Big Mistake!

About a month ago I thought it would be a good idea to get some compost to top up the vegetable beds. Instead of getting compost from Highway Fuel I ordered three yards from Terra Gardens. Big mistake. What they sell as compost is something they call organic mulch. Unfortunately, it is coarse unfinished compost. I realized this when I started to spread it, so in my infinite wisdom I dug it into the top six inches or so of the beds. Second big mistake. The plants have really struggled and some look like they're not going to make it. Then I realized that by digging the mulch into the soil, I was encouraging it to break down. But when it does that, it steals nitrogen from the soil. Duh!

In order to try to remedy this situation, I've fertilized everything with fish emulsion. The plants seem to be getting better, or at least they've stopped their downhill slide.


The aubergine and Mad Hatter pepper look terrible.

The two bell peppers also look sad. I've never had an insect problem on them until now. I guess it proves that insects are attracted to sickly plants.

These are both Athena melons. The first one is in the raised bed, the second one is in the ground. They were the same size when I planted them.

First Blueberries

Yesterday I picked the first blueberry (Earliblue).  They're ripening quickly now. The timing is perfect, because the strawberries are about to take their early summer vacation. There are still some ripe ones, but there are no flowers.

Mulch

After doing a pretty thorough weeding on the whole yard, we ordered three yards of dark hemlock mulch from Highway Fuel.  We were able to cover the front yard, the new bed along the back fence, and the bed along the back of the house.  It took us three days to disperse it.  Then we ordered another two yards, which we spread in the two small beds behind the deck, the rose bed, and the long bed along the west fence.  This was easier, done in one day.

We're hoping this will take care of the huge weed problem we have when we return from Tucson.  Stay tuned.

Notes for Next Year

The only tomato I want to grow is Stupice.  I can buy Roma tomatoes for 75 cents a pound at Fresh
Start Market.  And they were nicer than my San Marzanos. And one cherry tomato.

One aubergine and two bell peppers.

No leeks or onions.

Go back to Blue Lake bush beans.  One short row at a time.

One cucumber plant, Boothby's Blonde.

One zucchini.

Lots of basil for pasta sauce and pesto.

Maybe a melon.

Delicata squash.

No beets, spinach, or chard.  This is an attempt to starve out the leaf miners.

Dinner in the Garden

We've found a new spot to have dinner outside.  It's a little cooler there and we can pretend we're in our vineyard.

Peaches and Pears and Figs, Oh My!

Status Report - July 23, 2018

Things have really been happening in the garden.  I've harvested the garlic and two of the potato plants.  We're now getting Stupice and Lizzano cherry tomatoes, green beans, zucchini, bell peppers, aubergines, carrots, chard, and kale.  The lettuce was very good (starts from Minto Island Growers) but have now bolted.  I've just planted the third sowing of green beans

and the last two rows of carrots.

 I also planted some cranberry beans.

 The leeks are ready but I haven't pulled any yet.

I started two Kale-ette plants from seed.  I moved them to the potato bed and put them under a shade cover because it's been in the 90s.

The herb bed has been a great success.  I'll do it again next year.

The rhubarb and squash bed is doing well.

The trough planter is really filling in.

 The new bed is filling in gradually.

 And the rose bed has been spectacular.

And last but not least we just picked all the pears on the Ubileen.  It was a bumper crop!