A little Greenjeans chat..no Barbie chat:)
About how I love gardening..getting filthy ..could never have faux nails..
It is my form of exercise..I have the sore shoulders..always.. certain fingers etc..yrs of wear and tear.
But I cannot sit.I love nature love watching things grow..
It's the disappointments..that are hard to take
AND
We all know.. how I hate rose chafers..you have seen my morbid pics here..They arrive to the parade first and attack upon arrival..
Then the Japanese Beetles arrive and they are also my arch enemies..I have shown you pics..They munch on roses the most ,but daisies too and clematis.They adore grapevine..Last yr I tried those bag traps..it made the problem worse..we did catch thousands I kid you not..but it ATTRACTS them.Never again..for us..
Guess what has invaded my earth..decimating even feverfew..attacking marigolds..basil..parsley..
I had never heard of them
Asiatic Beetles..That live underground and creep up at night to feast on our hard work.
The EARWIGS with our wet summer they are proliferating
I just spent over an hour spraying with Castille soap and water..but often my mixtures burn the plants..all the spraying needs to be redone after a rain.
So it's not all rewarding here.
I just don't know how to handle these critters.
No pesticides..
And truly the air I breathe is too important to start spraying chemicals like Sevin..etc not to mention what it can do to ecosystems..well I am not allowed and cannot..
Anyone have any tips..zone 5?
I thought my tomatoes were AMAZING..and then all of a sudden all these brown spots appeared on yellowed leaves..and they are contagious.No matter how many I cut.. more happen.
The pests and fungus? Insurmountable..Wettest summer ever..and I was crying for rain.Our grass went from jute..to a golf green.
However a breeding ground ..
I let Gooseneck loosestrife invade one parcel of my territory..(Oli calls our home and gardens our territory:)
I am using up last year's garlic.. by making garlic confit..butter..etc..
Ill soon be cleaning and storing my new cured garlic.
Amazing that the one above is one yr old.
Zinnias.. seeds from a wonderful artist..nature itself..saved from my last year's zinnias.
And proof of failures..because of bugs
This is where my garlic was..its a long stretch in back of garage..partial view
I sowed swiss chard..it all came out beautiful.. ly..until it was gone.
My parsley..same..shiso ..basil..leaves of zinnias..different eaten parts different bugs..
above my feverfew that was about to rebloom..I get two spreads of Feverfew..obvi down to one..
FORGIVE the horrible IPHONE pics lol.Im a DSLR person.
All I can say re veggies..etc..is thank God for ..
I prepped it all this AM,basket to the left..to plant in October..basket to the right..To eat all year.
I used to glam it up..no need leave some dirt..it protects it:)
Anyone watching The Bear?
.jpeg)
Season 2 Episode 6..If Jamie Lee Cutis does not win an award...I will be shocked.
A Small Light is excellent..
.jpeg)
Delicious little Aperol Spritz Snack cake courtesy of HowSweetEats.
:)
Tchin!
I read last year that the sudden demise of leaves on tomato plants is caused by compost that has been made with clippings that had been sprayed with weed killer. If the compost did not have a chance to heat enough for the chemical to dissipate. Happened to me last year with a commercial soil mix that I bought. Bought a different brand this year.
ReplyDeleteThank you Martha..I should really replace that earth..I didn't amend or anything this yr as I had garlic there last yr and felt crop rotation would help..This started a couple of yrs ago.I've now sprayed with baking soda and water and cut off all leaves:(That were affected so..most.
DeleteAfter reading your post I am happy to announce that not one insect has been munching on my Balconville plants🙂. However, I have disposed of New Guinea impatiens. Next will be the petunias. My geraniums are going strong. Mums are in the garden centers. Too early. Please what is the plant in the photo at the beginning of the post. I just finished the 3rd and final season of HAPPY VALLEY. I like James Norton. I loved him in Grantchester. From English vicar to psycho killer. Soon another season of ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING begins. Looking forward to this one. Keep fighting the good fight Monique.🐞🪲
ReplyDeleteI had to join Acorn to watch the final season of happy Valley.I still miss him in Grantchester:) I may try something new for tomatoes next yr.Also finished Doc Martin..That was a fave of ours too..Yay for pest free Balconville Ga!!
DeleteThis has definitely been a trying season for gardeners. Although I don't grow nearly as much as I used to, I have heard others talking about all kinds of infestations. So discouraging. The excessive rain and heat don't help. Let's hope that next year will be better.
