Simply Summer- The Bishops Crown and Bob

In upstate New York, we are enjoying the last days of summer.  Already, some early leaf turning can be seen, a "coming attraction" for the long, cold winters we experience.

But the harvest is coming in quickly.  At our house, in the front, mixed in with flowers, is this:

Bishops Hat - a mildly hot pepper - 5,000 to 15,000 Scoville Units.  We bought this one plant at a local nursery on clearance, already loaded with peppers - and are just waiting for these peppers to color up.

In an Earthbox in the back, white eggplant.

In a pot in the back, we planted four tiny tomato plants that my friend in Brooklyn gave us in May. Three survived, and have set some tomatoes.  In the meantime, we have ginger in the same planter (the broad leaves you see) and a volunteer basil (barely visible on the left) is also starting to bloom - along with a stray petunia that somehow ended up in there.

Pesto Perpetuo basil, which we buy in Ithaca.  This is a wonderful basil that is both pretty and culinary - and is slow to bolt.  Yes, no flowers yet!

Meanwhile, at our community garden, the onions are ready to harvest.  Onions are one of our best crop, and we grow several different types.

In late spring, we bought an heirloom tomato called "Bob".   Bob is lagging behind some of our more prolific varieties such as:

Juliet, which is so heavy it fell onto the ground, despite its supports.

And this larger tomato on other plants.  We hope, with our heavy rain of this morning, that these don't start to crack.

I love my little "surprise" planter with the volunteer basil and petunia.  Have you every been surprised with a volunteer plant?

Tomorrow is Garden Bloggers Bloom Day.  Please stop by tomorrow to see what is blooming, both at my home, and in my community garden.