Got out a little earlier today

 It's only going to be in the mid to high 80's but humidity is up so we are closed up with a.c. already. Did a quick check on everything in the garden, walked Rocky so he could check for lizards and staying inside as much as possible today.

Another hole in that bed. I'm hoping that they are staying there because it's safe and undisturbed. The cucmbers I am exceedingly proud of so far but am dismayed by the leafminers.

That's an older leaf but even the newer ones have it. Again, I don't have the money at this point to get the spray that will possibly help. The product that really does help, is expensive and is systemic but dosed for vegetables, and again, if this were a home I owned I would have the full arsenal of things needed.

A little nibbling going on with the beans but they are also doing fantastic. I am so glad I found that free mulch!

See the white center of those sunflowers? That is a flower bud forming! The biggest one..... no flowers, might just pull it up because it's only going to be leaves. I could wait and see if any side shoots develop but honestly, it's not a fruit just something decorative that survived.

So rather very much disappointed whatever happened to that. I keep trying to look at the center and try to figure out whether it was eaten or snapped off but given what it's supposed to look like, I am hedging to eaten.

One more beauty shot at that cucumber. Realizing that it had tendrils, and even though it's a bush and won't grow very big, I put a pole in next to it to try and accelerate the growth. It worked with the peas, why not? It's definitely stretching out at the top so hedging my bets and giving it some support.

That's it for today, didn't need to water because, I've got mulch!

And it goes on... but I watered

 Definite gopher activity in the fence bed so far no signs in the other ones. I didn't get out there until about noon so things were a bit wilty so watering was done. It's windy but it's a warm wind so no help there, won't cool down until the sun is  behind the building to the west.

The holes were filled in and dirt was pushed around. You can also see how dry the soil is that was not covered. The mulch dries out quickly and if there's only an inch that's about two days of no watering. Two inches does a lot better if there's room vertically to put it.. 

Even the bucket pepper needed a splash of water. I really did a thorough job of watering though, about a minute in each bed and got down close to get the water stirring up the bark. The right picture is after I watered the fence bed with the gopher activity. I almost pulled out the bag of mulch to add to the other beds then decided against it due to heat and had to run to the store for dinner supplies.

I got the August newsletter for the nursery and they're prepping for fall bulbs which includes some of my favorite ones, Bearded Iris. I don't dare plant any bulbs in the beds, entirely out of the question unless it's garlic, onion or lilies (daffodils as well). We don't get cold enough to put things like Tulips or Hyacinth in the ground sadly. I love flowers. I also love producing my own vegetables and eating them. I pondered in the early morning about planting a tomato or two and the list of three things came up as to why I haven't. Spider mites on the other bush, gophers and ...gophers. Yes, they count twice, but honestly the third reason is I would have to buy a plant this late in the season and the gopher bed..I mean fence bed is the only place far enough away from the other plant so it hopefully wouldn't get mites. The wind blows from the entrance to the back of the garden so still not trusting it. Have to wait until she rips out that plant..which may not be for a while.

Onions and garlic are going to be the next crops for sure.

Another day, no water needed.

 Yep, day two of not needing to water. I still go down to check on things...because... gophers. Weather is hot, windy and high clouds which helps with the soil moisture sticking around. Only getting up to low 80's today with some spitting sprinkles earlier. As so many have voiced in song and prose, I wish it would rain.

Soil is still damp under the mulch and in some spots the mulch was a bit thin so I added more by the sunflowers. Then, I saw the holes. Gopher tunnels do not run in perfect straight lines and this is evidence of that. So many foul words seeing that and if I had plants there it would be many more words. I need to figure out something to put in the tunnels and holes to keep them away. No, I don't have mothballs and wouldn't put them in the ground where I might plant something anyway. Not going to get a trap, any deterrents are also not good for putting in a vegetable bed, other than blood meal. Might invest in some of that.

I decided to dig around where the larger cavern was and discovered...yes indeed it was connected and had been blocked then continued under the barrier. I saw the main maintenance guy and told him about the issues and all he said was 'yeah I think they got one out in front the other day'. Thanks..you're so, not helpful.

Cukes are doing great and so are the beans, so far. Wish I had planted the front bean a little more forward and to the right but oh well. The larger cucumber has developed a tendril!

It also has leafminer but that's not an issue, nothing to be done about that. I think some flower stems might be developing as well further down. Still very interesting that the right one is almost stunted compared to the other. This one is double the size and they should be about the same size.

 

 I noticed the bucket pepper soil was dry so threw some mulch in there and watered it. Hope it doesn't drown but I can guarantee I won't need to water that for a long while.

Dug up some purslane and tossed it to the back, which is how I discovered that hole. I didn't probe to find out where it went but it is very much likely the cause of losing my other plants there. So tired of this battle, the plant with the most peppers developing is doing great and hope the peppers get to full size, they're about half size right now and can only hope the plant lasts long enough for them to continue growing.

I will probably water either tonight or tomorrow because the soil may be damp but a few places the mulch is thin enough that it's not insulating enough. That picture reminds me I still need to move that chair and the sprayer I don't use and maybe dump the mulch in the other two buckets and see what's left and what to do with it. Feel a bit guilty about leaving the bag in the closet because that is an electrical closet not storage. 

Anyway, yay for mulch day two!

No watering needed.

