Pictures, finally!

Well, the war on grubs continues. The temp has cooled a couple degrees and maybe we can set some fruit on the tomatoes. Meanwhile, my old fashioned film has been developed and uploaded, so I can finally share some pictures of what I have been rattling on about.
Early Images, although not that early, taken about May 20th
A look at the garden from the top, we are looking at the corn in front.


Above the garden, looking down on the okra and peppers. The patio and den window are beyond that.
The tomatoes in pots, just starting to really grow. I began to cage them about this time.

Things are really growing now! Taken June 8th

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Tomatoes get tall

The okra is mulched by mimosa leaves, the squash grow big around the edge.

The sweet peppers are getting water and starting to grow, finally!

Jalapeños!!

Corn tassels in the breeze!

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There you have it, my garden, our garden. I will get some more current shots up even sooner. The squash is merely humongous now. I have ears developing in the corn. More peppers, and the sweet peppers are starting to look like real plants. The okra is putting out some real leaves, it's all good. For now though, I must get off this machine and tend the garden. Like I said in the beginning, the war continues! Battle stations!

Later taters!

The plan continues.

Imagine if you will a small plot 20 feet long and 4 feet wide. This is our garden, 80 square feet of herbs and veggies. Sounds tight, you might say. But, it's manageable. After all K.I.S.S.: Keep It Simple, Stupid. That and with it right next to our hang out, our patio, and we can see it from the den, so it's always in our face. Weeding is something that just happens as we gaze. Seeing insects that may harm, or admire the beneficials as they pollinate, it's working smarter, not harder.

I already had corn in the ground, surrounded by squash, aka: zucchini. Just down from them are the peppers. I still needed room for okra, more squash and who knows what. I was wishing I had made better plans. I gave the peppers about 12 square feet. Each is planted in a tray. A few years ago I had found these trays for tomatoes and thought they were pretty cool: Automator Tomato Tray. Check it out, they now come in red. It was my success with these trays that prompted me to try to recreate the effect with black mulch cloth for my tomatoes in pots. Maybe next year I will get some red mulch cloth, or square pots.

I had some corn left in peat pots, so I added a bit of space with a mound next to the corn bed. I could compare methods. I put squash in around the mound and beans on top. Sadly those stalks have come up short, so I will need to trellis the beans.

As the zucchini came up, all of them, I began to move them around the garden. I have since learned not to plant the whole packet. I didn't loose a single transplant, either. So much for not being able to transplant squash. I just think it's important to only do it when it still very young and the root is not so deep, a seedling in other words. Now my whole garden is surrounded by squash.

Add to the "plan" my impromptu decision to add yellow straight neck squash resistant to bugs (I couldn't resist). So we added yet another mound by the corn bed. I planted a squash for each row and would run the vines down under the corn. By the way, that's not going so well. It seems that these squash are also more bush like. I swear that's not what it said on the seed packet!

I bought only three plants this year, the two jalapenos and thai hot peppers. I had a couple trays for them, too, and put them just below the bells. O yea, I had also bought a couple marigolds and stuck them around the peppers, too. Flowers are always a nice touch.

That left me a 4 by 7 space for the okra. I put in about 13. The squash have gotten so big, that one of the okra is a bit shaded. It doesn't seem to mind, too much. Okra are pretty adaptable I am told.

That last bit of space is the herb garden and it is full. I saved a couple of basil plants that were near death and youngest girl had started some sun flowers of her own, that was about all I could squeeze in there. The potatoes were in their own bed above the rest surrounded by concrete blocks. I had decided to fill the holes of the blocks with soil and put in my edible seed sun flowers.

That was it. Every time I would see a plant, or seed packet I would dream and think and desire to plant it. But, alas, I can not. I have taken up all my space at hand, for the moment. While this sounds like a plan, it was hap-hazard. I thought about what I was doing, while I was doing it. I tried to match things up OK, but really, I got lucky. For my fall garden, I have already start to plot and plan. Maybe it will be a little less hap-hazard. However, if my life continues the way it always does, it may not and I will plan as I go along. It hasn't been such a bad plan, after all.

