Dry, but Mild.

I guess I was too busy to post in June and my May post I was talking about the heat. Well, things have changed. Surprise. Surprise. The last 3 weeks have been relatively cool to mild. We even had a week in the low 80s and even 70s! However, we haven't had rain in about 3 weeks, until today (1/10th this morn). There have been several scatter storms pass through the area over this period, but most have split north and south of us. We had a sprinkle this morning, but we really need more. Finger's crossed we will get more rain today and tonight.

In the Veg Garden
The mater plants are beautiful- big, green, lush and loaded with fruits, alas none are ripe yet. I realized I didn't plant any cherry tomatoes, because I would be eating those by now if I had. I did let some of my favorite white currant tomatoes volunteer, but those are traditionally later anyway. The zucchini plants are huge and have made many fruits, but most have shriveled. I wonder if this is due to poor pollination because I have the plants covered. I need to look that up. The plants have busted out of the cover and I've found Stink Bug eggs on them. Those leaves I removed. I also planted 3 more plants assuming the current ones are gonna get hit soon. I have 1 watermelon seedling, that appears to be doing nothing above ground. The pepper plants are looking good, but not really fruiting yet. The eggplants are already being burdened by fruit. I need to pick those so the plants can grow. The corn looks great. Sweets are doing well. Beans are not producing yet. I harvested a decent crop of early potatoes and planted late zinnias, melon and squash in their place. Now for pics.

White Cucumbers. Zucchini under cover. Row 2.

 Harvesting and enjoying many white cukes. A few per day.

Here with hummus.

 A few volunteer sunflowers. Row 3

 Brandywines. Patiently waiting.

 Row 3. Tomato row. 

First garlic: from late June

 A forgotten heirloom pepper- from Heimos Greenhouse

Row 5 front. 

Potatoes grown from Shop-N-Save potatoes!

Popcorn, Yellow Wax and Burgundy beans. Row 4

Late June photo.

Sweets. Row 5. Late June.

Flower Gardens and Critters

The 2016 Garden. Most of the perennials are

still behind where I'd like them to be, but better than last year.

 Bombus impatiens on Mountain Mint

 Cabbage Butterfly on Hoary Vervain

 Bea and Urey at the pond. We have tadpolls after only

21 days built!

 Charlie's afternoon sleeping spot

 This lovely new Cosmos selection. 

Buttery yellows.

 Swamp Milkweed with Milkweed Bugs

 Jailbird Ruby

 Shrubby St Johns Wort

 Thread-waisted Wasp on Mountain Mint

Found this sleeping Carpenter Bee early one morn.

I've been fortunate to get to garden a lot this summer due to not working. I'm both excited and sad that it is already July. I'm midway to back-to-work time. : ( I'll try to soak up as much of my free time as possible. 

Happy July Gardening to you.

The Good Life

Got some work work done early and was able to hit the garden before the temps hit 90. Yeah, that's not a typo. We've had some upper 80 temps recently. Morning garden chores included weeding, hoeing and planting corn & beans. The tomatoes are almost done being planted. I have 4 cages left and some small plants to tuck in them. I will dedicate an entire garden row (1 of 5) to just tomatoes.

Row 4 planting completed

Potatoes, Eggplant, Beans & Corn

1st row: Royal Burgundy

2nd row: Yellow Wax

2 rows of Indian Berries Popcorn

I don't usually grow corn, but I do like popcorn

so I'm giving this a go. Row 4.

Peppers planted and protected

Row 5

A mix of peppers & chilies

with cardboard collars to protect them from

emerging weeds (smartweed). Planning on 

sweet potatoes after the peppers. 

My latest pole bean trellis (dumpster diving gem).

After the pole beans are 2 Elite Zucchini (plants purchased

as my seed didn't germinate) and

the cucumbers (starting in packs) will go

where the fencing is after the squash. Row 2.

Garden Critters

Carpenter Bee

Native Praying Mantis Eggcases

Tortoise bug on chickweed 

Spittle Bug

on Sea Oats

Eating/harvesting

The heat made me harvest the bulk of the lettuce.

