Garden Friday

Welcome to Garden Friday!

Summer's fading fast and cooler temperatures are on the way!

Here's where the garden is on this 2nd week of September.

The okra forest is getting ready to be removed.

With fall planting ahead,

I need to make room for our new raised beds.

Next year, less okra will be planted (it was a prolific producer),

and they will be settled into straw bales.

The harvesting is much easier because they are off the ground,

and they do quite well in them.

This was yesterday morning's harvest,

which allowed me to make two jars of pickles,

and have another dozen for roasting.

The two varieties grown this season were

the Clemson Spineless and the Bradford Family Heirloom.

The runner beans seem to enjoy the hot, dry conditions.

This is a new crop for me and I think I will grow it every year.

It's been trouble-free and very low-maintenance.

 The sweet purple blossoms were an added bonus.

 The dried beans are picked off of the stalk and left out to dry.

I hope to have a Mason jar full of shelled beans to use throughout the year.

They also make great sprouting beans.

So far, the t-shirt slings seem to be keeping the melons cozy.

We have 5 or 6 that are growing and doing well.

 Some have been overtaken by critters.

I didn't bother to do anything about these,

just let things run their course.

I'm hoping the beneficial insects will balance things out.

That's something I've been leaning more toward,

trusting nature to keep things in balance.

The loofah took its time getting started,

but once it did, it never turned back.

There are still a ton of blooms on the trellis,

attracting all sorts of pollinators.

 Some of the gourds are turning color on the vine.

I've been told that it's best to let them get brown and dry before harvest.

There are more than I can count at this point.

I love me a carefree crop!

The strawberries in the straw bale looked almost dead at one point.

For some reason, they've perked up.

If I can keep them alive a little while longer,

perhaps we will be in for a tasty treat.

I'm thinking they may need to be covered with loose straw over the winter. 

Research is in order...

The white sweet potatoes have taken over the entire east side of the garden.

With dozens of blossoms and vines running amok,

they don't look close to being ready to harvest.

I'm waiting until the foliage starts to turn brown and dry up

before I begin the treasure hunt for spuds.

sweet potato blossoms

The orange sweet potatoes are far behind,

but are at last climbing the arches.

 The eggplant has been getting picked weekly.

There are two varieties growing, 

the long purple (Japanese) and Diamond.

Scrumptious!

milkweed seeds

Although I tried to locate them,

the four Monarch chrysali could not be found,

although I know that all four caterpillars grew to adult size.

It's probably too late in the summer to count on any more

making it to that stage. 

Hopefully, next spring and summer, 

we will have many to enjoy.

Look at this amazing spinner I found yesterday.

S/he was dangling from the maple tree

and appeared to be suspended in mid-air!

 This week, Big K and I were finally able to go and pick up

some free mulch, offered by our county.

This will be used in flower beds and underneath trees,

once we get our layer of newspapers laid down.

zinnia

The new rain gauge I got for my  birthday a couple of weeks ago,

has regretfully not had much use.

We are dry, dry, dry,

but ever hopeful that rain will grace our garden.

I'll be taking some time off from blogging,

but will be back here next week for Garden Friday.

Wishing you continued blessings...