I have a brand new garden in the Hugel Kulture that Alden made from logs, forest soil, decomposed wood, plus our well aged garden soil, etc. He started last November and finished the last week of February (we were gone 22 days in December). It measures 100 feet long and the width varies from 7 to 8 1/2 feet.
December - before leaving on our trip to the West I planted garlic cloves and turnip seeds in the 10 feet Alden had ready when I returned from Mexico.
January - I literally took the month off from gardening. It didn't even occur to me that trees needed pruning or dormant oil applied; and I didn't thin the strawberry patch.... oh well, I certainly enjoyed doing zentangles.
February - I transplanted 15 kale seedlings to thin the ones growing in the kiwi patch and 10 or so seedlings from Pat's garden plus 2 small parsley plants. I planted seeds for SESE rutabagas, carrots and beets - 8 rows; I transplanted 18 lettuce seedlings that Pat and I started in trays plus 12 cabbage seedlings that came from Curtis. I purchased 9 pack seedlings from Bonnie's for Premium crop Broccoli (55 days), Bubbles Brussels Sprouts (85-90 days) and Red Sails Lettuce (45 days).
2/26 The seeds from Bakers Creek arrived; the pictures are gorgeous.
2/28 Alden made the base for the bird bath - beautiful!
March
Saturday March 2 we walked the driveway pulling privet or cutting the large ones and applying Round-up. I hope we don't get our woods taken over by privet!
Sunday March 3 we got the
potatoes in the ground; it has been freezing at night down to 22 so we waited a few days after March 1. I cut each potato leaving one or two eyes per piece 4-5 days ago; you let them heal before putting them in the ground so they wont rot. We dug 46 holes in the HK with a postal digger and planted yellow Yukon and red; one or two potato seedlings per hole. I sprinkled 1/4 tsp sulfur at the base of each hole.
On 3/8 we planted 9 blue
potatoes in a barrel, only 3 sprouted. And 8 (2 in each hole) where the others didn't sprout.
Monday March 4 - we transplanted the
citrus to the big HK... hopefully that will be their permanent house ... hurrah! We are not expecting freezing weather for a week or so.
We had 3 in the ground, a 3 foot tall Satsuma Brown Select/TRI and another 3 foot tall Satsuma China S9/FD purchased at Petals from the Past in October 2011. Plus a 3 foot tall Calamondin, smaller in width, yet very productive; purchased at Petals from the Past in October 2010.
We also had two smaller trees in 6" pots: a Satsuma that I grafted on Flying dragon root-stock at Wallace in October 2011, and another Satsuma grafted by Martha N also at Wallace, she gave it to me as a gift after the group came to our home for an organic garden tour.
Before digging the holes we tested the soil - PH is 6.0; we also measured to make sure each hole is 8 feet apart in all directions. The two larger Satsuma trees are located on the north side; the smaller ones, are on the south side and the Calamondin in the middle of both. The smaller ones had been in pots since Fall 2011 and the roots where starting to wrap at the base, fortunately we got them transplanted while the roots were still malleable, before they hardened. Digging out the larger trees was challenging, Alden used the pointed shovel and a pick to break the roots around each tree; then we loaded the root ball on the large scoop shovel and a broad board to drag it to its hole; the second large tree was not as big so we just loaded the root ball on the scoop shovel and carried it to its hole. After planting I trimmed some branches and watered.
Mushroom spores arrived and so did the 4" valve for the pipe that comes out of the pond. I was by the mailbox picking up trash on the road so I volunteered to carry the boxes home. Oh boy 21 pounds were really heavy, plus 3# from the glass baking cake pan Janie had returned was also in the mailbox (with some delicious carrot cake).
Alden installed the
pond valve almost at dark at 5:30 pm and then went on to build an attachment with a screen to install at the end of the pipe in the pond. By the time we finished sewing and placing screws to hold the screen together it it was dark; at 7:30 pm Alden walked into the pond and got it attached. Good thing the weather was warm at around 47 F, we are dancing with the strong winds bringing rain clouds to Royal.
Tuesday March 5, Alden drove to the
sawmill on highway 75 and brought a trailer full of sawdust to prepare the mushroom bed on the north side (8x12 feet); we also used the sawdust around berries and pomegranates. Then it started to rain, less than 1/4 inch and very windy. I got an hepar sulphur cold, just on the right nostril!
