We have a worm! No hope for the marigolds. And stuff.

I had to water today since it's been so hot and didn't get a chance yesterday and I think the day before..yikes!

Put some fertilizer down, likely hedged on the less is more amount but some is better than none. Looking over the tomato and what do my eyes spy?

 

Not too camouflaged are you?

Probably about an inch long

So I gently picked it up with an old plant tag that was lying on the ground and moved it carefully to the purslane/spurge/mint bed. The mint by the way looks like it's being attacked by spider mites..or maybe just mud being splashed on it. Not in the mood to worry about that as long as it doesn't get on my plants. Look how big the zucchini is getting! With definite flower buds, gender unknown.

See the grass hanging over the border on the right? Yeah I pulled those off. Those were grass flower heads with potential seeds and not going to have that in my bed. 

So as dry as the dirt is the marigold seeds don't have a chance. Not going to worry about it and may well go get either marigolds or something to put there. Still don't want to buy a 2 cf bag of mulch to put around the plants. First, I would have to haul it from my car to the garden which I could probably do, but not in this heat. Second, it is likely way too much for the two small areas and lord knows what would happen to it if I just left a half bag of it out for whoever or whatever to dig into it.

Still haven't had a chance to ask about the log pile. I mentioned before that there's a lizard that is using that as a home but I also want to build more beds. That may have to wait until the fall when it's cooler. And by 'Fall' I mean possibly not until November as we get hot weather all the way to October when the second fire season starts.

Because of my plant searches and topics more gardening videos and articles are popping up on my phone google feed. One of them (laughable) is 'Martha Stewarts 5 steps to growing tomatoes at home'. First you need about five gardeners, and at least two actual experts to advise you on what to do. Because let me tell you, first you live in one of the richest mansion areas of the northeast, 'The Hamptons'. Second you are not an expert on anything. I watched her 'Thanksgiving special' where she fixed the food (with three other family members) and showed off her china cabinet and a table that sat fifteen and whatever. So call me a bit jealous or just whatever I don't follow advice from anyone unless they're dealing with the same conditions I am.

Now, that's not to say she likely had five very generic things to do that anyone else could tell you and there are people that just adore anything she does. Go knock yourself out. I opened the article and it's apparently her new series 'Down and Dirty' and first up she is teaching one of the Kardashians how to grow tomatoes. Major eye roll here... heavy sigh, close the article.

 

DISCLAIMER: I am NOT an 'expert' I have my experiences to draw from, usually giving what works from hundreds of people, actual more experienced people and using techniques and products that I personally know works for me. I give anecdotes, suggestions, ideas and bona fide references to things that work. Gee wait a minute..doesn't that make me an 'expert'?

 

This is why you always have to check to see where the person is gardening and their experience doing basic stuff. There are even local gardening experts that I take with a grain of salt because they are basing their experience from what worked fifty years ago. Or more! Gardening and what to use has changed drastically just in the past ten years so using the same methods from fifty years ore more ago may not be necessary.

A lot of people (older immigrants) are going by what their 'gardener' or their father/grandfather tells them they need to use. Manure. 

'I need chicken/steer/cow manure' for what? 'oh going to put in garden for fertilizer'. Um...no. You want to stink up the entire yard and have dogs rolling around in your dirt and digging it up, go for it. Manures are still sold because yes, they are good soil amendments but not in small yards. I usually give up and let them use it. Not my yard, not my problem.

As a component of and combined with other compost and amendments yes.  'My father used this all the time and it was fine'. Of course he did and that was fifty plus years ago from the farm down the road (or his own farm) that didn't feed the cows anything but alfalfa, grass and whatever was processed from the fields. You can't trust any of the manures commercially made unless it says it is from an organic farm which is costly and people don't want expensive 'cow poop'. 

There are several versions of organic fertilizers and soils that have guaranteed organic stuff in it including chicken manure or steer manure. It STIINKS! but it's good sh*t hehe.

Oh speaking of stink, since I started working that bed, the smell has gone away from what whatever was there before. Possibly from the cats not using it anymore so there is that. 

Another note, if you are going to work in the garden, you are going to get your hands and shoes dirty at some point. Something else people (mostly women) have a problem with, 'I don't want to get my hands dirty' well you are putting plants in soil soooo, 'do I have to?' Sigh.

I have realized over the years that as short as my nails are, I hate getting dirt in them and on my hands. I started wearing gloves and it was great. Used to not care until I worked at the nursery then realized gloves good. Dirty, rough and chapped hands is bad. So gloves that fit and protect are good, have a grip on the palm and fingers but dry out quickly. I dislike leather gloves unless I'm using a shovel or other tools. I used to have a pair of gloves from the nursery called 'Foxgloves' they were long gauntlet types from knit fabric and grip bumps on the palm and fingers. Great stuff for general use but not very protective from thorns. Lost those when I was fired.

Oh head protection too! Cranial radiation protection is a must. Lost my favorite hat too.