This past week has been a very wet and cool week. The heat loving plants (tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, Chinese long beans, etc.) in my garden are at a standstill. Lost 30% of 
my okras plants and may lose a few more.
The slugs, however, are growing by leaps and bounds. There was a huge one sitting on the leaf of my one of my broccoli plants, but when I returned to the garden with my camera and ruler, it had slithered away and I only got photo of this smaller one. Yep, this (right photo) is a smaller one.
The kale, collard, beets and other greens love the cool weather and are doing well.
Collard (left) & kale (center and right)
Thinned out the beets and lacinato kale. The beets really took off this past week, the photo below are just thinnings. Going to stir-fry the beet greens with garlic scape in a bit of oil, salt and pepper to taste. May boil the tiny beets and add them to my salad. Not sure what I am going to do with the kale. Soup would be good, or perhaps freeze for future use.
Kale & beets
Also harvested lettuce, collard, more red rib dandelions, garlic scapes and red giant mustard. The collard, red rib dandelions, garlic scapes and mustard did not make it into the photo.
Because I planted a few varieties of garlic, the scapes are coming in at different time thus extending the harvesting and enjoyment of this special treat.
Lettuce, mixed
I am looking forward to a bountiful fig harvest. There is a fig at the base of nearly every fig leaf on the tree.
Figs
Asian pear is doing well so far. The challenge is getting to the ripe fruits before critters discover them. Many of you may recall, I lost just about all of my pear to critters last year (click here for the heart breaking post and photos).
Asian pears
Kousa dogwood & yarrow
Kousa dogwood
Don’t know why, but some of my photos are showing up as thumbnails, please click on thumbnail photo to view correct size.
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Garden to Wok 
Hello Norma, I am sorry to hear about the slugs but the rest of your garden and foliage seem to be doing very well.
Hello Bam,
Slugs are part of a gardener’s life, comes with the territory, I learn to live with them. How is your Thai basil doing?
The Asian pears look gorgeous Norma. I’ve not seen those before. Wow, if that’s a small slug, I’d hate to see one of the larger guys! I’m loathe to admit it, but my son enjoys keeping slugs (and snails) as ‘pets’! He has a terrarium full of them, and would probably love your large variety.
Hello Saskia,
I would be happy to send some if not all of my “giant” slugs to your son. Wonderful that he is studying this area of the animal kingdom. Who knows, he may just discover their benefits to human, perhaps a cure for a disease.
Ha, yes. It would be good to discover slugs actually have a higher purpose!
Hello Saskia,
One never knows. I am going to search the internet to see what I can find.
We harvested slugs last week also. Looks like you’ve had a bumper crop!!!
Hello Wishfulthinking,
Oh yes, with all the rain and more in the forecast we will be getting a bumper crop for sure.
If that was the size of a small slug, I can’t imagine the size of the large one. The week of cool wet weather has slowed down my tomatoes that we in the ground as well. They aren’t very green and I’ve trimmed off some of the leaves that were spotted…can’t be too careful. It sounds like most of your garden is doing well. 🙂
Hello Karen,
The sight of the large slug was a scary one. Thanks for the reminder, I should get to the garden and inspect my tomato leaves, agree, can’t be too careful.
Asian pears look yummy. We often eat them Autumn. It’s common for us. 😀
Hello Cocomino,
Autumn is when my Asian pears will be ready too.
A harvest already!! You are so lucky (except for the slugs)… My wife is trying an experiment with some little tiny ‘green-houses’ out on our back deck. We are only just getting the odd day with no frost and we won’t be able to start for a week or so just yet. On the upside, one side of our deck gets sun this time of year for almost 20 hours a day so we should get a good two months of growing 🙂
Hello Sybaritica,
With sun for almost 20 hours a day, do veggies grow at a faster rate? Are there some veggies that will grow better than others? I should do some research to learn about how plants grow in your part of the world.
There really is so little grown here that it is hard to make any definite pronouncements. My wife had great success with daikon in the community greenhouse but there are some plants, I know, that really do not do well in extended light. I am interested to see how her deck greenhouses will work. I will be posting about them.
Hello Sybaritica,
I was thinking perhaps pea shoots would be a good candidate. They would grow faster and you could harvest more frequently. Peas shoots are very expensive in New York. If daikon does well then I imagine beets and carrots would also. May be you could also grow hard neck garlic.
The photos look good to me! The slugs though? Gross! SO glad we don’t have to deal with those guys here!
Hello Melissa,
The slugs are so much larger this year because to the wet weather we had and are having.
That slug is enormous! Too bad they aren’t good eating.
So much coming from your garden already and your trees are beautiful.
Hello Maureen,
May be they are good eating, after all, aren’t they snails without a shell? I should do some searching on the internet to see if anyone has come up with recipes.
hope al goes well in your garden this time, dear Norma. And that ‘small’ slug! – yuck!!!
