Garden 2021 - Part 2
After a couple weeks of nasty July heat and humidity, this past week has been absolutely gorgeous. Another cool start to August, with highs only in the low to mid 80s. I could seriously get used to this. Unfortunately, it's supposed to be back in the 90s by next week.
August 5, 2021
Overcast skies and a cool breeze. The high was only 84 today, and that wasn't until late afternoon.
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The new Knock Out roses are growing slowly, but flowering constantly.
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Had a very light rain earlier.
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A horsefly greeted me at the gate. Didn't try to bite me, though.
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Things are coming along nicely.
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Butternut squash. Not as vigorous as last year's plants. I got the seed from a different source this year, so that figures.
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Baby butternut.
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A tiny cricket frog on a dirty butternut flower.
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Two kinds of fall spinach freshly planted on the left, and watermelons on the right.
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Cucumber plant, big and healthy.
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Trellised cantaloupes.
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Beans, with newly planted beets and carrots on the left.
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Something's been chewing holes in the leaves, but it hasn't been a problem so far.
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First picking a few days ago. A little over a gallon.
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Zucchini.
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I lost one of my plants to these little bastards. My nemesis — hands down the worst pest in my garden — squash bugs.
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They lay these little eggs all over the place. I'm going to have to go on a major bug hunt this weekend.
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Potatoes. (The boards in the upper right have a few kale seeds under them. Never grown it before.)
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I moved some dirt away to check on them, and.... yowza!
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Of course I had to dig a few.
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These are just from one plant. Awesome!
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The corn pulled itself back up nicely after being laid over by a storm a few weeks ago, and then it grew like wildfire.
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Almost ready to pick.
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Peppers.
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Tomatoes.
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Fall peas have been planted under the trellises, but they aren't up yet.
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Here's a tomato growing wild outside the fence by the corner garbage pile. It must have come up from last year's kitchen scraps. I'm curious to see how well it grows and what the tomatoes will taste like, being an F2 hybrid.
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I've started raking up grass cuttings after mowing. I do this whenever there's enough summer rain for it to grow thickly (there wasn't last year). Some years I end up with a pretty big pile. I'll spread it over the garden in the winter and till it under in the spring. Free organic matter.
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Apple.
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It's August and this tiny blueberry bush is still ripening fruit.
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Birdhouse gourds in the side plot.
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Baby gourd.
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A few things in the planter. Cucumbers and lettuce are up, zucchini and broccoli aren't. Yup, I'm trying a little fall broccoli again. Worms were horrible the last time I tried, but we'll see how it goes this time around.
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I wore through my hoe blade this week.
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Had a replacement handy, though.
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Flowers...
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A wren feeding chicks.
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Thanks for stopping by. See you next time.
I've been seeing a lot of haze from the fires out west. It's crazy.
Proof that you're not a horse.
However, you would make Voltaire's Candide proud of you.
Thanks, Buzz.
I had to look that one up. "Live in seclusion and cultivate your garden."
I've been seeing a lot of haze from the fires out west.
Same here. We don't have a well, you need to go down 300' here for junk water so we have tanks and haul water from a city supply. We do have a cistern system to catch rain water and the toilets are supplied directly without filtration. I have noticed that there is a sediment in the toilets if the water has set for a bit, I believe this is from the smoke and soot coming down with the rain. Now I consider this as free fertilizer and if there is that much in the gallon or so in the toilet then how much is the rest of the land getting?
That's interesting. I hadn't thought about it containing nutrients that wash out of the air as fertilizer, but I suppose it does.
Awesome as always. It must be so nice for you to stroll through your garden and enjoy the results of your efforts.
The Zinnias are great, so colorful.
Thanks, Pat.
I've been waiting for the second installment. Totally awesome, Dig. Really beautiful. You have an amazing property.
Thanks. Sorry it took so long.
There is nothing for you to apologize for. You did say in the first of this year's articles that they would probably be every few weeks. We just have to wait until you have one ready for us, and we are very lucky when we get to see them.
Evening Dig..Your veggie patch looks brilliant and extremely productive...good on you and your efforts are justly rewarded...
Thanks, Shona.
Good to see a thriving garden, Dig. It's very dry here - we haven't had rain to speak of for weeks. Just a few minutes of sprinkles that settle the dust. I'm watering, and getting a few cucumbers, which are the only plants in my garden still producing. I plan to plant some lettuce and spinach when it cools down, but not if it stays this dry.
I hope you get some rain. I've been getting a little more than last year. Not a whole lot, but it makes a difference. I can always tell by often I have to mow in late summer, lol.
I think it's been over 3 weeks since my grass was cut last, and it doesn't need it at all. I'd hate to walk on it barefoot right now.
Dig, your garden looks great. My tomatoes are doing OK, I am glad I planted them deep and mulched. Dryness has hurt everything else except the Okra.
Wouldn't it be great if everything was as sturdy and productive as okra?
Working in the garden, I graze on small okra and cherry tomatoes
I have had to water this week
You can have your own farmers market, Dig.
Everything looks beautiful.
Thanks, Kav.
You make it look easy Dig, but I know that a lot of hard work goes into that garden. It must be very satisfying and calming to harvest the "fruits" (and veggies) of your labor.
It is a bit like a summer exercise + zen program.
Looking good as always D.
Just didn't see an alien...Haha
Yeah, he's been hanging out with the potted flowers on the deck this year.