Here's some gross: the rain and humidity and heat were so bad that our outdoor fiber rug on the cement patio had algae growing on it! I'll spare you photos of that scrubbing evolution. I'm hoping to at least get the gravel perennial beds and sitting area cleaned up. Hubby's sister and brother in law that are coming are from Arizona and are used to heat, but she's well into her summer pregnancy and I fear she may suffer greatly when hit with our humidity here!
There are SVB killed squash vines that need to be pulled, tomatoes that need to have blight trimmed, a couple of the Hillbilly plants have to be ripped out they are so far gone. I won't even talk of the grapevines and weeds that have taken over...
This is my pathway in front of the garden, you can see the grapevines have now crossed over into the perennial garden and have started attaching themselves to the ornamental grasses. Above that it's hard to see but the Scarlet Runner beans have crossed over at head level and attached themselves to the Purple Vitex tree LOL. I need a machete and a bug suit!
In the photo below it looks pretty enough, but on closer inspection, some of the yard long beans have wrapped all around the Poblano peppers and there are BUGS everywhere!
In the shade all of the oregano is blooming and alive with bees. I just allow it to self sow every year and my oregano patch is now huge and is a regular part of the perennial gravel patio area.
The harvest yesterday -
I made an easy pasta salad with some of the tomatoes and peas from the freezer with balsamic dressing and feta, easy dinner, but it didn't make a dent in the tomatoes LOL, I'll be saucing again tomorrow after harvesting a few more.
Yesterday brought the largest Brandywine of the season so far at 2 lbs, 1 oz - even if it does look like a butt :)
The loads of tomatoes ripening are almost all picked out, tomato plants don't set fruit well when temps are in the 90's consistently, so I'm hoping the plants make it to late August and September when they really kick into their final big production.
Poor Erin! Mother Nature just won't give you a break this year. If I were you, I'd just tell her to take a hike, mow the garden down and live at the beach the rest of the summer. I really wouldn't, but I'd threaten her with it.
ReplyDeleteAck! It's no wonder you aren't having fun with it all. OMG your poor SIL is in for a rough week. Dry heat vs. your thick air. Oooh boy...crank up the AC.
ReplyDeleteOh the joys of summer. It doesnt seem to be any better anywhere. I think Annie's Granny might be on to something. Mow it all down and think of all the time you would have to enjoy the summer. If it doesnt rain soon, I think I may take her advice.
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry Erin! ((hugs))
ReplyDeleteAt the end May is when I really hang my gardening hat up. You just can't do it living in a sub-tropical environment.
Your poor SIL! Have lots of ice on hand and she can put her feet in a bucket of ice water. When I was pregnant that's what I used to do to keep cool.
ReplyDeleteHigh humidity and bugs! Yeesh, I'd go to the beach too and let the plants take care of themselves.
I told you if you kept it up with the Brandywines, I'd get you. I'll keep it up with the heat, humidity and bugs until you HAND DELIVER ONE DOZEN PERFECTLY RIPE BRANDYWINES. If my demands are not met, I shall unleash a swarm of grasshoppers to finish you off. Bwa-ha-ha!!
ReplyDeleteSeriously , though, sounds miserable. And here I complained that it was in the mid 80's. Sorry.
I hear you on the heat. It's brutal here as well. We've hit the monster beatle jackpot this year. I don't know where they came from, but they're larger than a Hummer.
ReplyDeleteSue sounds like me-if I had to put up with that awful south heat and humidity,I'd head for the ocean--oh,you are gonna do that already you didn't list the recipe for the pasta-I know they are all alike-I want to find one person that doesn't use all those fancy ing. expensive olive oil and feta cheese.do you have to watch for those wield things in the water ,like the kind with spindly legs or things that go bump in the night- a big bug bite that swells in the middle of the night---he-he.one time we bought a very large ice -block and set it in front of the fan. I SAT THERE TILL IT MELTED!
ReplyDeleteYuck! It's been ugly here in Northern Indiana, but not THAT bad. I've been heading out in long sleeves, overalls, big wide hat and head net early in the morning to weed what I can until melting down and running for the house. Your tomatoes are gorgeous thought, ours are just going past the green marble stage here. I keep hoping for nicer weather, but not yet.
ReplyDeleteHere's hoping for a break soon for you.
