We returned yesterday from our annual jaunt out to Martha’s Vineyard. Although we were only gone for a week, a week of warm temps and sunshine can really bring about big changes in a garden, and I was anxious to check out the herbs and vegetables once we finished worshiping the cats.

The first thing I noticed was the size of the tomato plants in the Earthboxes on the deck. They seem to have doubled in height and they look happy and healthy. There are blossoms on all of them, and I think we’re maybe a couple of weeks away from eating tomatoes. The fungus seems to be under control now thanks to the stuff I got at Van Wilgen’s.

The herbs are running riot — all but the mini mojito mint, which doesn’t seem particularly happy. The cilantro is growing, but not proliferating (I am skeptical of it taking off like wildfire), but the parsley looks great. The basil looks like a small bush right now, the spearmint is big, the dill is feathery (and I think we’ll have some on salmon later this week), and the lavender and rosemary are both much taller. There will be pesto this week for sure — the basil is amazing, especially compared to last year’s dismal failure.

We picked three yellow squash last night. They’re beautiful, a gorgeous shade of deep yellow. They will likely make their way into this evening’s supper. The cucumbers got much bigger, and I think I can see the beginnings of actual cucumbers. I’m not entirely sure, not having grown any before. The eggplant is healthy but is almost in danger of being overshadowed by its neighboring squash plant, and there’s enough lettuce for a week’s worth of salads. The pepper plants all look good, but I don’t think there are any signs of fruit just yet.

A lot can happen in a garden in a week.