Squash around here usually die of powdery mildew, which comes on when the rains start in earnest in September and the sunlight lessens enough that the leaves can't dry out. Avoid hastening this process by watering the ground around them, not the plant itself. Squash were originally desert plants, and can find the moisture in the ground.

As for thinning the fruits, I never bother. The squash I have grown seems to know when a vine has reached its limit, and just won't send the energy to a fruit, even if it's fertilized.

By the way, you can hand-fertilize squash if you don't think you are getting enough pollinators. Female fruit have multiple structures in the center of the flower, and miniature fruits at the base of the flowers (adorably shaped like the squash itself; look at a butternut plant to see what I mean). Male flowers are more abundant, have only a single structure in the center (looks like a mini-penis), and have no miniature fruit. If you see a blooming female, pick a couple of the blooming males (there is usually at least one), and rub the pollen inside the male flower over the multiple structures in the female. Artificial squash insemination.

young coriander seeds have a lemony citrus taste. look up uses for them, maybe there'll be something you can do with the seeds.

Yes, Misty told you well...alas, welcome to the verrry frustrating world of growing cilantro! But take heart: let it grow, seed, and dry, and VOILA, you have as well grown CORIANDER, yet another delicacy! Enjoy both ways!

I think the gardener pros would say it's "bolted" which means it's abandoning it's leaf production in favor of reproducing. The same thing happened to me, two years in a row.

I am giving up on cilantro. I think I don't have enough sun.

July is the perfect time to start fall and winter crops. Kale, collards, rutabagas, etc. See Territorial Seed's winter catalog for more ideas.

Or you can start lettuce and spinach; just make sure you keep them watered.

It's oregano. Not the best variety for cooking but not bad either. It'll get nice purple flowers later into the summer but harvest it before it flowers if you want to cook with it.

I don't know. Kinda looks like nightshade to me. Are the leaves fuzzy or smooth? If smooth, probably nightshade. Put on some protective gear and pull them out.

I concur with the previous answers. It looks like a mint plant. Are the leaves jagged around the edges and the stalks/stems square? I vote mint.

Probably mint. If the stem is square, it is mint. Also, if you rub the leaves between your fingers it shuld smell like, um, mint. Granted, though, not all mint plants smell strongly of mint so the square stem clue is usually the best give-away.

Perfect for mint juleps.

Looks like mint.

The farmer's markets have cheap herb starts. I was at the Broadway farmers market yesterday and there were at least two vendors with tons of very inexpensive, organic herb and veggie starts. I didn't see any flowers, but I wasn't looking for them either.

I bought mine at Molbak's.

I'm pretty sure my mom bought mine at Molbak's last year at Christmastime. The one I have is very happy indeed (and is currently perfuming my apartment with the lovely scent of lemon blossoms!). You could also try Swanson's Nursery in Crown Hill.

So far, you’ve received excellent advice, including Sarah's terrific tips and where to find her farm's recommended varieities. So, here are few more thoughts....

When I think about growing tomatoes, I, too, am forced to acknowledge the difficulties we face in a maritime climate. Tomatoes love heat and, well, we don’t have much sun or heat until long after the official start of summer on June 21.

In fact, did you know many local meteorologists, the National Weather Service, and UW Prof. Cliff Mass say July 12 is the real beginning of summer in Seattle? It’s no wonder we have trouble with growing tomatoes and can't reliably schedule July 4th BBQs. (See Cliff Mass’s blog: http://cliffmass.blogspot.com/2010/06/first-day-of-summer-when-will-it-be.html.)

Back to growing tomatoes, Master Gardener Wally Prestbo is known as the “tomato guy” at the Bellevue Demonstration Garden. Wally and his crew plant 2,000-3,000 tomato seeds every year in several greenhouses for the Master Gardener Plant sale. These tomatoes are tested for flavor and reliability. Additionally, each spring Wally teaches a free workshop about growing tomatoes at the garden --this year’s workshop took place in April. If you’d like to meet Wally, he is often at the Bellevue Demonstration Garden Wednesday mornings tending his tomatoes and is always happy to share his knowledge.  For garden location, hours, and events see: http://www.mgfkc.org/resources/demonstration-gardens/bellevue-demonstration-garden

