We had an interesting problem at our nursery in Claremont a few weeks back. I'd sheet mulched the nursery with free wood chips from a local tree service and cardboard from Pomona College. It's a cost effective method for removing grass and keeping the area attractive, but it provides an ideal habit for Earwigs. Normally we don't worry about earwigs in our gardens because they leave mature plants alone and eat aphids and other pests. In the nursery, however, they were absolutely decimating the young plants, whose succulent growth they prefer. I'd leave at night with everything looking fine and the next morning there would be little more than a piece of stem poking out of the soil.

This enormous harvest in Claremont was the result of two factors--the age and size of the garden. With 4 4'x8' raised beds, this garden is on the larger end of the gardens we've installed.  It's also one of the the gardens we've been maintaining for the longest period of time. 

Because we put such a strong emphasis on building up the soil over time, our gardens tend to increase in productivity from season to season, rather than decline over time as the soil becomes depleted. 

This 36 pound harvest is a sign that good things will come if you focus your gardening efforts on maintaining soil fertility.

Our larger tomatoes are in regular production now; I've actually had to start harvesting more often than once a week to make sure they don't rot on the vine. Because I've harvested so frequently of late, our harvest total has been skewed downward.

After the turmoil of last week it seems that the pests are giving us a reprieve. The garden continues to produce well. Sun Gold, Yellow Pear, and Matt's Wild Cherry tomatoes are all coming in prolifically. We're also starting to get a steady supply of Moskovich tomatoes; our first batch came in this week with probably 20 or more ripening on the vine.

We also harvested a few squash, including a yellow Crookneck, a small Eight Ball, and two Costata Romanesco zucchini. And of course our chard continues to produce a steady supply of greens for us.

It's been a very eventful week in the garden, both in terms of harvest and pests.