Saturday March 9, the upper respiratory cold evolved and got worse until Friday at mid day... today I was outdoors 5 hours+ and very much enjoyed
pruning grapes, pomegranates, raspberries and removing hibiscus vines (totally out of time I should have done this late January). Federico came to help, I am still a bit weak. When Alden arrived the three of us got the mushroom bed wet and we spread the spores of the Wine Cap (Stropharia Rugosa Annulata) from
Field & Forest
Sunday was a beautiful sunny breezy day; Alden and Federico are working on posts for the shed. I am getting the house really clean after having upper respiratory infections! I also got the onions in the HK - 50 red onions from Bonnie's they sell them in a bundle. I trimmed their tops, soaked them in water with worm castings, dusted the roots with bone meal and dug 1 1/2 inch into the ground. Expecting rain tonight! its been a dry week. In the evening Lisa, Javier, Ginny and Melinda joined us for Awareness Conversations.
Monday is a rainy day. Lots of slow moving rain, perfect to soak the ground and mushroom bed. 1.40" of rain, perfect! the pipe in the pond is almost covered. We planted 60+ Jerusalem artichokes in the south hill for erosion control.
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| Sunchokes are so productive. I planted 40 tiny tubers in May |
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| Digging out the sunchokes Fall 2012 |
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| Holly molly we have lots of sunchokes! |
Tuesday - weed the garden! and go to Pat's to work on the seedlings.
Wed-Saturday 3/16 - continue to weed the garden; transplant things from Linda's around the pond.
Linda brought 2 Victoria Rhubarb crowns and 1 root for a Karl Rosenfield Peony- in ground by Saturday, the two Rhubarbs are one each in the gardens by the front steps, they will get morning sun and shade in the summer afternoon (by the end of April the one on the south side died, it didn't get enough water it was under the eve; the one on the west growing between the mint is looking good); the peony is located east of the well. I also scattered some seeds for California Poppies - Tequila Sunrise (Rene's Garden) in the flower garden.
Rhubarb (Victoria - Garden Line) - perennial, rich tart flavor, plant in soil with good drainage and enriched with organic matter; in the south only half day sun; plant crowns 40" apart, 6" deep; will grow 24" high. Harvest the second year; pull the leafstalks from the plant and trim the leaf blades; eat only the stalks. Rhubarb requires cold winters under 40 degrees.
Peony (Lactiflora Karl Rosenfield - Garden Line) - hardy, deer resistant, excellent cut flowers; one plant per square foot, flower height 32-38" will bloom late summer.
California Poppies (Tequila Sunrise - Renee's Garden) long blooming luminous soft cream (blooms first) and stained glass red with feathery grey-green foliage; full sun, days to germinate 7-14; mature height 12-15"; planting depth 1/2", space seeds 2-3".
We hosted the Jewish traditional Passover meal on Tuesday 3/26, Sharon, Steve and Debra were the organizers and lead us through the rituals. It was interesting and fun. A main ingredient was horseradish and talking with Scott the following day I believe I can grow it here. I'll be on the look out for some roots, and read this link when I am ready to plant them.
http://www.gardeningblog.net/how-to-grow/horseradish/
Maples are blooming!
We noticed some of the
blackberries in the east garden have
blackberry rust they recommend pruning all diseased branches after harvest.
3/30/13 The first phase of the Barn was completed yesterday and this morning Alden and I are out in the garden, weeding and cleaning the chicken coop to transfer that good soil to the large HK. We found a mouse and by the time Alden called Ringo the hens had caught it and where running around in circles tking it from each other's beaks... the rooster in the back "calm calm girls".
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| Chickens are very curious and want to take part in cleaning their home |
3/31/13 went to Pats to transplant seedlings, while there I watered peppers, tomatoes, etc. with the root innoculant; I brought home: a pot with 4 pineapple sage, 36 coleus, the bucket with Mexican Petunia and Angel trumpet branches are rooting; what we started from seed is sprouting: 15 broccoli, 10 Swiss chard, 20 red onions, 1 fennel, and 18 Marigolds.
In the afternoon I started from seed 12 asparagus (4 sprouted), 12 lovage (4 sprouted), I used the root innoculant purchased from Lila.
4/1/13 Spice-bush Swallow Tail Butterflies are basking in the sun! we were outside transferring white dutch clover patches from the HK garden to the citrus HK while Alden was also replenishing the south side soil with manure and sawdust for future tomato and pepper plants. Lisa came by to help, Greta got lost that morning, luckily she was found the next day.
