Gardening On AutoPilot

Beginning of August, things are mostly taking care of themselves now. We're flush with summer squash, zuchini, cucumbers. Tomatoes and sweet peppers are beginning to dribble in, especially the Sungold cherry toms. They are wonderful.

By carefully selecting their (shady)location, and constantly watering to keep the soil cool, I've been able to keep lettuces growing deep into summer. Certainly, the relatively cool summer temps have aided my efforts, but the heat will soon be upon us, I fear.

Sweet corn is now tasseling, and is from 5 - 7+ feet tall! Can't wait. One bed of  spuds to dig yet, and will then plant carrots in their place for a fall/winter harvest. I have growing in flats - cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, lettuce, cilantro, fennel, leeks. They have no place to go, currently, patiently awaiting space to free-up.

I have four beds planted to bush snap beans, a short row of climbing snap beans, sixteen tomato plants, and twelve pepper plants (sweet/bell), three aubergine, and some green onions. Will soon be starting onions in flats, thinking about ordering garlic , and always trying to figure ways of increasing production, and diversity. This WILL be the Autumn that I build the fruit cage, and put the remaining 40% of the garden on drip irrigation. I promise...I believe...I hope.....

Prodigal's Return

  Lots of time passed, much life has occurred.... And the garden still remains.Cannot make excuses for not writing, legitimate though they be. We all have our stories. I will simply bring you up to date.

Have harvested about 200 lbs. of potatoes ( and not yet finished! ) , along with fall planted onions and garlic. Immediately, we switched to warm weather crops, i.e. sweetcorn, bush-beans, tomatoes, peppers, aubergines (egg plant), zuchini, cucumbers, and summer squash. I had the Silver Queen corn growing in root-trainers, just awaiting a place to plant into the ground. As soon as the potatoes were pulled, into the ground went additional compost and organic ammendments, followed by the sweetcorn. We've about a dozen each of tomatoes, and sweet and bell peppers, as well as three aubergine varieties with differing maturity dates.

Last year was the first year we grew sweetcorn, and having had great success, we're increasing the amount this year. In only two 36 sq. ft. raised beds, we harvested 84 ears. It is about four feet tall as we speak. We had previously not wanted to risk growing it, as we were afraid that racoons would leave us heartbroken. The deer have been no problem, since our fence is, apparently, adequate. After buying a used electric netting set-up, and losing not one ear, we wished we'd planted more. This year, in our four 42 sq. ft beds, we'll be disapponted if we get less than 175 ears. We net the corn when we figure we're within 3 weeks of harvesting, turning the charger on and off each night/morning. Now that our free-range grandson wanders the garden when he visits, munching on whatever strikes his fancy, we will worry about forgetting to turn the netting off each morning and giving him a rude awakening. Last year, only the wife sufferred that fate, heh heh heh...

The only pest problems have been flea beetles on the aubergines. I must do something, likely dust them with diatomaceous earth. In spite of the damage, they appear to be thriving.Also, I planted no spring brassicas this year because I have lost every battle on that front to the white cabbage moth, or else unseasonably warm spring weather.It is about time to start thinking about fall planted broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, sprouts, though. 

I usually plant nothing but bush type beans, we put 40-50 lbs in the freezer most years. Harder to harvest, but I do not need to worry about trellising systems as I would with climbing types. 

We have just returned from camping at Mt Shasta with family and friends. It was our grandson's first camping experience, and very special. Difficult for him (and mom & dad) at first, he settled right in, and was a hit of the camp. 

Our son Jake proposed (successfully!) to Megan on the still snow-capped Mt. Shasta, the biggest highlight of the week for us! Cheers...