Ever since our first trip after planting the garden in 2020, when the deer ate EVERYTHING while we were gone, I am always a bit anxious to see what the garden looks like when we return. Today was a good look – it is growing like mad. It has finally stayed consistently in the 70-80s during the day, even almost 90F a couple of days, so the plants are happy. Now I just need to make sure they get enough water! Dave has worked out a good sprinkler system and it seems to be working OK for this warm but not yet hot weather.
The flowers are really starting to bloom. I have fuchsia blooms and buds, alyssum both white and purples, lobelia, snapdragons, nasturtia, and beautiful sunflowers going right now. And Sweet William/dianthus are taking off. The only ones not doing great seem to be the marigolds!!? I always thought they were pretty much indestructible, but something is finding them very tasty!
The garden itself is doing OK – the sugar snap peas (the only ones left) seem to have petered out although there is amazing leaf growth going on, the green beans are coming up, the garlic keep growing, and the corn is taking off. The zucchini and yellow squash are doing OK. And lots of tiny little carrot sprouts are showing up. They take so long to sprout! I think I am giving up on cantaloupe and watermelon from seed – NOTHING yet either in ground or in the peat pots. Hmmm… I may have to stop by Green Acres after the gym tomorrow and find some plants! It is so convenient for that store to be right next to the gym! I tried picking some garlic before we left for the beach…said it looked ripe..and got mini garlic instead. I left the rest in ground and will try again tomorrow. The mini vegetable harvest continues from last year!
The other thing I like about working in the garden are the animals of course. There are so many lizards and I root for them to eat all the dang bugs every day! So many earwigs! I will also get diatomaceous dirt tomorrow at Green Acres to get those rotten things. All in all, it is quite fun to leave for a week, and come back to a growing garden!
