More and more tomatoes!

Oh dear - these tomato seeds are a lot hardier than they are promoted to be. I was out weeding the garden and found eight random tomatoes growing around the zucchini. Now that dirt came from my worm bin, not the outside compost bin. Apparently this is Mother Nature's way of telling me to grow an abundance of tomatoes. I pulled them out and put them in the yard waste bin - I am taking no chances. The so-called marigolds I planted along the potatoes are also tomatoes. Just a big-ass welcome sign for bad bugs! Speaking of tomatoes here are the first Sun Golds of the season


Not only are the tomatoes spreading like wild fire this is the first year in I cannot remember how long that the hydrangea bush is exploding




Typically I get one or two blooms and was actually thinking of pulling the whole thing out this year. Apparently it knew it was on the chopping block and is putting on an amazing last ditch effort to survive. Although it is extremely early for it to be in bloom. Everyone around here has full blooms on their hydrangeas and really, they shouldn't be in full bloom until August! I guess the heat is getting to them too (but in a good way). Here is a close up of one of the numerous blooms.

It has been so freaking hot and humid over the past week here that everything needs to be watered every day! God forbid I have a life outside of these plants, which I did last night. I went out straight from work to meet friends and just to spite me my petunias decided to die. I watered them heavily when I got home from work tonight but not sure if my CPR efforts were too late. Stay tuned

What caterpillar?

Out weeding today - damn maple tree - and I found this guy hanging out. I went through 12 pages at bugguide.net and haven't been able to find it! Not sure if it a 'good' bug or a 'bad' bug. I am thinking black swallowtail but sent an email to my regional field coordinator for butterflies to check. Usually they don't have the red dots which is why I question its kind.

Staked the tomatoes today and the Sungolds are starting to flower. My handy book Trowel and Error says it is now time to water with epsom salt. 1 tablespoon to 1 gallon of water. The raspberries are now in full harvest mode. I am thinking I have gotten at least 2 pints in the paste 3 days! I love fresh raspberries.
So, I planted Garden Purslane a l-o-n-g time ago in some window boxes and was caring for what I though was purslane very diligently. Apparently they were weeds! The purslane has succulent leaves and they finally emerged from the soil. Light dawns and out went the weeds and in more purslane seeds. Now I think I got it down pat!