4/2/13 Hor
se manure day - we went to Joe Bullard's barn and that was lots of fun; the horses crossed the pond and were ever so curious and mischievous; they got inside the stall and just hang out while we were shoveling "manure"
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| she had to be inside while we were working |
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| peek a boo |
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| what a cutie... she is a mischievousness mule, removing cardboards from trailer |
4/5/13 Before putting in the ground I dusted the roots or the seeds with a bone meal, seed inoculant and Epson salt mix I made - will call it Beie. Got 10 broccoli, 4 Swiss chard, 10 Rat radish seedlings in the HK and 25 seeds
sunflower lemon queen from Baker Creek Heirloom in the citrus HK. Then weeding of course.
Wild plum is blooming, magnificent, so are the
blueberries and
Asian pears; it is breathtaking to stand under these trees and hear the buzzing of the bees, wasps and butterflies flying from bloom to bloom!
4/6/13 transplanted the 5 rooting's from the
pineapple sage to the flower garden and by the kiwis; plus weeding, then to Linda's to help her set up Netflix; she gave me several plants and loaned us a tool to put weeds, fantastic!
4/7/13 in the ground most of Linda's plants including a Camelia Synensis a
green tea plant, on the path down to the citrus. A peony next to the other one; Dogwoods are starting to bloom.
4/8/13 Alden cut a white barrel to grow the blue
potatoes. I dusted them with the Beie mix.
9 seed potatoes in the barrel and 8 (2 in each hole) to replace 4 holes where the ones we planted in early march didn't sprout. Interesting to note it took almost a month for the potatoes to sprout; once they did they are growing fast!
The turnips have grown like a cover crop, I will remember to put less seeds. They are growing tight all over the garlics and kales, oh my!
We had errands in town and I bought two tomato plants from Bonnie, an Early Girl (50 days, indeterminate) and a Bonnie original (75 days, indeterminate); dusted with Beie mix, in the ground by the citrus HK.
4/9 the wild plum blossoms are falling, a white carpet on the ground. Fireflies and crickets are starting to appear; wild violets in bloom. Twice this week I got a gnat in my eye!
4/10 The front porch, the sun-room, the cars, the roof of the barn are light green, covered with pine pollen.
The rest of the week I have been weeding removing wheel barrels filled with shiny cud-weed when I do this I try to stay present and notice how my own habits can be so persistent. After weeding for a while I can feel overwhelmed, like I'll never finish; well time to stop and come back when I am ready to be present again!
On 4/12 and 13 I went to get more plants from Linda including a green tea plant, peonies, daisies and others; the path to the HK is filled with swamp sunflowers. Federico helped get them from Linda's bed, refill with soil and then transplant them into the path - the process took 5 both of us 5 hours - 10 hours total work!
On 4/15 Lisa and I went to Nancy's to get more plants, a beautiful native columbine (orange blooms) planted on north side, strawberry begonias planted under crepe myrtles in west side;
I also picked some tomato plants from Susan, they are in the ground and look healthy: Neptune, Sophie's choice and Eva.
4/20 at dawn we had a frost! fortunately I had covered the tomatoes with clutches. I went to pick lettuces for Alden to take to school and they had ice. Sunday we noticed the young leaves of some potato plants the mulberry tree and one of the pecans were curled, but the larger leaves looked healthy; first we thought it was bugs, so I sprayed them with the insecticidal soap, as I was doing it I realized it was frost damage on brand new leaves. The potatoes look fine after a week or so. In May again I noticed the leaves of both trees were curling, looking in the internet I gather it was from the cow manure fertilizer, some trees don't like to be fertilized- I removed the topcoat of the fertilizer from the mulberry and it is looking fine; same thing with one of the pecan trees, its leaves will bloom nicely and after fertilizing they curl, now I know why). Susan and Jamie had planted their tomatoes and peppers before going to Florida for a week, when they returned the tomato plants were gone due to the frost, the peppers were cloached and survived (learning from neighbor's experiences)
4/21 Alden and I put up cattle panels in tomato and pepper HK
4/22 Massages in Guntersville - purchased more metal stakes
Week 4/23 Lisa was here 1/2 day to help a lot; we finished getting cattle panels and cages up and then transplanted our tomatoes grown from seed to the garden: Rutgers, Yellow pear (2), Black cherry really small, San Manzano and Better Boy. Also a Hansel mini-
eggplant from Bonnie's (55 days) in the regular HK garden by the onions all covered up with row cover until it starts to bloom to avoid the bugs that pierce their leaves.
The HK gardens are full of baby cosmos!
