Notes for July 14, 2008

I just emptied 0.3" from the rain gauge. Looks like I will watering later this week (nothing forecasted until next weekend).

I removed another hornworm from the tomatoes too.

Notes for July 12, 2008

I watered everything again last night and in between watering I trimmed and tied my tomatoes.

I pulled off two hornworms last night and two this morning.

I picked two cucumbers last night.

I pulled out the first row of green beans and picked off all the beans this morning and then planted a row of lima beans.

The wax beans I planted last week sprouted during the week and are about 4" inches tall today. I am not very pleased with the germaination (only about 70 percent, which is low in the warm weather), so after the wax beans I have are used up, I may just stick to green beans.

Notes for September 2, 2007

Yesterday was a fairly productive day. Since I cut the grass on Thursday, I had the required chores out of the way.

The first thing I did was to move both of my compost piles. The one was too close to the veggie patch and was getting in the way of picking cucumbers. I moved this one one block length further away. The other I moved from behind the shed to the backside of the first one. Now I still need more cinder blocks for it. I use cinder blocks for holding my compost piles.

After moving the piles, I got out a new toy. My neighbor gave me a used string trimmer a couple of weeks ago and I made my rounds around the whole yard (1st time completely). I'm still learning how to work it.

After trimming the yard, I finally was able to put the concrete edging in the ground that I had sitting in place for about two months. Now I can prepare the soil inside for another perennial bed. I still have enough edging for another bed and I had to start it yesterday but the big boss had other things on her honey-do list. I then cleaned up the grill and cleaned off the back patio for possible picnic/barbecue on Monday.

While picking tomatoes and cucumbers yesterday, I found two tomato hornworms. One was covered in egg sacks, so I left him alone and the other I pulled off and buried him under some mulch before stepping on him. I also picked green beans and will pick more next week. Next week I will pull the plants and plant some more radish and spinach.

I also thinned the radishes that are coming and did some pre-thinning on the spinach and beets that are coming up. The carrots that I planted are now coming up too.

Notes for August 27, 2007

It was so hot and humid on Saturday morning that I cut short my work list since it felt like I had been swimming in my clothes by 10 AM.

I did pick tomatoes and cucumbers and green beans, pulled a bunch of weeds (enough that I had to use the rake to gather up the piles) and then I planted new seeds. I planted carrots (first try), beets, radish and spinach. My harvest of tomatoes and cucumbers is starting to slow. Instead of picking a bag and a half of tomatoes, I only picked a half a bag.

While picking tomatoes, I removed two tomato hornworms and I tried not to disturb the praying mantis. While picking green beans I noticed that the lima beans are starting to form pods and that several green beans have wrapped themselves around the sunflowers.

Notes for August 6, 2007

Rain! Yes it's finally happened. I emptied about 1/2 an inch from the rain gauge this morning and there is more rain forecasted today. Hopefully we'll get some. Last night we did have a small thunderstorm cell pass overhead and we did hear it down pour. We also heard it thunder and we all jumped out of skin when he had lightning hit nearby (like when you hear the thunder just as you are thinking that was a bright one and the thunder shakes the house before you can say it).

The tomato horn worm has been active and I have removed several over the weekend. I found one that was covered egg casings so I left him alone. Over the weekend I was happy to see that he hadn't moved from the spot I found him.

I picked green beans Saturday morning but it's been so hot without any rain they were rather wilted. I will have to try and remember to pick them on the day after I water them and maybe they won't be so wilted. They seemed to be OK after I put them in the refrigerator.

Notes for August 3, 2007

I didn't get to water last night and the impatiens were crying out to me too. Although this morning they didn't look bad. I hope to water them tonight as well as everything else.

I did pick veggies last night (cherry tomatoes, regular tomatoes and cucumbers). I hope to pick green beans tomorrow.

I picked off my first tomato hornworm of the season last night. There were no egg casing attached, so I smashed him on the ground.