these weeds get deeper as I turn around
It's only technically halfway through summer, but it feels like it's much further. I thought I wouldn't get tired of it until later in the month, but maybe the excess heat we've been getting is making it harder.
Raspberries lasted through about July 8, giving me multiple handfuls every other day for about three weeks straight. It was a tough job, but I managed to eat them all. Next year I supposed I should think about pie or something. The potato plants all fell over, which probably means they are ready to be dug up. I'll probably wait until fall, though. Cilantro all turned to coriander, and I pulled it up. Parsley is fully bolted but seeds haven't dropped yet. Last year's brussels sprouts have seeded and I'm hoping they'll give me some plants next year. This year's sprout plants really never took off.
I'm eating regularly from the kale, chard, and basil. The tomatoes are doing really poorly. Half of them are basically dead, and the other half have some green fruits which drop before they are ripe. I'm not sure if it's lack of regular water, not enough sun (backyard maple is shadowing the garden), too much tomato in that plot recently, critters, or bad luck. The only one I've gotten fruit from is the one cherry plant I let go. But not many fruit from there either. The mystery squash in the garden is growing quite happily over the tomato cages, but I haven't looked hard for fruit yet, so it's still a mystery. All the other places I planted squash plants never really took off, although most of them are still alive.
I gave in and mowed the lawn for the first time in about a month, although it was mostly just mowing weeds. The grass hasn't been growing that much, probably due to heat. I've loaded up two yard bags full of clippings, weeds, and dead stuff, and will probably get another before taking it to recycling.
The apple trees are dropping good-sized apples, but still green. I suspect I have about another month before I have to do something with them besides throw them in the compost. Still on my todo list: get an arborist back out here to trim them some more.
That's about it. I'm having a lazy summer.
Raspberries lasted through about July 8, giving me multiple handfuls every other day for about three weeks straight. It was a tough job, but I managed to eat them all. Next year I supposed I should think about pie or something. The potato plants all fell over, which probably means they are ready to be dug up. I'll probably wait until fall, though. Cilantro all turned to coriander, and I pulled it up. Parsley is fully bolted but seeds haven't dropped yet. Last year's brussels sprouts have seeded and I'm hoping they'll give me some plants next year. This year's sprout plants really never took off.
I'm eating regularly from the kale, chard, and basil. The tomatoes are doing really poorly. Half of them are basically dead, and the other half have some green fruits which drop before they are ripe. I'm not sure if it's lack of regular water, not enough sun (backyard maple is shadowing the garden), too much tomato in that plot recently, critters, or bad luck. The only one I've gotten fruit from is the one cherry plant I let go. But not many fruit from there either. The mystery squash in the garden is growing quite happily over the tomato cages, but I haven't looked hard for fruit yet, so it's still a mystery. All the other places I planted squash plants never really took off, although most of them are still alive.
I gave in and mowed the lawn for the first time in about a month, although it was mostly just mowing weeds. The grass hasn't been growing that much, probably due to heat. I've loaded up two yard bags full of clippings, weeds, and dead stuff, and will probably get another before taking it to recycling.
The apple trees are dropping good-sized apples, but still green. I suspect I have about another month before I have to do something with them besides throw them in the compost. Still on my todo list: get an arborist back out here to trim them some more.
That's about it. I'm having a lazy summer.