It's just starting to get milky (bitter). 

"New" Bromeliad holders

Found the skull mushroom hunting this spring.

Center & Corner Collections

Funnel of Sedums

More sedums and random wild violets

In Bloom

Ohio Spiderwort

 Serviceberries are getting gobbled by

Robins and at least 3 Catbirds

 Blue Star

Clematis

Not in or from the Garden, but cool nonetheless

Kiddo saw this Giant Water Bug hurrying across the Home Depot parking lot the other day. Apparently, they are attracted to light, but where or where did this thing come from? There isn't water nearby, unless they can be found in ditches. We brought it home and released it. Not sure if it made it (they do play dead). They are also called Toe Biters, because they have been known to do that and after they pinch (their prey) then also inject them with digestive enzyme that makes them into soup and they suck the guts out. Lovely, eh?

Enjoy this Good Life.

Basement Salads

I'm experimenting with what I can grow in the basement (to eat) overwinter. Already some things haven't worked out and others have proven successful.

What hasn't worked: I bought some of that moisture retaining potting mix because it was dirt cheap on sale. Seeds rotted in it. Stuff that wouldn't germinate: beans, peas, cucumbers, squash. I have 1 bean, 1 pea and 1 squash seed (by another method). *Might be good for houseplants, but not for starting seeds.

What has worked: Greens continue to do well and we are eating regular salads. I'm hoping to get to the point where daily salads are an option. It looks like I can cut from the same pots about every 5-10 days. I'm leaf-pruning, rather than topping plants off. Growing: Red Russian Kale, Lettuces, Frilly Mustard. Other happy plants- cilantro, oregano, parsley, jalapeno, a volunteer tomato plant, eggplant, alpine strawberry (no fruit yet, but coming).

The New Experiment

This one is set up with 3 shop lights fairly high over plants.

This is working out fine for already established plants, but

seedlings aren't loving it. In this picture- jalapeno, calendula, violas,

brugmansia, oregano, parsley, green onions, chard, alpine strawberries,

1 squash, 1 pea, 1 bean, alyssum, turnips, eggplant, 1 fig, stocks,

pomegranate in foreground.

Greens doing well

frilly mustards- my fav

 Mixed Greens

I was swooned by the internet powers to order this LED light.

It may significantly reduce energy deman, but it is not proving to grow

better or faster plants. Plus, it's really hard to look at or be near it.

How to overwinter a Jalapeno to eat from

Yank Jalapeno from pot it was in.

Wow, that's a small root ball.

 Line bottom of pot with leaves. 

Adds fiber, minerals, beneficial microbes.

Stake it. Harvest all peppers to help

adjust from transplant shock. Energy to go to

new root making.

New peppers already forming. No new flowers yet.

Happy Oregano & Parsley

Alpine Strawberry & Green Onions

From front to back: 1 pea, 1 bean, 1 tomato

Back row: Stock, Eggplant

Middle: Stock, Violas

Front: Chard transplants, Dill, Alpine Strawberry

Other set up. Much closer to lights.

 Cilantro

Overwintering Non-Edibles

Fuschia

 Coleus cuttings have already rooted (from Oct 4)

 Various houseplants in the basement...

And Houseplants in the windows...

Spider plant, Meyer Lemon, Fragrant Olive, Fern

Outdoor Activities

Fall Blooming Speciosus Crocus- bloomed w/o leaves Row 2

Saffron Crocus is sending up leaves.

Had 2 blooms. Rows 1 & 3

 Planted to the right of the East side Orchard entrance

I've been planted Darwin Tulips & Purple Sensation Alliums on the streets.

Still need to plant the spring crocuses in the new 2016 bed.

Critters (in the basement garden)

Food stuff

Cauliflower Patties- from the Cauliflower Tot recipe

So good.

Crap I need to do when the Queen is done napping

Put away laundry.

Happy (if possible) Election Day and Late Fall!