Later taters!

Gardening While Intoxicated ~ A Blog of Note

Check it out, a great gardening blog, I am humbled.

Gardening While Intoxicated

City Girl, grub killer!

Just when I was about to get complacent and think it was getting boring around here, what should mine eyes behold? WORM SIGN!!!

Yep, there it was, little bore holes. Lingering saw dust at the base of the plant. Argh!! I'll get you and your little grubs, too!

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I went to my trusty Rubbermade box where I keep my pesticides and grabbed the BT. We had a dental irrigation syringe that I fetched from the bathroom. Thus armed I headed out the back door to my little gardening table to mix the cocktail of death.

The directions say to use up to 4 teaspoons per gallon. So, using simple math I get 1/4 teaspoon for my one cup I intend to mix up. I filled up the syringe and took it to the infected plant. I just stuck it, the syringe, right into the entry hole. There was no other damage, it looked like it may have just bored in today. I pushed the plunger and wiggled it around. After a couple pushes I pulled it out and saw something on the end of the syringe. It was the grub!

I then went to inspect the rest of my squash population. I found two more entries. One was pretty fresh, so I tried to get it out the same way. No luck. The other looked as it it had been there are day or two and would require surgery. So I went back into the house to get my box knife. With a full syringe, some dirt and my knife I began surgery on the affected plant. Just like they say in the book, I sliced in and found the little bugger. Emphasis on little, both were still VERY tiny. They are now squash borer squish. May they rest in peace.

In all this excitement we took a close look at the beans and noted a blight there. There will be no rest for the wicked tonight. With some research we think it is a fungus. So, I got out the neem and mixed up a spray bottle worth. Research says I need copper, or sulphur. But since I have neither, I will try the neem and hope it works. If if does not, I guess I will be placing another order.

If it's not one thing, it's another. Gardening if very suspenseful and heartbreaking. Since I had the neem mixed up, I just sprayed it on the tomatoes, just in case something wants to blight that, too. It's this hot weather. What happened to spring? Over 95° in June? It's just not fair, I tell you, not fair!

With a prayer to the vegetable gods, I leave in good faith. Later taters!

Yey! rain & squash blossums!

The zucchini are starting to open up. Granted they are all male flowers thus far, the females still have a bit more to mature, but they are there. It is so lovely to see the blooms first thing in the morning. I expect I will have some females to pollinate later this week. :D

Speaking of which, I have silk on the corn, too! Very oddly, because of the blight I had in the corn and their stunted growth, some stalks are only producing silk. It was really windy this afternoon, so I hope the pollen was spread around appropriately. I got out there with my paint brush, but I really don't know what I am doing. Let's just hope my luck prevails and I get some corn.

Needless to say, once I decided that it may not rain on us, I started up the drip system. About an hour into it is when the skies opened up. Figures, huh? Oh well, water is good thing, I am not complaining, really.

I had to work at the last minute this morning and will be working the next three days, so it will be only afternoon gardening for me. Of course, I will be sure to keep an eye on my zukes for females blooms. Mmmmm, I can taste 'em already!

Later Taters!

A day of rest.

Well, really I had to work all day, so I was not home. I had watered REALLY well yesterday, so I was not worried on that note. Then later in the afternoon the heaven's opened up and quenched any thirst my garden may have had. That was all, just thirst quenching, but enough until the morning. I even gave the wren in my fuscia a break. I will try to get a picture of her, so far all I can get is the nest. The plant is hanging out my dining room window, nice while I am sipping tea or coffee.



We saw our first ruby throated hummingbird this evening at the feeder. There has been evidence of them, as the feeders have be drained a couple times, but this was the first siting.The hummingbird is one of my all time favorite birds. I have been fascinated with them since I was a child. Out west we had more then one type, but I'll take the little ruby throat any day. I have two feeders up this year on either side of the kitchen. Just far away enough to allow for territory, but close enough to watch.