Hostas in the mushroom bed are sprouting, they are beautiful; I am so glad the roots made it through winter.
So did two pineapple red sage bushes by the kiwis.
Alden and I transplanted all the sun-chokes growing in the HK gardens to the south side.
Cages around columbines to keep them upright.
Lettuces are huge and thriving - spacing the small seedlings a foot apart when I transplanted and growing in the HK really make a difference, I think the HK holds humidity in the logs so the plants are in a warm-moist environment but not with wet roots.
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| Lettuce galore |
Kale, turnip green and garlic are literally a forest, cant keep up feeding them to the chickens and ourselves, they grow and multiply!
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| Garlic and kale to the left, turnip greens and kale to the right |
Red pokers, larkspurs, crimson clover, yellow and cream colored California poppies, thrift, cilantro are blooming.
Grape patch is beautiful, covered with coreopsis, a wild yellow flower. Its taken 5 years to get it to look like a yellow carpet. Time is an ally in the garden, plus weeding.
Neptune and Early girl tomatoes have blooms (18 days from transplanted).
4/26 Dogwood petals rain with the wind. Transplanted the last 7
onion seedlings and started from seed 4 hills of Gold Rush hybrid yellow squash next to onions (none sprouted). Lila came to pick lettuce, kale and turnip greens to take to Pepper place market.
4/27 Before the rain I started from seed 5 seeds Armenian
cucumber and 15 seeds Arkansas Little
cucumber (5/8 one seed sprouted) by the cattle panel in the crimson clover patch, next to peas that are just starting to climb (they are slow this year); (only 1 cuke sprouted). 7 seeds Liana Yard
Long beans by the cattle panel of the Pawpaw (5 seeds sprouted 5/8) and the chayote came back.
Okra in the 4 HK beds we made for hibiscus last year. After sowing seeds I realized hibiscus and okra are from the same family, oh well! Varieties: Hill County Heirloom Red (2 HK), Stewart Zeebest and Clemson Spineless. Only 2 seeds sprouted in 2 beds.
Week 4/29 starting Saturday evening (while we all watched Life of Pi at Jan's house with live sound effects) and through Sunday afternoon it rained 3.15 inches... quite a bit of water; the pond is 14 inches from reaching the top (we don't want it to overflow so Alden is working on the outlet today).
Lisa came and while weeding a bit especially the shinny cudweed - we surely enjoyed the smell of the cilantro patch in he west area, and listening to the sound of the river as we transplanted seedlings
Amelia
tomato (from Sharon)
Bella Rosa
tomato (from Sharon)
2 Golden Marconi
peppers - ate by the lizards or grasshoppers
2 Orange bell
peppers - ate by the lizards or grasshoppers
1 Pimiento
pepper
1 Basil
Then we trimmed
kale tops and dried them in the solar dehydrator; in approximately 3 hours the bottom trays were ready, they taste quite nice, crispy. I thought of Talia who loves them! We picked 8 buckets filled with tops of leaves, the end result were 4 gallon size bags to freeze (just in case we missed some leaves that didn't dry completely). Lisa took a bag full home to lightly steam and freeze formed in balls made with the ice cream scoop.We dried several batches of kale Monday and Tuesday and by Wednesday May 1 the plants bolted with beautiful yellow flowers. The leaves are still edible not bitter we continue using them in smoothies and for our meals. We picked 8 buckets filled with tops of leaves, the end result were 4 gallon size bags to freeze (just in case we missed some leaves that didn't dry completely).
I also transplanted 4
asparagus seedling to their bed in the HK (between rows of onions). End of May they are still there seem to be growing.
Trying to stay present when I feel overwhelmed with too many garden areas... breathe, and go one step at a time.
The leaves from 3 blue
potatoes are up. End of May they look great!
Neptune and Early girl
tomatoes have blooms (18 days from transplanted).
May 2013
5/2 Indoors started seeds for asparagus and hibiscus (1 sprouted by 5/7); on the morning before a long steady all night rain - we got 3 inches in 14 hours, we planted 9 hills for watermelons, 6 for All-sweet and 3 for Sugar baby. Genovese Basil (Ferry Morse) seeds between tomato cages in the east row, none sprouted. Ararat Basil (Bakers Creek) between tomatoes in the second row, none sprouted. 7 hills Bush beans (Bio Saatgut German) in the bed next to strawberries; 5 came up and by 5/28 they are still struggling they don't thrive in cool weather! And the west side of the barn filled with violets, oxalis, cosmos, shamrock, and swamp sunflowers.
