Little movement in the garden this week - summer heat is killer.

Garden Log

Container 1

Container 1 Progress

It’s worth noting that this container seems to have something wrong with its weed cloth. Whenever the water runs out it’s brown - full of dirt it looks like. I’m assuming it won’t be a problem before we take that container apart and plant something new in it.

Also, this container seems to have a low soil level. I guess I didn’t put enough in when I made it.

  • Bush beans - I have to pick a lot of bad leaves off of these beans, but they’re hanging in there. Let’s hope they stick around until fall.
  • Flowers - I tore out the white flowers which were closest to the bush beans to give them more room. They’re doing well in their new home and the beans have a little more space.
  • Ginger - It actually looks a bit better than it has been: there’s some new greenish growth I think

Container 2

Container 2 progress The eggplant is looking a bit eaten up and wind-damaged, but it’s flowering which is a good sign: More flowers

I picked as many of the bugs off as I could find and I haven’t seen any of them in a while. There isn’t a lot of leaf growth but I assume it’s putting is energy into making flowers.

Regardless, I’m going to find a nice spray I can make to get rid of the bugs.

Container 3

This container is currently shaded.

This container also had a bout of mushroom growth which seems to have been fueled by excess rain. A few days of sun has cleared up the worst of it. I’ll keep an eye on it though.

  • Parsley - Showing some signs of yellowing. Heat? Mushrooms? Too much shade? Parsley
  • Big pepper plant - The pepper plant does not seem stressed: the leaves are maybe a bit curly, but no yellowing and it’s showing new growth from the stem. Overall I’m optimistic about it Pepper plant
  • Poblano sprouts - We diced up a poblano for guacamole and I figured, why not try to sprout the seeds? So I did: Sprouting poblano seeds It’s turning out rather well, so I planted a few of the sprouts into the same container as the pepper plant. I’m told the two kinds will cross-pollenate which could produce some interesting hybrids!
  • Green Pepper sprouts - Okay last week I said that I was closing this chapter out, but as I was planting the poblano sprouts I found that plenty of the green pepper seeds had sprouted and were making root systems, but no green shoots growing up. No idea why, but I guess I’ll have to keep an eye on them for a while longer.
  • Turmeric - Still big, still healthy.

Green Onions

We’ve been cutting up green onions, so I decided to sprout some:

Green onion sprouts

I just planted the sprouts outside in an out-of-the-way place where they won’t get direct sunlight most of the day, so we’ll see what happens. There’s always more green onions to sprout if they don’t make it.

Fruit Trees

Papaya

Papaya Tree

It’s growing, but the heat and lack of rain recently is getting to it. There’s some yellowing on the leaves, but no signs of it dying on me.

Avocado

Still no movement on the sprouting. I’m told this takes forever but forever is really a long time… Avocado sprouting

Plan

Container 1

Remove the other flower come fall and probably refit the whole thing and replant the beans. Maybe get more beans?

Container 2

Patience: the eggplants will come. Or not. My friend says his aren’t producing much either. Regardless, I need to research some sprays to counteract the bugs.

Container 3

This container definitely needs some drainage updates, but with how full it is I’m not sure how I can affect them without killing everything in it.

Containers 4-6 - Planned for Fall

Possible options:

  • Garlic
  • Onion
  • Green onion
  • Spinach
  • Kale
  • More greens
  • Carrots
  • Broccoli

Fruit Trees

We want the following fruit trees:

  • Avocado
  • Mango
  • Lime

Summer Crops to Plant

It’s getting to be fall time and too late for summer crops, so I’m

  • Yellow squash
  • Cherry tomatoes
  • Okra
  • Southern Peas
  • Sweet potatoes
  • Peppers
  • Eggplant

Harvest Log

Harvest Date Green Pepper Tomato (Beefsteak) Beans Eggplant
Up to now 12 11 0  
6/17/17 2 5(3) 0  
6/24/17 0   0  
7/3/17 0   0 0
7/10/17 0   0 0
7/17/17 0   0 0
7/24/17 0   0 0
8/3/17 8   0 0
8/10/17 0   0 0
Total 22 14 0 0

To Do

  • Find a spray to spray on the eggplant to counteract bugs

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