So, what does Wally recommend? Read Valerie Easton’s 2007 interview from The Seattle Times: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/pacificnw/2009076642_pacificfootgardener19.html

Finally, check out two WSU Extension Fact Sheets: #35 Tomato Problems http://king.wsu.edu/gardening/documents/38TomatoProblems_001.pdf and #52 Tips for Growing Tomatoes http://king.wsu.edu/gardening/documents/52TipsforGrowingTomatoes_000.pdf

Happy planting!
P.S.  I've had limited tomato success and generally stick with cherry tomatoes. (sigh)

This is our second not so great spring/summer in a row.

Stupid jet stream anyhow.

I like to listen to the KUOW "Greendays" garden show, Tuesday mornings.

You're gonna have to help them out with the whole heat thing. Cloches, row covers, a cold frame - something. I hear at garden centers they have plastic sheeting with little vent holes built in. Maybe you could get just enough for your tomatoes.

My friend's birthday was Wednesday, it was cold and rainy, last year we had a picnic outside.

Year before that I had a picnic in the park in FEB! Remember that?

Maybe next year Tomatoes will take less intervention. Our springs and summers are usually pretty great.

Saw some at molbaks at u village that were beefsteak big juicy ones or so they say.

flower world

Holly Park Greenhouse and Nursery has a great selection and is really cheap. It is in the Rainier Valley on South Willow Street, just a few blocks NE of the Othello Station.

In my book, yes it is, alas. We start them on the farm here in mid to late January, as those tomato girls need some TIME to git their bling on.

But take heart, every farmer and her sister happens to be growing tomato starts and selling them at a farmers market near you! Not much to bring to market in early spring (or late, late, late winter as this one) other than some spindly greens and lush tomato starts! Of course, the farmers at OXBOW FARM have the FINEST IN ALL THE TOMATO KINGDOM, with many varieties to choose from and great descriptions of their offerings. We are at the Sunday Ballard Farmers Market in May! But any ol' farmers market no doubt would yield many, many options in tomato varieties. And cherries are all our FAVES to grow, so you will have many to choose from!

Grow on!

It's not at all too late! March - April is the best time to start your tomato seeds.   Once your little seedlings are ready to transplant into containers, be sure to keep your plants indoors until the soil warms up to at least 50 degrees or higher. Wait to place the plants outside until mid-May or June, depending on the temp. 

And more tomato info. . . . Every year tomato plants are the star attraction at the Master Gardener Plant Sale (for info: www.mgfkc.org). Lots of great information about growing tomatoes is available at the sale.

Wally Prestbo, the tomato "Guru" of the Master Gardener Bellevue Demonstration Garden, recommends two favorite cherry tomato varieties: 'Sweet Million' and 'Cabernet.'  Wally also gives some great growing advice: "Put tomatoes in raised beds or containers in the sunniest location available. The soil should drain well and test at PH of 6-6.5. When I plant I use a cup of balanced organic vegetable fertilizer (10-10-10) in and around the hole or trench. I only plant about 6-7” deep unless the plant is tall (one foot+) and then I dig a trench 6” deep and lay the plant on its side and gently bend the top up slightly and stake it. Then I cover all of the stem and root ball. Water thoroughly 2-3 times per week (at the roots) keeping leaves dry."

Let's hope for a sunny summer and happy planting! -Andrea

Heck no. Get them started and plant them under a cloche or some sort of cold frame. Or plant them near a wall.

This past year was a cabage year and not many tomato plants did well. this year may also be cool and crappy so anything you can do to warm up the plant's environment is good.

Get to City People's and look check out the Territorial Seeds collection for cherry toms that do well around here.

Good luck.

