Don’t Bug Me

 

The tomatoes vines were ripped from their summer bed today.  12 plants that grew about 9’ tall was quite a jungle to mow down.  I started by hand; but Farmer MacGregor came to the rescue with a gasoline powered gizmo that made quick work to the labor.  Not only were the vines dislodged but their parasites were hopping all over the place.  Farmer MacGregor had them locked onto his T-shirt.  One flew into my hair on my neck.  Ewwwwwwwwwwwwww!  That was it.  War was in full swing.  I used my hands, feet, pruners, and shovel to push these creepy creeps to the other side of life.  Farmer MacGregor used one of his size 10 1/2 sneakers to smash the buggers into the wall they were clinging.There’s gobs more hanging out in the spent tomato vines.  Once there is room in the green waste we will have another battle.  Hopefully, the birds will swoop in and help themselves to a Sunday banquet.  Hornworms, caterpillars, and grubs were cleaned out of the garden as well as the smashed hoppers.

Plans are to have the beds prepped and planted by Saturday, October 1 (or there abouts).

PS – Good news to anyone heading to Bakersfield.  The high today is only expected to reach 79°!  That won’t last long though.  Mama Nature will probably keep testing us well into October.

Everybody Love Watermelon

Two varieties of watermelon were planted this season, Malali and Sugar Baby.  I have absolutely no idea what I have growing in the watermelon patch except for a nagging aphid problem.Pests have descended upon the watermelon patch.  Each morning, I spray the foliage with a powerful stream of water to knock off the aphids.  All day long the lady bugs feast.  Aphids can annihilate a crop so persistence is key.   They pierce through and suck out the sap.  Buggers.  Aphids aren’t the only pest grazing on the watermelon vines.I really don’t know what the grasshoppers purpose on this planet but to make my “squashing” skills more keen.

HARSH

It’s too hot to go work out in the garden until the sun sets.  Even then, butter melts and so do I.  Taking photos require the use of the flash and that means harsher images like this.

Blenheim Apricot

I had my first taste of a garden fresh apricot this morning.  Rather, it’s the first taste I’ve had from this apricot tree.  The sun wasn’t over the Sierras yet while I enjoyed the deliciousness of a juicy, just picked apricot.  Dang it.Golden Bantam Yellow Sweet Corn

Okay the lens is kinda dirty; but that is giving a twinkling effect caused by the street light on the other side of the wall.  There are some ears of corn in there (the garden bed – not the lens) and quite a few bean pods.  Everything in the garden is enjoying the heat (103 today – gross).

These flash pictures may be harsh; but I’ll tell you what harsh is in the garden.  Harsh is how I deal with grasshoppers gnashing on my tomatoes.

Goodbye, turkey.  My attorney will be in touch.

Can you name what classic Jerry Reed song that line is derived?

 

Note:  Listening to Jerry Reed in the garden helps the work more enjoyable especially if you’re dancing with your dog.

Hot Hot Hot

It’s at this time of year when all of us in the garden have been beaten down by the elements.  Gardeners and garden alike are ready to turn the oven off, take a break for a few days, then start planting the fall garden.  Well, not all the garden is ready to toss it all in.  The peppers are in their element.  It’s as if they are collecting the heat of summer into those waxy capsules of ay carambaness.

The Black Hungarian Peppers come in shades of green, red, and black or more like a deep purple.  They are a variety I’ve never tried before because I had never heard of them prior to reading the Baker Creek catalogue.

For the most part they are all a deep shade of purple.  They are hot enough for me.  Farmer MacGregor prefers the Serranos in the salsa to give it a Kung Foo kick.  I don’t need blisters in my mouth to enjoy homemade salsa.

Earlier this summer I found a hornworm munching on one of the Black Hungarians.  I didn’t think peppers were bothered much by pests.  It seems I was wrong.  Last year grasshoppers enjoyed the Serranos.  This year  they seem to enjoy the Black Hungarians.

This handicapped grasshopper was hanging on as best it could to the slick, waxy pepper.  Last fall, there was a grasshopper missing the same leg that hung out in the garden.  I wonder if the garden kitties had a paw in this.

Nuts in the Garden

I’m not growing nuts in the garden.  My garden is going nuts.

The peach tree acts as though it’s in the Southern Hemisphere with its neighbor the plum tree.  Both are currently blooming.

The grasshoppers are invading me like a Mormon nightmare.  This sweet thing is affectionately known as Eileen (I lean.  Get it?!).  I’ve read that hot pepper wax is a good repellent and would like to read testimonials.  I would hate for my broccoli to taste like salsa.

Thankfully, the roses seem to be behaving.  The days are growing shorter and the temperature is bearable.  With that, I will be planting the rest of the fall crop.  Tomorrow Today, I plan to harvest harvested all the pumpkins and pulled out the vines.  This will be hard because there are still blooms on the vines.  I need the room to plant garlic.  Priorities.