Garden Friday

 

 

 

Welcome back to Garden Friday!

Summer has come back to visit

and we are feeling every bit of the heat and humidity

we are usually accustomed to.

The only positive thing I can say about it

is that it does foster abundant blooms like these beauties.

 

 

A load of compost was unloaded from our trailer,

to be used to fill up the raised beds

which have settled since last being filled.

This will need to sit for at least another week

before being added to the beds,

as it may still be too hot to plant in.

I will plan to add some Daddy Pete's to it and mix it in well.

 

Some plastic scraps were placed underneath

the melons to keep them healthier. 

I just cut up some distilled water jugs.

It keeps them off the ground to avoid fungal problems

and promotes better air circulation.

The sweet potatoes, planted at the onset of summer,

are vining out onto the grass.

No flowers have yet been spotted,

so they still have a ways to go.

 

 

It's sad to see even the drought tolerant plants

struggling in the heat.

With no rain to speak of in weeks,

supplemental watering has been helping them along.

 Even the bees are trying to find what they need.

These watermelon rinds were placed in the run,

and the chooks couldn't even get close to them.

I've been feeding the chooks melon rinds all summer,

and I've never seen the bees go so ga-ga for them.

 

The chooks got a layer of organic straw added to their run.

It gives them something to scratch and they seem to enjoy

peeking underneath for new bugs that might be hiding there.

 

 

I'm working on a plan to redesign the chicken run,

including lots of cottage-style plants along the fencing. 

I got this photo from my research online

(sorry, I didn't write down the source),

to help me visualize what I want to add.

I have a very hard time designing garden areas,

and need to find clear examples of what I hope to accomplish.

It might be worthwhile for me to hire someone to make a plan,

but it seems so difficult here to find folks to follow through on jobs.

 

 

This is one of the beds at one of my client's home,

(one I weed quite often),

and it is a good jumping off point to help me with ideas.

This fascinating web was found yesterday,

and it makes me wonder what type of critter created it.

It's a work of art.

 

A few weeks ago, these caterpillars were found on the milkweed.

At the time, I didn't know what they were,

except that I knew they weren't Monarchs,

as the coloring is quite different.

After some research, I found out that they are tussock moth caterpillars,

which, as far as I know, are not native to North Carolina.

One caution with this particular caterpillar

is that their fuzzy outer covering can cause a skin rash.

Here's more about this fascinating creature. 

They have since disappeared, and the milkweed

is awaiting the arrival of the monarch caterpillars.

 

These hot and sticky days don't find me out in the garden much.

I am looking forward to fall planting,

which will occur in the last days of August,

after beds are prepped.

This season, I will not be following a plan,

but simply adding to beds with the crops I know I can grow.

I'm also planning to grow some cover crops

in the 3X8 bed that usually houses our garlic.

Once the sweet potatoes and melons are harvested,

the cover crops will go in for the season.

The garlic will be planted in another bed in October.

What's happening in your summer garden?