I did a little research and came up with the following information I think will help you get started--

From Horticulture magazine: I recommend reading “Grow Veggies Despite Small Space and Little Sun” http://www.hortmag.com/plants/fruits-veggies/smallspacevegetablegarden 

From the Miller Library: “The following is a list of vegetables that can tolerate partial shade. While productions may be greater in the sun, these plants will produce an edible crop when grown in a shady location. (From The Old House Web: www.oldhouse.web.net)

Veggetables: Arugula, Beans, Beets,Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Celery, Cress, Endive. Kale, Kohlrabi, Leeks, Parsnips, Peas, Potatoes, Radish, Rhubarb, Rutabagas, Salad Burnet, Sorrel, Spinach, Summer Squash, Turnips

Herbs: Garlic, Angelica, Borage, Caraway, Chervil, Coriander, Parsley, Lemon Balm, Lovage Mint, Tarragon, Thyme

Most of these plants do not grow in complete shade. Plants will need some morning, evening or filtered sun; a total of two to six hours of direct sun is the minimum.”

Good luck and happy gardening!

Some are.

http://www.guerrillagardening.org/ggseedbombs.html

yes to the leafy greens, especially arugula! It grows like a weed. If the flavor is too strong for you raw, it's much milder when cooked.

Not vegetables as such, but most herbs are easy to grow (except basil--needs heat). Try mint, parsley, cilantro, fennel, rosemary, thyme, sage, lavender. Bonus: many are perennial, and after you plant them you don't have to do anything but water and prune once in awhile.

Alpine strawberries are easy too. They fruit year after year and do ok in shade. Start with plants if you can find them. The seeds are tricky to sprout.

Garlic, shallots, chives, and parsley are all easy here. Lettuces are easy in the spring, fall and winter. Anyone can grow radishes and salad turnips (white Japanese hakurei type). Also snap peas are super easy, just give them something to climb and lots of sun, and get them in the ground ASAP. I've grown loads of pickling cucumbers easily every year.

Try growing potatoes. They are really easy, and you can really abuse the hell out of them and still get a decent crop. They're also pretty and fun to dig! You can use all kinds of recyclable containers to grow them in. I've used plastic bins, old cardboard boxes (just compost at the end of the season!), grain sacks, and old tires. Just remember to mound them as they grow and keep them watered in the Summer. And sift well at the end. I found a purple spud from last year's crop when I was prepping this year's soil. So I just replanted it. :)

Spinach does well, and I'm big on a red spinach-like amaranth called Ruby Orach. Grew almost 5' tall before it bolted last year and loves growing with peas. Just pick off leaves as it grows.

I've had really, really bad luck with chiles. So-so luck with most brassicas (cabbages, bok choi, broccoli, etc.) but it seems like kales, mustard greens and chards are impossible to kill here. Kales and chards in the Fall and Winter, Purple Mustard Greens in the Spring. Red Russian Kale is an unstoppable growing machine.

Zucchinis can work great but watch out for powdery mildew.

Tomatoes can be fussy depending on our weather, but some of the determinate varieties can grow in pots and do fairly well. Less tomaters off of them though. Early varieties tend to do best if we have a cool Summer or early Fall. Either plant early and use a cloche or a cold frame to keep the temp up and the moisture down (a pain if you're just starting out) or wait and pick up a couple of really big, really healthy plants at the Farmer's Market in May. Good soil and water the hell out of them once or twice a week depending on the weather.

As mentioned elsewhere, check out 'Growing Vegetables West of the Cascades' and the 'Maritime Northwest Garden Guide'. Both are great.

Low oxygen is not a problem. Aerating the soil is as easy as turning it over or tilling it up.

More likely, you have soil low in nitrogen. Nitrogen leaches easily in the boggy northwest. Generally, wet areas like ours have soils that are high in organic matter but low in many vital nutrients. Arid climes tend to have soils that are nutrient rich but very low in organic matter.

Here is my super duper not so secret formula for organic fertilizer that I ripped off from a hippie in Oregon. And modified a bit.

2 parts blood meal
2 parts alfalfa meal
3 parts bone meal
6 parts green sand

Only use the green sand for the first few years in a garden. It last a long time so don't sweat it. To much makes the soil gummy.
Blood meal is about as hardcore a N source as you can get without going chemo. It leaches, though, so the alfalfa meal will add a longer lasting N source.
Bone meal rounds it all out.

This is a pretty complete fertilizer but you can experiment as desired. I, for instance, add extra bone meal when fruits start to form on my tomato plants and stop adding any n at all.

To maintain some added nutrients though out the growing season i use fish emulsion.

Good luck, and everything should be available city people's garden store in bulk.