Over the last week I got a few things done around the garden. I took the above beans down. There were lots of overly mature beans on the plant that just got tossed. I really should have been picking them for my townhouse mates, but since I don't eat them, I had just ignored them.
Behind the beans I noticed the fennel seed was ready to pick. I separated it into two bags to dry. One had the dark ripe seeds. The second had the green seeds. I'll eat the green ones and keep the other to plant next year.
On the other side of the same bed is my cabbage patch. I used to have a row cover, but I decided the white butterflies are gone, so they are safe to uncover. I'll get to uncovering the broccoli soon. I might even take off the covers from the carrots too. I can't imagine with the weather cooling down so much that the insects have time hatch any eggs. If there are still carrot flies around. They might be gone too.
The mustard patch is starting to ripen. I picked off any spires that were getting yellow. Hopefully the rest will have time to ripen in the next few weeks. If not I'll pick them green and see what they are like.
Then my husband noticed the preying mantis on our screen door and had to take photos.
I've had so many of these in the garden this year.
Egg Sac
And while I was taking the beans down I found this. It looks like I'll have preying mantises next year too. I attached it to one of the sage plants to overwinter. Hopefully that next generation will keep my garden relatively pest free. I did have few problems with earwigs this year. Maybe the mantises are the reason.
My garden is in much the same state as yours. I think I'll be removing the nets over my brassicas very soon. Don't think I have any Praying Mantises though!
ReplyDeleteWhat are your temps? At what point do you think the brassicas are safe from the white butterflies? I want to uncover my brassicas SO badly!
ReplyDeleteWe are in the 60s during the day and the 40s at night. But I think they are safe because I haven't seen any of those white butterflies around. No butterflies means they are safe.
DeleteI don't think I've ever seen a praying mantis egg sac. Now that I know what it looks like I'll be keeping an eye out for one since I saw a praying mantis in the garden a few weeks ago. It's nice to see that you are getting fennel seeds, you were concerned a while ago that it might not happen.
ReplyDeleteHi Daphne, It seems like we were just planting and planning our gardens and now we are cleaning them up. I saw one preying mantis a couple years ago but none this year. Nancy
ReplyDeleteThat's a first for me (the egg sac). Very cool....I'll never forget the first time I ever saw a mantis, I was little, and I thought it was the coolest bug ever, ha. I'm glad they are one of the good guys, ha.
ReplyDeleteGreat photos of the mantis! I always like to see them in the garden, and even better to see the egg cases. I had a great big one hanging out in the greenhouse the other day, where it is welcome indeed!
ReplyDeleteWe had several mantises in the garden this year, but I had no idea what the egg sacs looked like either - thanks for posting the photo so that I can take care if I do happen to run across one. I've uncovered my brassicas too and they are loving the freedom...or maybe that's just me with no more netting to deal with ;)
ReplyDeleteWe've uncovered our carrots too.. We don't have preying mantises. yje egg sac is fascinating. Do they eat slugs?
ReplyDeleteI don't think they eat slugs. I think they eat insects.
DeleteThe cabbages are looking good. Unfortunately, around here the cabbage butterflies are still flying. They are pretty cold hardy. Nice photo of the praying mantis, have yet to see one here.
ReplyDeleteI'm curious about your distinction between green eating fennel seeds and planting brown fennel seeds.
ReplyDeleteI harvested coriander seeds this year. I waited until they were dark and dry. They have the unfortunate soapy taste that cilantro sometimes has. Should I have harvested them green for eating? Did I wait too long?