May 3-6 we got a total of 5" of rain plus a cold snap with temperatures dropping down to 39 and 42 two nights in a row. It was interesting to note that the rain came from the southeast on Friday and from the southwest on Saturday; Sunday morning the radar showed no clouds and by noon it started raining, we were laughing at the fact that the clouds were moving in a spiral with this area being the eye of whirlpool, it rained for 6 hours from the same cloud formation going around in circles. Sharon and Steve in Locust Fork got 10 minutes of marble size hail that destroyed some of their tomato and pepper plants, the leaves from the trees were shredded. We actually got our wood stove started and going for two days, first time in May since I've lived here.
Here is what some people had to say:
Me: "we have had a beautiful slow spring, mild weather and lots of rain"
Sara "According the the news we won't have a drought this year, at least until July 20"
Janie Timmerman: "It was 136 years ago since we had this type of May weather, with a cold spell and so much rain"
Strawberries are here! some are a bit soft due to so much rain; because I never thinned the patch we really have to move leaves around to see the berries. On Friday May 10 I gladly gave some plants to Deb. By 6/27 peak harvesting is gone but we still harvest 10+ strawberries daily.
Last night Scott and Velma arrived to the second Friday gathering with a
Horseradish baby plant; from what they say it must be as prolific as the sunchokes so I really need to think where to plant it. It went in the lettuce bed.
5/11 Taking advantage of a cloudy day and celebrating mother's day Alden sweetly is making a new flower bed by the lettuce garden. He is definitely a great landscaper. He went to the woods to get a fallen tree and when he returned with the logs I laughed, in my mind they were going to be 6" in diameter in his design they are 12+ inches.
In the lettuce beds we have parsley, dill, amaranth (re-seeding from last year), Chinese Five Colors pepper plant, Stevia (comes back every year) and one Mexican sunflower (seedling), horseradish. pineapple sage.
Lila and Yes have come for 3 Fridays to pick lettuce, kale and turnip greens (April 23, May 4 and 11)
Lisa came to help we worked on the trees in the west area, trimming undergrowth, mulching etc. The mulberry looks funny, some leaves are curling even after I removed the fertilizer. Will keep an eye! She took some rutabagas and strawberries.
Ana came 3 times to do the final harvest of kale and turnip greens from the HK and under the kiwi plant. Some of the garlic plants broke off. Lesson learned don't ever plant garlic between turnip greens! I must say kale and turnip greens thrived this spring. We dried 6 gallon size bags of kale to add to smoothies in summer.
Around mid May I had started seeds in the sun-room for yellow squash, cucumbers, watermelons, hibiscus, and peppers and more asparagus; these plants are not thriving outdoors due to fluctuating weather, unlike last summer May has had several cold spells. At the end of May the seedlings have their 3rd leave so they got transplanted outdoors!
Last week of May - the weather got warmer - days above 80 nights above 60. Alden and I got our first chigger bites; we've had a week of no rain so we hand watered some plants using buckets; and we used the drip irrigation system:
Line 1 to the strawberries; re-installed
Line 2 to the 9 watermelons, 5 cucumbers, 1 basil, several clumps of swamp sunflowers, zinnias, 2 grape plants, 2 pomegranates, 2 fig trees, pink blueberry, 2 okras (from seed Stewart Zeebest and Clemson Spinless) and 1 hibiscus (started indoors).
Line 3 for the thorn blackberries and the 12 thorn-less blackberries down the hill.
Line 4 for the raspberries and out to the south garden to make it easier for Alden to water with buckets the trees in that area: 4 figs, 2 Japanese persimmons, 2 Asian pears, 1 pear, 1 mulberry, 1 olive tree and a few blueberries.
On Memorial day I picked a huge bag of
lettuce to store in the refrigerator, gave some to Sara and Nancy.
Also harvested 2 beautiful cabbages, several beets, 10+ rutabagas, and plenty Swiss chard.
Sara mentioned I needed to cut the top of the Brussels sprouts so they will grow baby ones on the stems; I did that on 5/28. We steamed the tops they have a delicious flavor. Found some green cabbage worms.
Lisa came by, she made trenches around drip irrigation, picked strawberries, helped process greens, really helped a lot! got to play badminton too. She took some very fresh garlic, rutabagas and strawberries.
