Month: July 2015

what’s growing

An unending bonanza of tomatoes. The small one are more intensively flavored with black cherry (the round dark ones) leading the way.  So far very little pest pressure,  My recollection is the stink bugs and other tomato lovers proliferate toward the end of the season. Basil are growing strongly and in the pic below you can see watermelon vines spreading in all directions and burgundy okra which have some weeks to go. I again planted my peppers late (the first batch were freeze Read more [...]

when things go wrong

When I last mowed the grass/growth in the main chicken paddock, I left the center unmowed because the clover was in bloom and pollinators were busy.  So on Tuesday I fired up the lawn tractor (see prior posts on various repairs including welding of deck) and as I did the first outer loop happened to notice a clutch of eggs in a hollow at the base of a pine tree. Three hens participated and since no one was on patrol I assume convenience and the summer heat contributed to the decision - why Read more [...]

a walk round the yard

The week of rains around July 4 really helped me out.  My rainwater tanks with capacity of 6,000 gals were empty and I was planning to pump from a disused well, when the rains arrived.  Solid drenching rains and my tanks are full. The Rose of Sharon hibiscus is in flower again - it must produce prolific pollen since all types of insects visit it, though the most industrious as usual are the bumblebee.  I was sorry to read that raised temps are adversely affecting them. Between Read more [...]