Each year I end up comparing several varieties of tomatoes trying to find the best for our climate.

This tomato was named “Fourth of July”. It did not live up to its name, but given our cool summers that is no surprise. It has produced a lot of small (salad) tomatoes in clusters. Since it did not ripen more than a few days before some of the large fruited varieties, I probably won’t plant it again next year.

This one is called “Northern Exposure”. It was a winner producing clusters of very large tomatoes. It is a determinate variety so the basic plant has stayed at a smaller size than several of the others which needed to be clipped to keep within the allotted area.

“Summer Girl” seems to be similar to “Northern Exposure” With respect to the fruit. But it has been producing more vegetative growth.

This one is Park’s “Whopper”. It seems to ripen a little later than the other two, but fruits are again, quite large. It also makes for a very large plant which needed trimming.

“Red October” is supposed to be good even when fall weather comes and cools off. It is making large fruits and is later than that other types. Remains to be seen how late it will be productive and if it will live up to its name.

It wasn’t just the usual morning fog, there was humidity and clouds — it felt a bit like being back east.

And then it actually rained enough that the ground got wet. A passing thunderstorm managed to make it to our area which is quite unusual for this area at this time of year. Normally anything more than an heavy fog doesn’t manage to materialize.

We have “May Gray” and “June Gloom”. I am not sure what you call it in July, but it was a not untypical foggy morning. Being close to the ocean, the marine influence is significant that way. A nice cool morning is a good time to work in the garden.

This year I did four plantings of corn. The one in the foreground was the first and halfway done. Further down, the next planting had tassels just starting for more in a few weeks. With luck, the other two will be providing sweet corn well into the fall.

This year, the melons actually worked. Several kinds were planted and grew into a tangled mess.

The tomatoes are getting ripe. And some are a very respectable size. Maybe Miracle-Gro actually works.

Three Cinderella pumpkins have gotten quite large and will be a challenge to get from the little shelf of ground between the raised bed and the lower level with the fruit trees.

One of the pluot trees, just loaded with ripening fruit. These are of a nice size despite looking like more thinning should have been done.

The apple trees as still very young with wimpy trunks and not many branches, but they are producing some a surprising number of apples.