By the end of May the following plants are thriving: Potatoes, Swiss chard, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, onions, 4 tiny asparagus, cabbages, tomatoes 2 plants Early girl and Bonnie's special have small tomatoes, 1 plant Neptune has blooms. Watermelons and 1 cucumber have 5 leaves and look happy; I transplanted 5
cucumber plants from trays to garden (Boston Pickling and Armenian) by cattle panel next to pomegranates. Liana long beans and chayote are thriving.
The garden has many cosmos, zinnias, fever few and tons of Jerusalem artichokes growing everywhere. Larkspur, California poppies, gardenia, one sunflower, pomegranate trees and the wild Hydrangeas are in bloom.
Blueberries, blackberries and raspberries are either blooming or loaded with fruit.
Peppers (covered with cloches to keep grasshoppers away), bush beans and eggplants are struggling.
Dill, cilantro, celeriac and older parsley plants are either blooming or going to seed.
Lettuce starting to bolt.
Rhubarb in mint patch - one died one is doing well.
Green Tea plant is not looking good.
lats week of May we planted seeds for
yellow squash south of lettuce bed surrounded by fever few, maybe the smell will deter the moth; Alden spent a morning digging holes looking for the septic tank, finally he came indoors to look for his notes from 1996... he was way off, the septic tank is under the lettuce bed, we won't dig there until winter... too many things growing in that bed. We could not plant sweet potatoes after that messy digging so we planted 3 yellow squash plants. In just three weeks by 6/21 we harvested the first yellow squash and since then (6/27) we get one or two a day. They are delicious fried in coconut oil with corn meal. I am spaying insecticidal soap around the base to keep the moth from laying eggs.
On 5/21: 2
Hibiscus under kiwi plant - end of June down to one.
Direct sow seeds from Lawrence's
squash south of HK
One morning we gave attention to the 3
pecan trees, 6 blueberries, 1 plum, 1 crab apple, 2 melon trees and 1 Crepe Myrtle by the Big Oak. We have 14 trees in that area, so far 7 are ready - cages removed, undergrowth cleared, and mulched with black cloth, and cardboard.
The
apple tree has apples! it worked to bring a blooming branch of crab apple from Linda's garden. I placed rocks and strings to bring the branches to horizontal, just for 3 days. I also trimmed long branches so they would not weight down with the apples. Estimate 40 apples in that small tree.
Pomegranates are blooming, and I am pollinating by hand, hopefully some bugs are helping too.
Bay leaf tree from Sara planted in the center of driveway. Very small maybe 6 inches and small root system. Got to keep it watered.
Red bud (from Sara 4 feet tall) and
Ginkgo (from Linda since last year now it is a foot tall) trees are also in the ground in the south area.
End of May we have chiggers and mosquitoes, and of course lots of butterflies, hummingbirds, moths, fireflies, bees, wasps, birds, and frogs. We go to sleep with frogs singing, listen to the Chuck-will's-widow during the night and wake up to song birds.
June has been an interesting month the first three weeks the weather ranged from 60's at night to 80's during the day. The last week it got warmer low 70 at night and 90+ during the day. Perfect for swimming in the river.
Through out the month the Flower bed is beautiful with blooming larkspur, gardenia, zinnias, and marigolds.
Wild hydrangeas and elderberries in bloom. Lemon sunflowers blooming by citrus garden.
6/12 harvest potatoes, they are tender and delicious, 10 pounds aprox.
also Brussels sprouts, Broccoli,rutabagas, beets, lettuce, few carrots and Swiss chard. Placed a cattle panel with shade cloth over Swiss chard in HK
First Japanese beetle in blackberries. I guess that since we didn't trim the roses by March 1st they bloomed too early and the Japanese beetles didn't land there at first, so I've had to look for them in the raspberries, blackberries, elderberries, kiwis, grapes and even in the apple tree (fortunately if I get them soon enough they stop coming to certain areas such as the apple tree).
6/13 placed 6 sweet potato slips, the rest I gave to Ana we don't seem to have space for the vines to grow this year.
6/14 Lisa came to work in garden and play badminton. We pulled some tomato plants out, such as the yellow pears
We are harvesting strawberries and raspberries and as of 6/21 blueberries and blackberries too.
6/21 first Boston pickling cucumber, then none until 6/27 when we harvested at least 10.
On 6/11 we cleaned, tilled and got the bed next to strawberries ready by placing a cattle panel for climbing beans with drip irrigation. In 7 holes Liana yard long beans, 1 hole Pink eye purple hull, 2 holes German bush beans that were planted a month ago and look awful!
In the same bed celery, celeriac cilantro, fennel, oregano and parsley went to seed.
