I continue to be amazed at how well some of the things in the garden are doing, considering the heat we're experiencing. While most of the country seems to be getting rain, rain, and MORE rain, we continue to be hot and dry. Did I mention hot?! Yes, hot. And dry. Hot and dry. We do have a 30% chance of rain for the next two days, but 30% isn't too favorable for our area. We don't get too excited unless we see 60% chance or greater. But, cross your fingers for us. We sure could use the rain. My zinnias are finally blooming!
Just a few right now, but more to come!
I'm finding it an ongoing challenge with the veggies. Some are fighting to survive the heat, and others seem to be enjoying it. The two pickling cucumber plants I have are doing really well, so I planted a few more.
Not sure what happened with this little fella...
There are fruits of all sizes on the plants, and it's nice to see them thriving!
The new beans I planted are coming in nicely. A row of bush, and a row of pole beans. I also planted some Cow Peas, which I've never grown before. Grow beans, grow! We've got room in the freezer for you!
This is the area of beans and cucumbers that I planted most recently, and it's the area I'm having issues with the armadillo. Every night the armadillo turns over 6-12" of soil (thankfully, always in about the same location), and every morning I put the soil back in place. So far, he's only turned over two small plants, but a few others haven't come up ... I'm wondering if he swiped the seed!
I've never grown cantaloupe before, and I'm happy to see it doing well. There are actually a few little itty bitty melons on the vine!
I planted several kinds of pumpkins. So far, the mini pumpkins and the Big Max plants are doing the best. The others are up and growing, just not as quickly as the Big Max. The tomatoes aren't putting on a lot of fruit, and I think it's due to the heat. They flower, but only a few tomatoes form. The fruit we are getting is good, but there's just not much of it. I think I'm going to have to start hand pollinating a few of the zucchini plants. There don't seem to be many pollinators around, and either fruits are showing signs of poor pollination, or aren't forming at all. The plants have a huge canopy of leaves, so I cut back some of the oldest, largest leaves tonight hoping that if the few pollinators that are around can SEE the flowers blooming, they'll be more likely to VISIT them! If I still don't see results within the next week, I'll be out there with a Q-tip tickling the flowers.
Back near the pumpkin mounds I also put in a few more zucchini plants. Yellow, and Crooknecks. They were slow to get settled, but are now growing nicely.
Not everything is doing as well, though. The peppers are sad, and I'm struggling with one of my cucumber plants. The new growth on the plant is good, but the lower leaves on the plant are yellowing, a sign of too much water... so, now I water it less. But it wilts in the heat. So, I moved it to a location that gets a bit more shade. It's still looking a bit sorry, but hopefully it picks up a bit. Maybe it needs more nitrogen... hmm.
The oodles of grasshoppers hanging out in the garden are doing a large amount of damage to the plants. Over the past few days, I've been "hand picking" the little buggers from the sunflowers, zinnias, and tomato plants and feeding them to the chickens. Not the most enjoyable thing to do, but it's the best way I know to lighten the swarm without using chemicals. And the chickens LOVE grasshoppers!
Of course, I took some photos first. *grin*
EXPLICIT PHOTO WARNING
I even saw some hanky-panky in the bean patch! Ack! We don't need any more grasshoppers!
Here chicken, chicken... I've got a snack for you!
I can't believe you touch those nasty looking grashoppers! Blech!
Posted by: Novell | June 28, 2010 at 07:05 AM
Hey out there! The grasshoppers are not the size of chickens, don't bite people, free range chickens will run 30 ft. for one if they see'em fly. A small butterfly type net will help snag hoppers much quicker without to much effort and damage to ones self and the plants. To bad there is not a "crick" and some barefoot boys to ketch'em for fish bait. Love, Dad
Posted by: DK Wight | June 25, 2010 at 01:40 PM
I love seeing pictures of food growing but oh my gosh, those grasshoppers, yikes. I would be still running if I saw one of those. You are so brave to handles them and serve them up to your chickens. Great photos.
Posted by: Rose Kerry | June 24, 2010 at 08:48 PM
Judging by the look on that chicken's face, he KNOWS that there is a grasshopper snack in his very near future!
Posted by: bonnie weiss | June 24, 2010 at 04:08 PM
Anna, you are becoming quite the gardener! Cowpeas, yummmmmm. I haven't had any fresh ones in years. I'm from East TX and we grow a lot over there, but not so much where I now live--just a few miles to your South. It takes more space than I have for those.
My tomatoes are beginning to reduce drastically in production. If it's much over 70 degrees at night, the blooms won't set. We haven't seen temps that low in weeks.
As for your zucchini...I understand that you have to have a male and female flower for them to pollinate. Maybe that's your problem--more hanky panky needed in the garden!
You have Mr. Armadillo and I have Mama Deer. Yesterday I opened my front door to a doe and two spotted fawns in my front yard--and I live in the city! Cucumbers, beets, tomatoes and rose bushes are favorites for nibbling on in my garden. I've discovered that if I sprinkle grated Irish Spring soap flakes around the plants, it seems to keep the deer away. Wish I could find a good cure to keep the squirrels from picking my green tomatoes. Oh well, I guess we just have to plant extras for the critters. Makes you consider having squirrel and dumplins' for dinner, though.
Posted by: Susan G | June 24, 2010 at 01:17 PM
Hanky panky.....bahahaaaaaaaa you are so funny! That is a great shot, I love it!! And look at the hungry look on that chicken lol!
Posted by: Michelle | June 24, 2010 at 10:08 AM
The eagle eye on that chicken looks like she is ready to attack those grasshoppers! Swell photos. tfs
Posted by: Bev J. | June 24, 2010 at 09:50 AM
HAHAHAHA, love your explicit warning! LOL You are too funny!
I would delight in feeding hoppers to your chickens! I used to feed them to the big garden spiders...just to see them come get them, suck them dry, then wrap them up! It's just fascinating to watch! :D I'm sure the chickens enjoy them even more than the spiders! (and I'm terrified of spiders)
Your veggies look wonderful! Wish I could send you some rain. There's flooding all around here, and much worse in other parts of NE. Ugh. Seems there's always too much or not enough...
Have a great weekend! I'd love to have some of those cucumbers...the pickling ones are my fave to EAT! YUM!!! :D
Take care.
Posted by: diane mcvey | June 24, 2010 at 07:40 AM
I LOVE your photographs, but did you have to post GRASSHOPPERS?!?! I am terribly afraid of them (would rather deal with a spider!). Luckily your pictures are beautiful and I'll forgive you :)
Posted by: Jennifer K. | June 24, 2010 at 07:12 AM
Oh Anna, you make me smile. Good Morning Dear. We are beginning to have issues with the japanese beetles. The are thinking thr green bean foliage is tasty. Too many to hand pick. (And garden is a mile form the house and I am not out there every day. ) With so much rain our tomatoes are struggling. We have a boat load of peas and potaoes already. But zuchinni and pumpkins are sparse. The bell pepper, kolorabi & Brusselsprouts are growing nicely.
Mr Armadillo sounds like a pain in the patootie... like Mr Groundhog in our garden.
Enjoy the day and may it gently rain for you today. We have finally got a dry day and maybe three ! YEAH. Big Hugs from IA
Posted by: Carol Dee | June 24, 2010 at 04:20 AM
You crack my up! Great photos, though.
Posted by: SueB | June 24, 2010 at 03:56 AM