Hot Hot Hot.....

Boy it's hot!  The past few days have been just hot and humid and downright terrible to deal with.  I can't garden or do anything with this heat.  Right now I have to get out there and pick strawberries and asparagus, and I just know it's going to be miserable!

Speaking of the asparagus.  Holy cow!  It got hot and it's growing like a weed.  I picked about 4.5 pounds a couple of days ago and I should have picked last night and didn't and today it's out of control.  And more of it is starting to show up. 

I'll post some photos after I get out there and show you my harvest for today!

Deer.....

Well, deer....not dear.....we need to talk.   Talk about STAYING OUT OF THE GARDEN....

The fence is there for a reason.

Ok, so I'm trying a new approach to the deer fencing this year.  With the addition of the extended garden, I can't afford to put up conventional fences....it's just too expensive.

I saw on youtube a video where a guy used 30# test fishing line to keep the deer out.   String it tight and when the deer press against it they don't like it and they can't see it to jump over.  I did 3 strands and thought I was good.  Well......

This morning about 6:30am I ran out to let the chickens out.  What do I see.....a deer in my garden.  Now granted the only 2 sides are done with the fishing line.  He or she ran up to the top edge and stopped short of the fence.   Hmmmmm.....going to stay in there or what.  Next, and I swear it happened, it stuck it's tongue out at me and slipped right through the middle and top row of line!  WHAT!?!?!?!?!

Ok so now I have run three full sides and half of one.  I still need to get the tractor in there so it's partially open.  AND I made it 5 strands not 3.  I'll be out again in the morning to check on this stinking deer.  Going to first rake all the footprints out and stalk those buggers.

It may be kinda hard to see but it's there. 

What's planted now!

Yesterday was a hot and humid day.  I think it was near 80 but it felt so much hotter.  Especially when the clouds let the sun through.  I felt like I was baking! 

I re-tilled an area that was a new section of garden, connecting two gardens together.  It was a pain to mow and not get grass in either the strawberries or the garden itself so I just tilled it up.  It is now home to the corn!

So corn went in yesterday, 3 rows.  In another few weeks I'll get another 3 rows planted.  If there is seed left over, I plan on doing a row or two in the upper garden.  Hopefully we will get a good crop this year.

The past few years, we planted silver queen corn.  It was a disaster!  Hardly any yield to speak of and then the stink bugs got them.  This year I chose a bi-color variety, Luscious.  And I'm going to attack those darn bugs with a soapy water bath when they come around!

Things are getting there, but slowly!  I am planning to get the seeds I have started into the ground this week.  I must be done! 

Next time.....my new deer repellant system......cheaper and I hope it works!

Some photos

Here are a couple of photos of what's blooming.

More planted, more to go! And I saw some new flowers!!!

Yesterday I did some tilling.  Yes, I know you Back to Eden purists are cringing right now, but I did it anyway.

I did get about 1/2 a row of stringless stringbeans planted and a few lettuces I had growing in pots.  I plan to start some more and have a rotating crop.  Some didn't germinate.  I guess that is a good thing, then they aren't all coming in at once.  There is NO way to preserve lettuce and we can't eat all of it at once.

I planted today some spinach and the rest of the baby bok choy.  I tried some over a month ago and only a couple came up.  Crossing fingers I have better luck this time.  The ones that did come up I see are being eaten by something, so I am going to break out the DE and dust the dickens out of them.  And I found some slugs, baby slugs, but still....they'll be getting the treatment too!  *evil laugh*

I noticed this morning that my peas looked like they were either getting new growth or some flowers.  This afternoon I can confirm they are flowers!  That means peas around the corner.  This variety is called Strike Peas.   I purchase a lot of my seeds local from Amish farms.  They told me the must be staked.  I did some research on the internet and found they only get about 2 feet tall and staking is optional.  Hmmmm......I went the optional route!  Why not and see what happens.  They did only get a little more than a foot tall and seem to be ok so we are going to let things be for now.    I can do a fall planting and maybe stake them...or not...

I will have pictures to post later.  I must run to a baseball game for my son.  That's been my life lately.  So, check again tomorrow....I'll have more growing updates then.....

Radishes are up.....

Our frost date was this past weekend.  I never trust those dates and for good reason, two days later we had a frost!

The potato plants took a little hit.  Yukon golds more than the others.  I believe they will be ok.  I did hill them once already before the frost hit.  Strawberries made it with no damage. 

Here is the first veggie that I planted from seed this year.  These are Saxa II radishes.  They say they are ready in 18 days but these took about 6 weeks.  Maybe it was a bit cool for them to get started.  I also have some baby bok choy that I planted around the same time.  Most of it didn't survive but I think there are a few still going.  I'm going to plant more so no worries there.