What Did You Do In The Garden?

[Zeedman]

we had a really bad infestation of tomato worms last year and i never was able to find all of them so the plants really got chewed up.

I haven't seen one of those here since at least 2000. I suspect that the aerial spraying for Gypsy moth about 20 years ago wiped them out, along with almost all the other hawk moths. It would not break my heart if I never saw another tomato hornworm again, but I would put up with them if that was the cost of getting all the other moths back. I would just spray the tomatoes with BT a few times during the summer.

 

[ninnymary]

I've enjoyed having Lavatera in the Dahlias.

When I first began to grow quite a few dahlias - especially - I suppose that I was overly optimistic about the roots overwintered indoors. There are always some that completely fail to emerge. So, there's a spot bare ground out there big enough to swing a cat in!

How do you fill it in? and what can compete with the big dahlia neighbors while blooming about the same time. The lavatera filled the bill. It doesn't really look like a dahlia but in one garden, there were always larkspur volunteers. A few larkspur, a nice big lavatera - it looked like I planned that flower bed that way .

I absolutely cannot say anything about invasive nature. What I have learned from comparing gardening experiences with gardeners living elsewhere is that what gets outta hand some places is difficult to grow elsewhere. Self-sown hollyhocks seem to only tolerate shady ground beside the house. Does Okra get outta hand?

Steve
who is anticipating a rainy afternoon in the 70's tomorrow and another weekly run Monday to harvest from the big veggie garden before it's too hot & smoky, yet again ...

I just discovered Lavatera a few months ago. My niece who is a native plant enthusiast has a beautiful one. She has started a cutting for me.

I think my Violette de Bordeaux may be history. Fruits don’t really ripen well and squirrels get the few that we’re going to be good before I do. So I’m thinking of taking it out and planting a Lavatera instead.

 

[flowerbug]

i went out a few minutes ago with the wand and tried it out. it didn't make any difference at all, but i was able to find one of the big fat tomato worms and i smushed it as a warning to any others. i'll have to get up early and go over the plants when there is more light, but it sure was nice out there with a breeze. i wish i had a way to work at night as it would sure be much nicer out there for a few hours in the evening after the mosquitoes have gone back into hiding...

went out this morning and found two more big fat tomato worms and the first red tomato which was a decoy as it had BER.

 

[Phaedra]

Harvested flowers from different corners and arranged a new bouquet for the living room.

Several photos are needed to include all of them

 

[digitS']

Nothing as genteel as @Phaedra Geiermann 's flower arranging.

Ran the tiller for over 2 hours while DW gathered some veggies. We will try the new-to-us Jolene sweet peppers. Lot of sweetcorn, altho the ears are kinda skinny this year. First planting anyway - don't know why.

Broccoli is on its way back and the plants have really grown after fertilizer, hilling and recovery from the flea beetles. This was an early variety but none of the plants took the insect attack and extreme June heat well enuf to produce a bud. Oh well, with DW having learned to eat frozen broccoli, we should be fine. A GREAT contrast from the 2020 broccoli crop. So far, anyway.

A dearth of birds in the big veggie garden ! The robins and killdeer left about 2 weeks ago. There were a total of 2 goldfinches seen all year. The pine siskins never really moved in and weren't seen this time. I saw A total of zero hawks and even the magpies and starlings weren't there!

Came home and there was a family of quail in the little garden ... I was told off strongly by Dad Quail. Good thing that lettuce is out in the big veggie garden now!

Steve

 

[Dirtmechanic]

Nothing as genteel as @Phaedra Geiermann 's flower arranging.

Ran the tiller for over 2 hours while DW gathered some veggies. We will try the new-to-us Jolene sweet peppers. Lot of sweetcorn, altho the ears are kinda skinny this year. First planting anyway - don't know why.

Broccoli is on its way back and the plants have really grown after fertilizer, hilling and recovery from the flea beetles. This was an early variety but none of the plants took the insect attack and extreme June heat well enuf to produce a bud. Oh well, with DW having learned to eat frozen broccoli, we should be fine. A GREAT contrast from the 2020 broccoli crop. So far, anyway.

A dearth of birds in the big veggie garden ! The robins and killdeer left about 2 weeks ago. There were a total of 2 goldfinches seen all year. The pine siskins never really moved in and weren't seen this time. I saw A total of zero hawks and even the magpies and starlings weren't there!

Came home and there was a family of quail in the little garden ... I was told off strongly by Dad Quail. Good thing that lettuce is out in the big veggie garden now!

Steve

People will not understand this. Water absorbs a lot of infrared. I think this wet year has a a lot to say about the activity of plants that were expecting more energy, wherever it may have gone. My reference is water in the atmosphere but it doesn't matter really, if it is between the sun and a plant even in a drop of moisture on a leaf that normally would not exist in a month like June or July.

 

[ninnymary]

Harvested flowers from different corners and arranged a new bouquet for the living room.

View attachment 42947
Several photos are needed to include all of them
View attachment 42948

View attachment 42949

View attachment 42950

So beautiful and stunning. Looks like it came from a florist.

Mary

 

[Zeedman]

Despite the mud, DW & I were trudging through the gardens today, picking everything before it would become overgrown. That, and spraying the hordes of JB that were attacking the Fortex beans. There were at least 50 on the row, and regardless of the hundreds being caught in the traps, they are beginning to cause significant damage. Fortunately, most of the damage is being caused in the upper 12" of the vines - at least for now. I will have to start spraying my lawn with Milky Spore, can't take a chance on this infestation escalating to the next level.

The okra doesn't seem to mind all the rain & heat; for optimum pickling size, I'll be picking them daily. Found a couple ripe Beaver Dam peppers too, the first to ripen this year.

Pentagreen okra, and Beaver Dam hot peppers

Liso Calcutta gherkins. One of the few plants in the rural garden that actually seems to be thriving in the wet conditions. The harvest is increasing steadily, and I have enough now for the first batch of pickles.

The bad news: All the beans, peppers, and tomatoes which were beginning to recover from the last round of flooding rains, are wilting again after the 5"+ received in the rural garden from this round of storms. The property owner told us that half of our garden, and much of her lawn, had been under 6-8" of water. At this point, the best that I can hope for is to get enough from the stunted plants to at least replace my aging seed.

 

[Phaedra]

There were at least 50 on the row, and regardless of the hundreds being caught in the traps, they are beginning to cause significant damage

Wow, JB is really a serious issue, I see them majorly in late June or early July, just 2-3 weeks and suddenly all gone.

 

[Phaedra]

Walked around in the garden, harvested flowers and arranged bouquets. This one for the neighbor who volunteers to help us cut hedge (we are still practicing, hahaha). We love this elder couple very much.

Lovely poppies

Then made another one for my working table.

Home recipe, no need to follow any rule to arrange, making myself happy is already more than enough.