Yesterday I went to the flea market and picked up a basket of banana peppers. Tonight I am roasting them on an open fire on the patio. I will tell you what I learned: you really do have to char the heck out of 'em! I keep having to find twigs and such for some more flame since I wasted the early part of the fire not cooking them. Live and learn! Now I will take them off the fire, put them into plastic bags to steam and cool. Then, once I can handle them, peel the skins and put them into the fridge for rellanos tomorrow night. YUM!! Can't wait to do this with some of my own peppers!

Hope you had a great week end! Later Taters!

Done today

Well, I did not spray last night, we had a party to attend, it was VERY hot... so it was put off to this morning. I obly mixed just a quart ofthe rotenone/pyrethrin. BOY! Is that stuff stinky! I used an old yogurt container to mix it so I can then dispose of it. Safety first. I put it into a 16 oz. sprayer that has a fine mist. I like this method because it is easier to get under the big leaves, very important. My method is simple: I pump it a couple times on top of the leaf, then with the sprayer primed, I turn it over and pump the underside of the leaf. I also use a spreader/sticker to help it adhere to the leaf well. This is something I got from Garden's Alive and it seems to be working.

So far so good, I have not seen any more of the moths and I can find no evidence of eggs on the stems. I sprayed the corn too, for good measure, also. No more blight or bugs on that, please. I already had some sort of borer during the whorl stage. I am starting to get tassels. Now I need to learn some more about how the corn stalk grows it's fruit. Sheesh! If it's not one thing it's another.

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TAPS PLEASE. :( I have a death. :( I lost a couple okra plants. This darn heat is what got 'em before I had my irrigation set up properly. So, I replaced them with ones I still have in pots and added another couple drip lines. I think I have it now.

The plan...

As if there was one! Ha! Ha! Ha! For sake of this post, let's just pretend there was.

March 2008, the seeds arrive. Oooo! Seeds have a way of growing more then just plants, they grow ideas. Like little lightening bugs in my head, I had visions of vegetables dancing in my head. All romantic, none realistic, but hey, that's what dreams are made of.

The man had already told me that we really needed to re-consider the vegetable garden. Gas and food prices were getting out of hand, it was a sure way of good food on our table and in our bellies. He suggested that we make a team of it. Ok, fine, you prepare the beds, I'll grow the plants. The first thing to go was the monkey grass.This wonder plant, aka: mondo grass, ophiopogon japonicus and liriope will grow with neglect. It is common in landscaping as an edging. Not to mention it has a pretty purple flower that attract beneficial insects. However, it was in my way and taking over the small patch we had eeked out, added topsoil to and were trying to claim as our garden. Simply put, it had to go!

While man and boy toiled to remove the monkey grass, I bought seeds. I had this grand idea that I would grow the three sisters. So, I bought corn. Because I have a mind of my own, I started them in Jiffy Pot Strips. No one told you weren't supposed to transplant corn. Besides, this isn't transplanting, you plant the whole pot. Ignorance is bliss in my case. In early April, the bed was ready and the corn went into the ground. Once again, without a whit of knowledge, they are a bit close together this year and doing OK. Next year, I will know how to space them better. But hey, if farmers in Idaho can get higher yields on less land, then so can I. It just requires constant vigilance. Who know, if it works, I may never change.

As the monkey grass went, I "planned" the rest of the garden. Along with the corn I started tomatoes and sweet peppers. I am pretty sure 100% of the tomato seeds yielded plants. In fact, only the peppers were less then 95% from the seed company Botanical Interests. I bought mine at Rosewood Market. The tomatoes would go into pots. I just never have much luck with them in the ground. So, I would need to round up enough pots. Ultimately I had 15 in pots, (I am down to 13 now as I gave two to my neighbor). Each pot has a marigold with it.