The causa dogwood looks beutiful, thou.
Hello Carina,
Yes, the Kousa dogwood is very striking and the flowers last a long time, I find the trunk interesting too so I prune away all the lower branches and any new shoots that appear.
My son Baki was very impressed by your slug photo! I have my fingers crossed for your pears — I really admire you for not giving up entirely after all the critters have eaten!
Hello GC,
I am going to try my best to get to the pears before the critters even if it means not quite ready for picking yet. Do you have slugs where you are? Or is too dry?
We only see slugs in the Spring months when it rains but they are like bread crumbs compares to that monster!
Hello Siobhan,
You are lucky, I need to remember to set beer traps.
That’s a HUGE slug!
I love those beet greens.
Hello Angie,
Beet greens are so delicious especially when cooked the same day they are harvested.
Beautiful harvests. I so want figs, but sadly I’m not sure if mine will ever produce in our climate. I keep trying though.
Hello Daphne,
My kids live in MASS and their fig trees produce. They keep them in containers (like I do), overwinter them in the basement and bring them outdoor after danger of frost.
Woah. THat slug is so well defined. I mean I get some really huge slugs, but they don’t look a thing like that. LOL.
Hello Barbie,
It was posing for me.
Nice harvest of greens. Hope you get some figs, I really had no luck here in Mass. with the fig I had in a tub. Nice size slug, definitely time to get out the Sluggo and give them indigestion.
Hello Dvelten,
Thanks. You need to keep the fig tree well watered throughout the growing season. My kids live in MASS and are now having good harvest since they listened to me and place a deep container under the tub. Keep the container full of water everyday. During the hot dry summer days you may need to fill the container twice a day. Fertilize frequently at 1/2 strength, place a piece of cinder block on top of the soil or give it some lime. Figs like alkaline condition.
Major “yuck” on huge slug but what a wonderful harvest you have. And totaly jealous of your figs!
Hello Jenny,
Thanks. I am looking forward to a great fig harvest.
holy cow, that “small” slug is huge! I love that you’re doing Asian pears…they are at least $5 at the store here for just one…BOO!
Hello SM,
$5.00 for a single Asian pear? That’s costly.
And that is the smaller slug? My goodness! Ahh those pears look really good and I hope you get abundant of them this season. Have a lovely week, Norma! 🙂
Hello Ray,
I hope so too. I may have to harvest them before they are fully ripe. A lovely week to you too.
Nasty things, slugs, I’m lucky they can’t survive in the dry area around my garden so I don’t have a problem with that pest. Good luck with your pears this year.
Hello Michelle,
No slugs, lucky you. I may have to harvest my pears before they are fully ripe.
Sounds like you’re having a very cool summer. That slug is huge! Some nice pickings though, and how nice to have a successional harvest of scapes! 🙂
Hello Celia,
Yes, we are having an unusually wet and cool weather reason for the huge slug.
I have come across slugs like that before! Hope you find the other little terror!
Your greens look great though! Mmm, and the figs. I hope to get a fig tree sometime. It is on my wishlist!
Hello Shawn Ann,
I hope your wish come true and you get a fig tree.
I will always be green with envy when I look at your garden photos, Norma. I especially love your figs. We have some in a grocers here, but they were positively squishy when I felt them. I’m pretty sure that’s not how they’re supposed to ripen. You must have some wonderful fig recipes? Good luck with your slugs, my mom has a big problem with these at the lake because of the rain there too. xx Smidge
Hello Barbara,
You are so modest, your garden and the photos are gorgeous.
You are not going to believe this, but I do not have any fig recipes. I prefer to pick them tree ripened and eat them as is, fresh. May slice and add to salad, place whole or halved on a cheese platter or a fruit platter.
That sounds just heavenly!!
Don’t know whether to ‘laugh’ or empathize, having just come from a visit to France where a whole garden was virtually wiped out by snails overnight!! Now I know snails just LOVE beer, don’t slugs? In Oz one can buy any number of different ‘snail pubs’ where they seem to happily go and drink themselves to death! Just an observation but a true one! Living in semi-rural Australia with my backdoor facing a [groomed] parkland and the same not all that well fitted and my toilet next door, I can assure you it ain’t fun to wander out of bed with a need for nighttime relief [barefoot naturally] and realize one has stepped on one or more of these ruddy squishy individuals of your size or larger . . . ugh 😦 !
Hello Eha,
Yes, I can set beer traps but I keep forgetting to pick up a can of beer. Also with all the rain, the beer would be so diluted to render it ineffective. Never heard of “snails pubs”, what a great idea, should check my garden centers.
Norma you should see the size of the slugs here in the PNW – HUGE!!!!
Hello Alyssa,
And I thought mine was HUGE! I don’t want to see any that’s larger.
