I couldn't get out into the garden yesterday. I just kept raining. I have things to do, but I'm afraid of transmitting all those fungal diseases around the garden. Don't get me wrong. I liked the inch of rain we got, but now I need it to to clear up and get sunny so my leaves will dry. The slugs however think this weather is the best. This hefty two inch slug has a lot of friends hiding in that crack. You know it is a bad slug day when they are just going into their hiding places at 9:30am.
The biggest chore I have is to deal with my peas. The Super Sugar Snaps need to be pulled. Yesterday I picked off all the seed peas to dry with the garlic in the garage. the rest of the plants are done. One last picking then pull the plants. The Mammoth Melting snow peas (above) just keep putting new pods out. I can't pull them yet, but they are totally infringing on the squash in the next row over. I have to do the limbo anytime I need to get by. This isn't working out well. I need to find a way to pull them upright and keep them restrained to their trellis if I want them to stay. They can't shade my squash plants.
I also need to get into pick the raspberries. There is a ton of ripe fruit on the bushes right now. I prefer to pick the fruit when the fruit is dry. It freezes and stores in the fridge better that way. I don't wash my berries after I pick them. I don't see a great need to water them down. If it doesn't clear up soon though I'll be out in my rain gear picking. Better that than letting the fruit rot.
The rain has knocked some of my dill down that is flowering. I love the dill heads. I think they are one of the prettiest and most interesting flowers in the garden. Luckily my best plants are still upright. Those are the plants my seed will come from. Strong stems in dill is a very useful trait especially since I have some that are 6' tall.
My beans are starting to come in. I won't pick these yet. They are dried beans - Ottawa Cranberry. These are the least aggressive plants of all the pole beans. Some have made it to the top of the poles, but not all of them. The Trail of Tears dried beans are the most aggressive. I have to keep them from traveling to all the other poles and mixing up the beans. They are allowed to travel from pole to pole in their own section, but they aren't allowed to invade their neighbors. Ribbit was thinking they we cute and cuddly ET beans trying to reach to the sky, but I think they are alien invasion beans. They grow up tall so they can reach down from above and take over. The Kentucky Wonder beans, my only green bean, are much more sedate though they too are reaching at this point. They have the smallest beans right now. They are cute little things at about an inch long. I can't wait for my first bean harvest. I'm getting sick of snow peas at dinner.
I was going to do a little tomato news, but gee this post is too long already I do love to ramble on. I'll put that in its own post.
Hey Daphne,
ReplyDeleteI read on someone's blog that they use crushed egg shells for slugs.
Your garden looks great. Will you do an overview photo soon?
I'm going to be pulling out my peas soon too.
Sending you some bright Wyoming sunshine, could you send a bit of rain this way?
To open your blog and be met with a 15cm sized slug on the screen..blurgh!!!!!!!!!!! Little monkeys, I HATE THEM - I pulled about 20 off my lettuce the other day! Your plot's looking good!!!! Cat @ Manor stables
ReplyDeletep.s Ken says barbies doing her hair! :o)
Your blog is a constant source of inspiration to me. Beautiful vegetables!
ReplyDeleteToni, yup I used crushed eggshells too, but they only work a little. The make the population on my plants a bit lower, but don't get rid of them by any mean. I'll do an overview soon maybe in a couple of days. I have a before and after but I want to see if you can tell the difference in the after. Maybe, maybe not.
ReplyDeletecoffeeandapplepie, lol. Yeah it was mean of me. But it is how I felt walking out the back door. I found one going into the slot, then 15 minutes later I saw another one doing it. Sigh. Too many slugs. If it weren't for the birds I'd be in real trouble. They love my garden and there are a lot less slugs in the garden then in the grass. I think I have those darling winged angels doing some of my work for me.
David, thanks!
ReplyDeleteWell, doesn't he look like a well fed fellow? And I'm sure that he does have lots of friends too :). Your raspberries are make 'n my mouth water, Daphne- mine have been done for a while now. Beans look very healthy.
ReplyDeleteYour beans are really coming along nicely. I'm still waiting on my beans after planting so late due to rot. My poles are just start to latch onto the string :-(
ReplyDeleteI hate to tell you, but the idea of you doing the limbo to get through the garden makes me smile quite a lot.
ReplyDeleteAnd the rain-drenched pictures are so lovely. Such beautiful light. I wish we had some rain -- I do miss it. Soon enough, I suppose.
Tessa, I love the raspberries I have. They bear both in the summer and the fall so I get several months of berry picking. Now I just need to get some strawberries, but every time I try they die via something.
ReplyDeleteDan, well I hope they do well once they get going. As long as they are green beans they should be fine.
Stefaneener, Well I've fixed my problem so no more limbo there. Near the tomatoes on the other hand... I hope you get some rain soon.