Heat and Humidity

I am truly sick of the heat and humidity. I haven’t had a good night’s sleep in about two weeks. I don’t have air conditioning and the ceiling fans can only do so much. It doesn’t help the sleeping situation when Max (now down to a slim 72 pounds) insists on sleeping in bed with me – and I mean right next to me. Some part of him always needs to touch a part of me – even if it is just his paw across my leg. I usually don’t mind but it is so friggin’ hot! Ok, I am now whining….off to the garden.
The heat has been good to get a jump start on all those veggies that normally don’t come out until August. I have corn ears already – and have had them for a few weeks. It was only 49 days after planting them. But the raccoon have already found them! Carl the Coyote has arrived and I do have a picture of him to post – but again I am at work and do not have access to my files here.
The spaghetti squash is looking good. I think there are about 10-11 of them so far – which isn’t too bad for 6 plants! It is climbing all over the corn stalks – so much for the 3-sisters method of having the squash grow along the ground to keep out the weeds!
Both types of melons are growing nicely. Lots of flowers! But they don’t seem to want to climb up the trellis I so diligently built for them. They prefer to ramble along the ground twisting themselves in the hay. They require daily intervention to make sure that they stay the path.
The first sowing of edamame has already started to produce beans. I need to keep an eye on them because the harvest window is so short I don’t want to miss them. The second sowing is just starting to flower.
At last the tomatoes have picked up – the Sungolds are starting to turn. I was able to grab a few as snacks the other day – while I was patiently trying to train the cucumbers up their trellis. Apparently this is the year for all tendril growing veggies to ignore the given growth pattern of up – and just grow anywhere they please! I have only been able to snag two zucchini so far. Which makes me sad – there are so many gardens that I see when out walking that are exploding with zukes. I am just hoping that I am a late bloomer.

Berries and Bugs

There is nothing better than fresh picked berries - and I have tons!
All of these raspberries came from one corner of the humungous bush. I didn't even move around. Just top to bottom. The container got full but there are still plenty more to pick.
Found some interesting bugs around the yard too. Look at the size of this dragonfly!

It was hanging out on my back porch for pretty much half the day. I thought it might be dead - but really, how could it hang there if it were dead? Eventually it took off. Well, not sure if it flew off, but it is gone and not on the porch floor.
I also found this little guy hanging around the huechera plant out back. Hopefully it found lots of bad bugs for dinner.

And speaking about bad bugs. My Picasso Petunias are COVERED in aphids. They can hang out there if they want as long as they stay away from my eggplant and any other vegetable I have growing. I am going to brew up a batch of 'saucy spray' just to be safe. Saucy spray is:
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon tabasco sauce
1/8 teaspoon liquid soap
It works on leaf hoppers, aphids and pretty much any other pest. It can also be used to deter raccoons. I haven't tried it on them yet, but the corn is looking really good so I guess an extra big batch will be made today.