25 June 2021

What's growing, and what's not

I went out to inspect the vegetable garden yesterday. The muddy ground is covered with thriving weeds. Other vegetable gardens in the area are in the same sad state. One specific thing I noticed is that my 10 or 12 kale plants have no leaves left on them. I don't know if they've been attacked by slugs, snails, or cabbage buttfly caterpillars. Oh well. This has happened to kale and collard greens I've planted in the past. Wet weather at this time of year is brutal.

The basil Walt grew from seeds is doing fine, but that's probably because it's still in the greenhouse.

We have a dozen or so Swiss chard plants out in the garden. Snails, slugs etc. don't seem to be tempted by them.

The zucchini plants are flowering and already setting fruit.

These fava beans are growing on a plant in a big pot. We'll be saving the beans to plant in the garden plot in autumn.

Here's one variety of artichoke we have growing. Aphids and ants live on it.

And here's another. We grow them not as food but as ornamentals.

9 comments:

  1. Can't you set traps for slugs? And save some of your kales. The basil is luscious.

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    1. The only traps for slugs that I know about are little bowls of beer. If we put out beer, the dog will lap it up. Or it will rain and the bowls will overflow, leave just a bowl of water. Besides, I don't know if the culprits in this case are slugs/snails or caterpillars. I have seen many large, fat snails and slugs in the yard, on the road, and in the greenhouse in recent days.

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    2. As I understand it, there are traps with lids so the rain doesn't bother them. There are holes on the sides of the trap so the slugs can go inside and drown in the beer. Again, if you're worried about the dog disrupting them, it seem you can use yeast with the same effect as beer, but I don't know how that works.

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  2. These are some of my favorite photos of yours! Going to Giverny in the rain today! All is well so fat.

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    1. Hope you have umbrellas! Or hoods on your rain jackets.

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    2. Hi Evelyn. glad you made it safe.
      I ordered a nice and sunny day in Giverny for you today. It probably reminded you of Bellingrath Gardens in your own state. We, Ken, Walt and I, went there in 1998 or 99 and we did enjoy it. All those waterlilies are beautiful!

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  3. I hope the garden takes a turn for the better, soon.

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  4. Your basil looks wonderful as do the artichokes!! I've tried basil in every condition and can't seem to crack growing it.

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  5. I've discouraged some of the local rodents by putting used coffee grounds around the bases of plants, but I gather that's a remedy only if you have clay soil. Don't know if slugs drink coffee or not.

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