“Who would have thought it possible that a tiny flower could preoccupy a person so completely that there simply wasn't room for any other thought.”
– Sophie Scholl
8/14/17:
I've discovered that the main culprit behind chewed-up leaves and flowers on my nasturtiums, begonias and petunias is the stick insect. They might've also moved in on the violas, which are a bit tattered but otherwise flourishing. These bugs are cute, and I don't begrudge them (or caterpillars that wil become butterflies) a taste or two, but when every bloom on a bush has holes in the petals, I need to pick them off my plants and move them outside our yard.
Another thing that's been pillaged is my largest tomato plant. I had two orange-ish fruits on this last week; but on Saturday I went out to water everything and the ripest tomatoes were no longer on the vine! Raccoons? Rats? Our neighbor's human visitors? An odd mystery.
Otherwise, it's been a great summer in the garden. I expect warm weather to continue until mid-October, here in Zone 9B. I'm glad that I managed to try about half of the list for planting in 2017 that I created months ago. While I've yet to see the snap peas sprout, the delphiniums have been even prettier than I'd imagined, the rhubarb is getting along nicely, and the borage is attracting bees.
Another thing that's been pillaged is my largest tomato plant. I had two orange-ish fruits on this last week; but on Saturday I went out to water everything and the ripest tomatoes were no longer on the vine! Raccoons? Rats? Our neighbor's human visitors? An odd mystery.
Otherwise, it's been a great summer in the garden. I expect warm weather to continue until mid-October, here in Zone 9B. I'm glad that I managed to try about half of the list for planting in 2017 that I created months ago. While I've yet to see the snap peas sprout, the delphiniums have been even prettier than I'd imagined, the rhubarb is getting along nicely, and the borage is attracting bees.
Clicking on the small images below will bring up a larger version.
Jasmine-nasturtium-rose tangle.
New fuchsia blooms.
Picking berries, avoiding thorns.
A plant that's survived for years without really thriving is a jasmine bush in a small pot that twines among nasturtiums and roses by the front porch. But it's surprised me this summer by growing good-sized clusters of fragrant white flowers. Another unexpected sight is the fuchsia from my friend Patti: I'd thought it would have blooms of white petals on the outside and a dark pink center, but the buds turned from white to pink and the center is purple! So pretty.
I will be sending most of my now-ripened cayenne pepper crop to my Dad. These are dragon cayennes; previously I grew Joe's Long cayennes and another standard variety. I hope he finds the flavor and heat to be enjoyable.
I've also harvested most of the summer's blackberries. When cutting back the front hedge on the weekend before last, I was careful to preserve the canes that had flowers and berries on them. I twined these into the rosemary and escallonia so that they don't stick out of the top of the hedge so much. Despite being out of direct sun, the berries have ripened perfectly. They're at their sweetest when almost falling off the stem, soft and blue-black. I have gotten to eat many of these before the birds and bugs have, for once!
I will be sending most of my now-ripened cayenne pepper crop to my Dad. These are dragon cayennes; previously I grew Joe's Long cayennes and another standard variety. I hope he finds the flavor and heat to be enjoyable.
I've also harvested most of the summer's blackberries. When cutting back the front hedge on the weekend before last, I was careful to preserve the canes that had flowers and berries on them. I twined these into the rosemary and escallonia so that they don't stick out of the top of the hedge so much. Despite being out of direct sun, the berries have ripened perfectly. They're at their sweetest when almost falling off the stem, soft and blue-black. I have gotten to eat many of these before the birds and bugs have, for once!