Summer Vegetable Gardening Activities- Cucumbers, Tomatoes, Bitter Gourd

It is the last day of summer, so let me share my vegetable growing activities during this summer. This post discusses about cucumber, tomato and bitter melon.

I grew capsicum, cucumber, tomatoes, beet roots and  bitter melon  in this summer.

I mixed lots of compost from my compost bin and cow manure in the soil before planting. Periodically I also applied liquid fertilizer including comfrey tea (comfrey tea recipe) during the growing period.

Summer is great time for growing vegetables, herbs, flowers and fruits. But this is also time to take care of various plant diseases and pests that attack trees and plants.

The plants like capsicum, cucumber, tomato, beet roots, bitter gourd, taro and eggplants that I had planted in Spring produced plenty of vegetables, so much that I had pleasure in distributing them to my friends and neighbours.

Cucumber

Lebanese Cucumbers

Cucumbers on Vine

I planted 6 Lebanese cucumber seeds in Spring and the plants started producing cucumbers in a large number. Once the plants started producing flowers, I put another 6 seeds to germinate (vegetable plant seedlings), so I had new seedlings ready to be planted when the first set of 6 cucumber died. (How to Grow cucumbers)

Some of the third set of plants are still growing and flowering, may produce more cucumbers in 2-3 weeks time.

I also planted seedlings of "Armenian Cucumber" (Chinese cucumbers, in India these are known as Kakdi or Tar Kakdi), the plants grew to more than 30 cm.

Tomatoes

Tommy Toe Tomatoes

Cherry Tomatoes on Vine

How to pollinate tomatoes | Tomato blossom drop | Tomato Nutrition
I had planted both the cherry as well as regular tomatoes (How to grow tomatoes). I had to struggle a lot to save the regular tomatoes from "fruit flies". Cherry tomatoes are relatively trouble-free. I like "Tommy Toe" variety of cherry tomatoes as its size is neither very small nor big, it is about 1 inch in diameter.

These tomatoes are very sweet as they are ripened on the wines because there is little danger of being damaged by fruit flies and other insects.
The tomato season is now over, although a few vines had a second burst of flowers producing more tomatoes.

Bitter Gourd or Bitter Melon or Bitter Squash or Karela

I had no problems in growing bitter gourds in containers (container gardening) started from seeds saved from last year's plants. Once established, the plants did not require any special attention except periodic application of liquid feed. I have collected their seeds to use them in the next season.
Growing Bitter Melon

Bitter Melon on Vine

The above picture of bitter melons has been turned horizontal for better display.

Details of summer activities in growing capsicums, eggplants, beet roots and taro; and spices and herbs have been reported at growing capsicum, eggplants, curry leaves, taro and growing spices and herbs respectively.