are so tall we’re having to use the multi-trunk crape myrtle to help support them.  A true embarrassment of riches:
 

The daylilies are awakening.  This is Ming Toy:
 

This is the variety we haven’t any clue about.  There are so very many peach/pinks with green/yellow eyes:
 

Finally, the piece de resistance.  Grown here in zone 9a, and blooming like there’s no tomorrow, it’s a Tall Bearded Iris (Mariposa Skies):
 

Let’s hear it for experimentation!