The garden … limps along. This year’s been a rough one, for some reason. We’ve had strange weather – with long periods of cool, punctuated with intense heat for a few days in a row. We’ve had several variety of grasshopper – the monster green ones, and the little tiny green ones, too. We’ve had black aphids. And we’ve had no peppers survive, no okra survive, and very slow growth on the tomatoes: they’re only 3 feet tall, when they should be at least six and bearing fruit by now.
The Amaranth is already trying to go to seed, so I’m worried about it as well, and the kabocha is already starting to fruit, when it should be sending out long tendrils to conquer the rest of the garden.
Sigh.
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It is a good thing that we live in a time where our garden produce is not NEEDED, as it were. I hope that things improve later on in the season. Is it too late to plant a second crop? ( you with the long growing season)
I haven’t had quite as rough time as you but I have been battling with the Colorado Potato Bug, just how darn far away is Colorado from me anyway?? It took me awhile to find out just what the heck they were but I found it online and it looks like I won’t be planting potatoes next year, I’m in danger of losing my peppers and my tomatoes!! The odd thing is I’ve only planted potatoes twice in the last four years! I could handle buying potatoes but I really don’t want to lose my tomatoes!
Oh, we’re planting more to replace things. We’re NOT going to have any empty beds in our garden, or at least, not for long we won’t. We’re putting in some more greens, as they seem to do well, and some more okra – to try again – and probably some more peppers.
It’s truly odd, because we’re really careful to plan out where things go: no tomatoes / potatoes in the same place for at least three years in between; tall things where tall things can’t shade things which don’t want it; things in the shade which need the shade; different drip emitters for different size plants; composting; WaterSorb; slow-release, organic fertilizer.
None of it has made a difference. And … now there’s heat. We’ll see, but I’m thinking that’s going to give everything a boost, and hopefully let them outgrow the bug population.
it still looks pretty inviting, though. maybe we should hope for summer showers?
Gardening is such a hopeful task. It often reminds me of Lucy and Charlie Brown. Each time he tries to kick the football and each time she yanks it away. Mother Nature has a similar sense of humor.
Hope that the weather improves and that your tomatoes wow you by September…it takes that long here 🙂
Thanks for your kind comments about my bag
India [or Nutty Knitter to my friends ;0) }