Oh, my heart goes out to you! And your SIL, I would HATE to be pregnant and deal with the heat and humidity. Ugh. Go put your flip flops on, grab your beach towel, load everybody up and head to the beach. That's my vote, anyway!!! Oh, and get a slushy on the way there!
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I do not know how you stand it! (Just what choice do I have, she says.) You suspected you were going to have a "weird" summer, but I think you were thinking more along the lines of hurricane action interspersed with more tolerable weather. Nobody is going to judge you on your garden. There's simply only so much you can do when Ma Nature deals you the hand she has. Do keep giving us updates but don't try to do the impossible. It's out of your (capable) hands this year.
ReplyDeleteHope you found that bug suit! What a terrible year for gardens... Have a great time at the beach!
ReplyDeleteYou inspire me cuz! We are just starting our suburban farmstead project and I have been combing your blog for tips :) Have fun with those other cousins.
ReplyDeleteWOW, Erin. You are getting inundated with tomatoes. Good for you. Though your garden doesn't look as out of control as you think....then again, we've all seen how organized and neat your house is.
ReplyDeleteOh, my long beans are doing absolutely nothing!!!! What gives?
Gran, I sure have been tempted to mow the whole thing down this year, LOL, but I've decided I'm not going to kill myself out there this year - I'll let things go as long as they want to, but I'm not going crazy standing out there handpicking bugs and stuff and when it all goes to heck, then it goes :)
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APG, no kidding, I hope at least the humidity drops while they are visiting!
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Jane, too bad we can't just split the difference on the rain thing!
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Dani, I'm glad you told me that - here I was thinking you were gardening hard all summer long and I've always wondered how you extreme Southeasterners do it! Now I feel a little better :)
Sparkless, I think the garden is officially on autopilot LOL... problem is, once it's nice again this fall I will be all mad at myself at the mess I'll have to contend with!
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Sue, hey your grasshoppers arrived the other day!!!! Seriously, I saw them and thought "OF COURSE you are here... I've never had them before, but OF COURSE you would hop into my yard this year"... LOL - I call them "locusts" since it makes me feel all "Laura Ingalls-y" :)
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Ribbit, I agree on the Hummer beetles, they are inSANE this year!
Judy, don't knock yourself out on pasta salad, it will be great no matter what you throw in there! Either mix an easy balsamic/olive oil mix - doesn't need to be expensive stuff - or just use an oil type store bought dressing. As for the Feta, I had a coupon for $2 off for a big container and I went ahead and bought 2 since that stuff stays good in the fridge until almost December, so the big containers only cost me $3 apiece and they will give us many, many salads. Another inexpensive option if you don't have any good coupons is to buy a block of Mexican Crumbling cheese and use that - as long as you have some fresh veggies in there it will be good no matter what!
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Trailshome, the weather has been bad all over, hasn't it? Nobody is getting off for free this year :)
Dirt Lover, I'm sure we'll be at the beach under a big umbrella while she's visiting!
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Mama Pea, funny you mention that nobody will judge my garden - I admit I always feel like a failure when things get so out of control. This year however, it seems like so many of us are dealing with random setbacks that we are finding safety in numbers LOL
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MamaTea, I thought I wasn't going to have to buy that bug suit until we moved back up north LOL, I was wrong!
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SCKgrl, check you out with your google/blogger name! Woohoo! Are you blogging on the developing home & garden yet? I'd love to see your Colorado garden and how it develops - I don't think I have any CO people that I follow so your climate would be another interesting one to know about from a "real" perspective. Tips? Here? HA! You picked a bad year as you can see from all the armageddon stuff going on :) The boys sure are looking forward to seeing their auntie and uncle - and are pretty excited about having a new cousin!
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Thomas, don't worry about those beans - they will come in August or so. You really don't even need to plant them until July, as they will just kind of sit in a limbo status until summer gets really hot. Last year I planted in July I think and they shot up like rockets and produced in a few weeks, this year I planted in May and they are just now climbing LOL
A 2 pounder mater! Holy smokes! I'm so excited to be growing brandywine after seeing that! How many tomato plants do you have?
ReplyDeleteWe have a bad mosquito problem in our yard too. That's because behind our house is a very large swamp, which is mosquito heaven. I don't go out to my yard without completely dousing myself with bug spray. Otherwise I would be eaten alive.
meems, I have 6 Brandywine plants, and have gotten 45 lbs from them so far!
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