Journey11's Garden Journal 2014

[journey11]

Now if I can only get a ripe tomato... They seem to be taking forever this year. There have been a few small ones here and there, mostly 'Stupice' and a few wonderful 'Chocolate Cherry' and just a couple of tiny 'Golden Eggs'. That's all. I've got a couple of huge 'Delicious' in there for which I am just dying of anticipation. I can't get on with my summer until I have that first tomato sandwich.

Are tomato days to maturity based on when you set the transplant out?

 

[baymule]

What a beautiful garden you have! I love the pic of your girls in the garden, that's a wall hanger! Your home is beautiful, your garden truly a place of work and beauty. Lovely, simply lovely.

 

[journey11]

It is only 68 degrees today. Comfy, but not exactly pool weather!

 

[journey11]

I did a bunch of canning today. Made 5 pints of gherkin pickles (wish I had an hundred more!), 5 quarts and 3 pints of bread and butter pickles and 4 pints and 9 half-pints of mostly seedless wild blackberry jam (with 2 cups of frozen mixed berries crushed in there to make a full batch, hence the seeds.) Started a stock pot of chicken broth which I will cool overnight, skim the fat and can tomorrow.

In between that, I failed miserably with potty training the toddler and cleaned up a lot of accidents. She asked once to use the potty and did well, but spent the rest of the day going wherever she pleased. So backing off of that for awhile.

Tinkered in the garden, set posts for some later pole beans. Tried to pull a few squash and cantaloupe vines back in line (can't walk through easily anymore; they are taking over!) Picked some more cukes and got a few different tomatoes today. They're just getting started. I'll be canning tomatoes here soon. Sorted out some pole bean vines and sent them back around their own teepees (they like to talk to their neighbors.) Pulled a few weeds here and there.

Squashed some bugs. Really need to get back out there with the spinosad and spray. I don't know what I'll do about spraying the squash, cantaloupe, etc. They're a dense and cluttered mess. I wouldn't know where to start. They look good for now, but I've had a lot of trouble with squash bugs in the past. Lots of fruit setting. Ava's cantaloupe have netting. Won't be long now!

My 'Black Swan' poppies are blooming! They're gorgeous! I will try to get a pic tomorrow.

Yesterday I took more field notes on Russ' beans and Marshall's 'Powder Stars' which are doing great and also on my tomatoes. A lot of my tomatoes have Early Blight, some even developing lesions on the fruit. I may be seeing some blossom end rot too because of the heavy and frequent rains we've been having. I'm finding that this particular plot doesn't drain well. I can't tell if the water is coming from leakage or overflow from my cistern or if it is just collecting as a low spot beside the cistern. I don't know that I'll plant anything there again other than maybe corn. I'll probably start putting the tomatoes out front in raised beds, giving the disease time to break cycle. This is the second year I've had it. Two very wet and rainy years. I have not had to water the garden once yet. I would share with you who need it if I could!

 

[Smart Red]

In between that, I failed miserably with potty training the toddler and cleaned up a lot of accidents. She asked once to use the potty and did well, but spent the rest of the day going wherever she pleased. So backing off of that for awhile.

@journey11, when I had the toddlers around and I was working outside, I brought the potty (actually an extra one) out with me. I either put it in a child's tent or made a tent of chairs and sheets. It was fun and nearby so there was less of a chance the child waited too long to make the house.

The boys were a bit easier since I allowed them to 'water the trees' after explaining it was something special at our house only.

 

[Smart Red]

I always figured I was the one who was trained: whether puppies or toddlers. I asked at least once every two hours and took the puppies out on the same schedule. If they never have a chance to make a "mistake", training is easier.

Also, wearing disposable diapers, IMHO, runs counter to keeping toddlers dry. I kept them in cotton diapers or big boy/girl pants so they felt it when they wet. That makes it easier to train them when they experience the discomfort of being wet or soiled for that short time, even though I changed them asap.

 

[journey11]

@Smart Red --Training my pups always seemed so much easier!

I have an extra potty out on the porch, but maybe putting it inside a play tent would make it more fun. My grandma told me it was easier to put them in their big kid pants and clothes and let them loose outside. I've tried that a couple of times, but probably just need to persist. It is not working as quickly as I had hoped. We have some Pull-Ups for church/car rides, but I don't use them regularly. They're too expensive anyway. I'm trying to watch for that whole "readiness" thing, but I think she's just pulling my leg.

 

[baymule]

I remember those days.....

 

[journey11]

My 10-day weather forecast. Just.about.to.lose.my.MIND.

High /
Low (°F) Precip. %

Today
Aug 02

PM T-Storms 82°/61° 50 %
Sun
Aug 03

PM T-Storms 83°/61° 40 %
Mon
Aug 04

Partly Cloudy 87°/61° 0 %
Tue
Aug 05

Mostly Sunny 88°/63° 10 %
Wed
Aug 06

Scattered T-Storms 85°/61° 40 %
Thu
Aug 07

Scattered T-Storms 83°/60° 60 %
Fri
Aug 08

Isolated T-Storms 85°/65° 30 %
Sat
Aug 09

T-Storms 83°/63° 80 %
Sun
Aug 10

Showers 83°/64° 60 %
Mon
Aug 11

T-Showers 84°/64° 60 %
Last Updated Aug 2 03:05 a.m. ET

 

[baymule]

Raining all over your parade......