Yesterday I didn't really have time to notice all the little changes in the garden. I had bigger issues to deal with. Today I had a bit more time. Before I left, I replanted some carrots for the third time. Most of the first sowing came up, but there were holes. The second sowing didn't do well. This sowing I did a little more heavy handed, so I'm getting lots of germination. And of course I'll have to thin a lot. I also planted some onions and radishes near the broccoli. They are all coming up just fine. The chard is still not up. It always seems to take a while, and doesn't always germinate.
I also noticed the bad. The mildew is slowly taking over the cucurbits. They were all effected except my late sowing. Whenever I see it, I cut off the offending leaf. We have had nothing but rain, rain and more rain. The air is so humid every day. It is perfect mildew weather. So I'm actually surprised that the things aren't dead yet. Usually they do die around the middle of August, but this year has been so bad they ought to have succumbed already. I think the constant spraying has helped a lot. However I haven't been able to spray for about two weeks now, due to rain and vacation. I have my compost tea all set. Maybe tomorrow it will quit raining long enough for it to be worth spraying again.
My nemesis the evil chipmunk has been trying different veggies. There is a bite out of one of the eggplants and one of the zucchini, but the bites are small. He obviously didn't like them all that much. So this morning I found another decimated tomato on the ground. Sigh. At least he ate most of it and didn't pick two. But I suspect that I'll have to buy my large tomatoes this year if I want any. I can't wait for the Verril Farm's Corn and Tomato Festival. It is this weekend. Yum. Last year there were thirty varieties of tomatoes to try.
Since it is mid August already, I took the row covers off of my second sowing of cucurbits. I had them on to make sure the borers didn't get them. They are such cute little plants compared to their older siblings. The zucchini pictured here is about the size of one of the leaves of the older zucchini plant. Since they are planted near one another, I have to keep the older leaves from shading the new plants. I have stakes pounded in that hold them back. They really want to invade and take that sunny spot over too. You can see the new zucchini plant is already sending out male flowers. Its first zucchini is going to be so small compared to what I've been getting. And I've been getting way too much. I had two summer squash left over from before my vacation, and five from yesterday and today. So I resorted to grating all but one of them and freezing it. I packed them up in 1 1/2c packages, which is just right for one loaf of zucchini bread. Though they may end up as soup when it gets cold.
Looks like your fall crop is doing well so far. That pesky chipmunk hasn't been any help in that matter. I guess too much rain is just as bad as no rain for the veggie garden.
ReplyDeleteYour little carrot seedlings look so cute. We had too much rain here for a good summer harvest, but I'm hopeful about our fall crop since it's so much warmer. I wonder if there are any baffles you could try to keep the chipmunks away. We're constantly battling deer in my yard, but sometimes milk jugs strung up on poles help.
ReplyDeleteSadly yes, too much rain is bad. It isn't as bad as no rain, but still it encourages lots of mildew and rotting. I'm actually surprised at how well things are doing with all the rain. I often have a lot of rotting and mildew in good summers. Our average summer rainfall is 3-4 inches a month (and humid). We easily had more than that this last week. It has been a rare week this summer without at least 2" of rain. I really think the spraying that I've been doing this summer has saved my garden. My tomatoes have lost a few branches due to disease. Usually they have lost most of their foliage by now(even in good summers). But the good part about the rain is that I haven't had any tomato end rot yet. The tomatoes the chipmunks are eating are perfect. ;>
ReplyDeleteI really need to go out and buy bird netting. That does keep them mostly away. They tend to get tangled in it and don't try after a while. Since I cage my tomatoes it is really easy to wrap them up. I don't care much about the Orange Blossom tomatoes anymore. They are almost done, but I would like to taste an Aussie tomato and get more of my cherry tomatoes.