Garden Friday

Welcome to Garden Friday!
It may be officially autumn, but it still feels like summer.
Fall planting has not begun,
as we await cooler temperatures to get things started.

 It hasn't rained in over a month,
but the twice a week watering seems to be enough
for the sweet potatoes and a few other crops.

 The pollinators are getting what they need.

sweet potato box

With the melons ripped out,
the arches will soon have room for the snap peas to climb.

 The Red Ripper beans are starting to slow down,
with leaves turning brown and less blooms showing up.

Even the strawberries are faring well,
considering the lack of rainfall.
The straw bales really hold in the moisture.

black-eyed Susan vine in straw bales

 The basil was a late comer to the garden,
but is still doing well, even with 90 degree days.
We have had temperatures at or above ninety for 80 days straight.

 I started tearing out the okra,
which was easier than I thought,
but I'll leave the rest of the task for the weekend.
The plan is to pick up the materials needed for the new raised beds
next week so that fall planting can begin.

The loofah thrives on drought.
The flowers just keep on coming
and we're amazed to see the size of the gourds.

This is about the stage that they are being harvested.
The copper-colored, brittle skin is easily removed
to discover the scrubber underneath.
We've started shaking the peeled gourd to remove the seeds.

When tearing out the cucumbers,

this big guy was unearthed.

It's since been made into cuke salad.

Last weekend, we were finally able to empty the trailer

of the free mulch we got from the landfill.

Our county provides it to residents

and we have been blessed with many a load.

The pile of cardboard and newspapers was bothering me on the front porch,

but it needed to stay dry until we could get the mulch.

So glad we got this project done, so we could tidy this up.

Newspapers are used as a weed block

anywhere that might be planted,

like under this tree.

It would be nice to add some shade lovers underneath,

and the newspaper makes it easier to add plants later on.

Cardboard is better used for walkways,

where no planting will take place.

I like the way the mulch helps to dress things up.

We recently learned about a nearby tree trimming company

that is located near our neighborhood.

We are supposed to be on their list for free wood chips.

If we get a delivery soon,

the wood chips will be added to the front facade

over the mulch.

I'm hoping to get some bulbs planted this fall
to add a bit of color to the front of the house.

 Elsewhere, the blooms haven't stopped all season.
The butterflies have been all over the zinnias,

 and we are happy to oblige them what they need.
They get nectar, we get blooms,
everybody wins!

black-eyed Susan vine

 We've been doing our best to keep the bird baths
clean and full, using water from our rain barrels.
It's been so dry, that the birds, bees, and squirrels have been frequent visitors.
We keep stones in the bird baths (usually lids from pots)
so that the butterflies can make use of them to soak up moisture.

It's been a long, hot and dry summer.
With no rain in the forecast for the next week to 10 days,
it might be time to start a rain dancing ritual.
 I'm up for it!