What a great harvest, I’m so jealous! Did I tell you that I bought a fig tree? It has one little itty bitty fig! I’m so excited. i wil replant into a larger container in the fall. Thanks for inspiring me to do so Norma. I really do hope we will be able to meet in early July. Fingers crossed. And toes.
Hello Eva,
Yes, you told me about your fig tree, glad you have a fig and hope more appear. Make sure you keep the plant well watered.
Hi Norma,
Sadly I need not worry, lots and lots if rain!!!!
How wonderful to be growing your own figs! And they look so good. I do hope you have a bountiful harvest. Love the look of those Asian pears too. What an exciting time in your garden with so much happening xx
Hello Charlie,
I so enjoy my tree ripened figs, they are so sweet, like honey. Of course I have to fight with the insects for the largest and sweetest. I hope to harvest Asian pears this year even it means before they are fully ripened, got to get to them before the critters.
With a garden, it’s always something, isn’t it, Norma?Yet, even with the critters and the slugs and the fallen vines, it is still a very rewarding hobby. Just look at those figs!
Hello John,
Yep, always something whether it is the garden or the house or life in general. But these are the challenges that make life interesting and exciting.
I am looking forward to a bountiful fig harvest, one that is even better than last years (I got more than 6 quarts from that one tree last year).
Love fresh fig!
Asian pears too.
Hello Diana,
I need to get to them before the critters. Wish me luck.
Hi Norma 😉 Sorry for not visiting lately 🙂 Love everything thats in your garden lately I’m a huge fan of figs and also Asian pears hehe
Hello Daisy,
No need to apologize, we all have lives outside of blogging. I have been visiting your sites and others but have not left comments due to time limitations.
Sorry about the slugs! That’s a big one!
Hello YC,
They are unusually large this year due to the excessive rain.
Your greens look amazing Norma, in spite of slugs. I still have chard from winter in the garden with a few pepper plants waiting to be put in, but it’s been hot and really wet here this past week. I’m quite envious of your figs. I haven’t had figs to make drunken fig jam for the last two years! I’m not familiar with the Kousa Dogwood (not the variety we have here in the south) but it sure is a beauty. Love the shape!
Hello Betsy,
I like the looks of the Kousa dogwood trunk so I prune away the lower branches and diligently remove any new shoot that appears on the lower section of the tree trunk. Doing so also allows me to landscape under the tree. I do a bit of “shape pruning”.
We have the regular dogwood too, the Kousa blooms after the regular dogwood so we have extend blooms.
Ewww, I don’t like slugs…but your greens look awesome. And yes, fig and Asian pears…I love them.
Thanks for sharing your harvest and have a lovely week Norma 😀
Hello Juliana,
I dislike them also but living with them is part of a gardeners fact of life. A lovely week to you too.
Goodness, you’re definitely not exaggerating about the slugs! The week’s harvest looks lovely despite them!
Hello Leduesorelle,
They are exceptionally huge this year due to all the rain.
Slugs these days for us… they go straight to the chicken coop… good source of protein for the birds…
Hello Lrong,
Wish I had some chicken to feed them to, yes definitely good source of protein for the birds.
Your kale looks gorgeous Norma! And you are right – the slugs are bigger this year and they seem to be more prevalent as well. We’ve seen several and usually I can go a whole summer without seeing them. (I prefer it that way…) This summer we’ve seen several already. The kids just love to spot them. 🙂
Hello Kristy,
With the arrival of summer perhaps the slugs will get the message that it going to be hot from now on and disappear from my garden.
Hello Kristy,
The kale was tender and delicious. With the arrival of summer, hopefully the slugs will disappear.
This slug is big! I remember collecting them in my grangma’s garden when I was a child. It was fun at the time. Your kale looks beautiful.
Hello Marta,
Many kids collect slugs and snails, I prefer to not see them at all especially in my garden. The kale was tender and delicious.
Oh my goodness, kale and collard in the garden sounds amazing. They look absolutely amazing. I would cook them up in a heartbeat if I had a garden in the back of my apartment :). Delish
Hello Kay,
They were cooked up and were tender and delicious.
Slugs make my skin crawl. Ick! But fig tree! Lucky you Norma! And Asian pear? Double yum! Have a great weekend. 🙂
Hello Anne,
I must remember to try to get to the ripe figs and Asian pears before the wildlife.
Very jealous of all these images Norma, as we are gardenless since moving back into the DC area and live in a condo. We do belong to multiple CSA programs which are good, but it’s just not the same as growing your own food.
…thanks for the visit to my site and I’ll be sure to place you in my reader. Cheers!
Hello Jed,
Welcome and thanks for stopping by. Perhaps you could do a bit of container gardening.
Great that you have CSA’s to supply you with your veggies needs. You have a much longer growing season than we do and are able to grow a much wider variety of veggies.
Those darn slugs! Your mixed greens look beautiful and I bet were so good!!
Hello Sandra,
Yes, the mixed greens were tender and delicious. Unfortunately that’s it until fall.