I ended up selling 13 plants in small pots to a friend at the All Local Market (By the way, IF you live in Columbia, you MUST check out this market.) for $2 each. Ahhh! My first "harvest." I turned around and spent that money on food. Mmmmmm? Do I smell a side business here?

Pretty much as soon as I put the peppers in the ground, I ended up with nine, I started some okra in little pots. I had been searching locally for peet pots without any luck, you would have thought I was looking an alien, and given up to just use small pots.

So a small garden was started and I was pleased. I would patiently wait for the corn to settle in before putting in squash seeds, (I think I was patient for about 3 weeks). I would also wait for the corn to reach at least half it's height (4-5 feet) before I put in beans, (that's it's own story there). That is surely the hard part about gardening: the wait. But wait I did, do and will do.

More on the plan soon. Later taters!

Eeek! a bug!

Ok, it's official, I just spotted the first squash vine borer adult cruising the garden.

KILL IT!!! I have been spraying spinosad, (as Bulls Eye from Garden's Alive!) This should deter the little buggers, but tonight as the sun goes down I will get out the heavy hitter:

Rotenone/Pyrethrin

Watch out bugs!

It is supposed to be yummy food for me!!! If these insects weren't so efficient at destroying a plant, I might share, but no way Jose!

Read more about these pests at the Kentucky State Extension web site. (thanks to them for the picture, too!)

As you can see, I like Garden's Alive. I ordered a bunch of insecticides from them. What makes an organic insecticide organic is that it does not linger on the plant, or in the ground. It often breaks down into chemicals that a good for plants. Ahhh! Science!

City giril what?

Yea, really, I consider myself a city girl. After all, I came of age in San Francisco and if that's not a city, what is? I haven't been a city girl for some time. In 1994 I relocated to Columbia, South Carolina. If you are from South Carolina, then I suppose this is a city. However, from my point of view it was rural, very rural. To it's credit, it has grown leaps and bounds in the 13+ years I have been here. Still, it is no comparison. But it is home none the less.

Gardening has been this elusive thing that was not my dream. My POSSLQ, (Person of Opposite Sex Sharing Living Quarters, pronounced pos-sel-Q) having had this dream of some day farming that I encouraged, cuz hey, that means free yummy food, right? Well, let's just say, his dream has drifted to sailing and wild plants leaving the back yard to fallow and me still wanting free, yummy food. I have tried a couple years to grow some stuff, always hoping he would step in a take over. Not much luck. So, this year I took the bull by horns and have stepped to the plate hoping to fill mine.

A brief personal plant history: I can grow things. I used to live in a jungle in my SF flat. House plants thrived under my neglect. I transplanted, rooted, you name it and rarely did one die. OK, so I have green thumb. This transplanted to the garden just fine for starting seeds. But I lacked knowledge and time to get them to bear fruit and feed me. Let me point out, I have 3 kids and I work. If I had the time to garden, it also meant I had the time to meet my girlfriends for drink, or to just sit in a quiet corner and babble. It never occurred to me that that time could be spent in the garden. Go figure, I never said I was smart.

In March of this year, 2008, I started some tomatoes, sweet peppers and corn. All in Jiffy Strips peat pots. I was charmed, absolutely every one sprouted. I got the man to prepare some beds, he would still have to do the heavy work, that was the deal, and put them in the ground. That is except the tomatoes, that I have in pots on the patio. For the record, I am growing the three sisters, (corn, beans and squash, yellow and zukes), sweet peppers, hot peppers, okra, tomatoes, potatoes, sunflowers and various herbs. I have crammed a lot into a small space as you will see when I get some pix up here.

Now it is June and realize I need a way to keep track of what I am doing this year that works or not, so I can remember next year and make all new mistakes. What better way then a blog. (Needless to say, some of these early post will be back tracking what I have done, just for the record.) This way, if anyone reads it, someone else can learn from me and I from them. Ahh, the Internet, gotta love it. So, gentle reader, read on, post, talk back, let's make yummy food!