ReplyDeleteMonique, I like the idea of loosestrife taking over. Don't you just love that name--maybe we could change the spelling to lose strife...such a wonderful goal for all of us.
Your garlic is amazing and I know you'll enjoy it every single time you use it. And there is still so much beauty in your flowers that remain. Hang in there, dear friend. Fall is coming. We will rip out all the "yuck," burn the vines and hope for a better growing season next year.
Doesn't it always look fresh when we rip it out? Like a promise of next year..Unsightly right now and not used to. a big bare garlic patchI rename thee..Lose Strife..hahaha good one! The grass however..looks grand..lol .Sowing clover was the best idea ever. Have a good AUGUST:)
DeleteZinnias are lovely. The garlic looks so tasty. So sorry about your bug problem. The squirrels are eating our flowers, so frustrating.
ReplyDeleteThe squirrels..why do they make our gardening lives miserable;(((
DeleteThe zinnia photo is stunning. Mine are doing well - planted from seed in June. I will devote more space for them next year. I bought a pack of lime green seeds and only see hot pink and salmon. Sheesh!
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear that critters are getting the better of your garden.
My Pink lime green starting..takes forever lol:)Miss Imaptient here.
DeleteSo sorry about the bugs! I am watching the moles leaving paths around the yard, luckily not too many other varmints this year! Always wild life. I can't believe that it is August already. Summer is so fleeting.
ReplyDeleteSo fleeting..we are getting rain tomorrow so I did back breaking splitting hosta day:(I hate that! Lol..I think I will trade plants with a neighbour and add Japanese Anemones:) A plan! She wants Lose..Strife:)
DeleteThe photo of the garlic -- at first I thought it was pickled eggs -- what are you doing to it and what will you do with it when it is "cured"? New to me! I've read so many blogs (and around the country) where people are having terrible gardening years. The climate -- who says it isn't changing? Oh, that's right -- your hair stylist (and way too many other misinformed people!)
ReplyDeleteAhh..That is garlic that is CURED..and cleaned up to eat all yr..AND plant in October..It hung in my she shed.. with a fan..All the dried leaves removed in the wheelbarrow..and put to rest..all the rest indoors.My pride and joy.CLIMATE change for SURE.
DeleteHair stylist? Is meLOL
DeleteTHEY say we need insects ☹️
ReplyDeleteI spray my ONE nightly mosquito 🦟 with Guerlain Shalimar (2 bottles gifted me by G back in NYC).
Sometimes it works.
I should try planting kale in our courtyard & see what that gets me 😂😱 PB
OMG Shalimar:):):) LOVE.. lol on ms..Im sure we do need insects just not mine;)
DeleteDo you follow WEBSPOON WORLD guy?
ReplyDeleteHe suggests storing chopped garlic in an ice cube & tray ready-to-use
At 5:46 👍
https://youtu.be/jhcdQENcVIk
I don't but ill check him out.. My friend gave me a perfect little garlic ice cube tray..specifically for garlic..cute as a button:)
DeleteFun tips! Watched .
DeleteI hate to see your poor decimated flowers and plants :( Are you allowed to put grub control on your yard? That might help with all the beetles that start from grubs under the soil. When the grubs emerge, we can tell. Tons of holes dug all over our lawn by some animal (perhaps racoons) who dig them up to eat them. We don't have quite as many JBs as we treated early. So happy you're using the garlic cub tray! My zinnias are starting to flower! I wish I would have started pruning them early. Love them to pieces! I've picked Barbie pinks that must have been from your seeds. ♥♥♥
ReplyDeleteYes J puts Nematodes..Grub Out.. it seems to work for certain things..not these,,arrrgh...Same here with the holes that's why we started with Grub Out..I love our zinnias and our marigolds..love seeing that spring in your step:):):):Cutest little tray:)
DeleteMy sister is having to use Castille soap in her gardens also. Earwigs are a real nuisance this year. I hate the darn things. I have not seen Barbie movie, will wait til it comes on television and maybe not even then. Have not see the Bear but will look up. Your garlic always amazes me. I keep trying to get my sister to grow some. I don't have the space these days. xoxo
ReplyDeleteWe have castille soap too:)The Bear is so good and A small light series..unfortunately The lost flowers..the ending is awful.
Delete