 Hooray for mulch! These are all pictures from yesterday because I forgot my phone when I went to check on things this morning.

I don't know where the tree was they cut down but this was definitely a Norfolk Pine. The other half of that pile was larger bits and chunks so stayed on this end for my collection. It had a fragrance but nothing bad, I haven't looked up to see whether mulch from that tree is detrimental to growth but I don't think so even though it's in the conifer family.

So, watered thoroughly to the point of puddles as ya do. Then tried to use the shovel in the bag of mulch and it worked for a little bit but I just gave up and poured it carefully on the areas.

I put about an inch or two around all the beds, even the empty one and watered thoroughly. It took a bit because no matter whether it's mulch or dirt it will only go on the surface. I had to really flood the mulch before I was satisfied it was wet all the way through. 

It isn't a very much lighter color than the dirt itself and has varying bits and pieces so when it comes time to replant I can actually dig some of it in (I did a few handfuls more around the peppers and sunflowers in the corner). Sifting would be ideal of course getting the larger bits and the branches out before turning it under in the soil at the end of the season. I'm now looking at those branches and wondering if I'm wrong about the identity of the tree....the 'needle/leaves' are tight to the stem. Will go look at the one in the lawn. I tried to do a Leafsnap ID and I have the family right for sure. Right in the middle of the picture on the right you can see a short stem that has the leaves sticking out so I have the right tree ID.

Hard to tell in that left picture but I moved aside the top half inch to check for water penetration and nope. Dry as a bone which is why watering before and after is crucial for keeping the soil moist.

 

That cavern is the tunnel I discovered and then flooded it well. Just like the other tunnel the water just ran through with no back up. I'm leaving it open like that just to see if the little bugger is still using it. If it is, there will be dirt pushed into the hole from one direction or the other. Those two pictures you can definitely see the difference between watered and not watered mulch.

 

I used most of two bags, that small pile is what was left of the second bag, the third I put in the electrical closet which I might move to the corner where the folded chair is sitting. No one has used it likely in years so it will go in the closet. 

The beans are alive and kicking yay! They're all growing and with consistent moisture in the soil I think everyone is going to do much better. As long as the gopher stays away. That was one thing that I worried about, the mulch would hide any mounds or holes of activity. Apparently NIP (you know what I mean) is not too toxic for dogs and cats, and doesn't seem to have any detrimental effects on plants so yay!

I told the new manager what I was doing and all she said was to not have the mulch piled up. She likely thought I was getting the big 2cu ft bags of mulch. I could probably dump the rest of the mulch in that corner and it would improve the area immensely and no one would bat an eye. I don't think the cats would like that mulch either as coarse as it is. My only other concern is the beans and cucumber crowding each other out. Time will tell.

Yay for mulch!

Me and my faulty memory

 Planning on going out and getting some of that mulch today but surprisingly the beans survived their transplant! Might have to cover up the base of that long tall sprout but the mulch may take care of that.

The cucumbers are growing like the zucchini did. The one on the left is smaller for whatever reason other than age. That picture also reminds me I need to dig those weeds out and move the bark pieces so I don't cover up the beans.

Will see what happens today in full heat of day. Also me and my faulty stupid memory forgot I planted beans in the south bed. I wanted to get the bark and bits out of the way to prep for the mulch and didn't realize what I had done until I turned some dirt over and uncovered one of the seeds.

 

I picked up the 'random' bits of bark thinking they were leftover from something else. So the bits of bark are now tossed to the outside of the bed and I started digging the trowel in to loosen the dirt and check for tunnels. The bean closest to the peppers was suddenly uncovered. Pushed it back in and covered it. Sigh. I am not sure about that sunflower in the corner that had the center had been nipped. Hard to tell but it's got something coming out just not sure how long it's going to take.

When we get the mulch I'll water first and then put the mulch down and water again. That's the way to do it so the mulch doesn't draw water from the soil. Okay before it gets too late we're off to get the mulch and will have pictures of that process.

Forgot to water last night

 They all survived but didn't get out to water until noon.

The sunflower on the corner is still doing fine, couldn't tell if the small nub in the middle was any bigger. I also took the beans out to plant them, they likely won't survive but they would die just as fast if I kept them in the bag until I could get some potting soil.

I decided to put them in the shadier spot in the south bed, watered it thoroughly and hydro-cultivated along the edges.

It certainly is amazing after watering that much and the corner on the left still was only wet about a half inch down. In order, back left, center back, back right and center front.

Hard to tell but the biggest one I put in front between the cucumbers. I might just push some more seeds in the mud tonight or tomorrow just for insurance. It has been a rotten year for planting success. The soil is certainly wet enough but the sun is going to be brutal which is why I buried them pretty well and just had a little bit of the sprout showing. IF they survive to transplant size I'll think about moving them but there are no guarantees on any of the beds these days. 

The house where I have to get the free mulch is a bit further away than I thought, about 15 minutes and not in my neighborhood which is what the app is supposed to be. It's called 'Nextdoor' for a reason? The guy said come by any time don't have to make an appointment. With my luck by the time I get there it'll be mostly gone.

I never ate the peas I picked and took a look at them and they were sprouting in the bag in the fridge. Sigh. How do you maintain a garden and eat what you pick when it's just you and one other? Guess I need to get more creative and (insert word I can't remember that is extroverted/intense/involved) using the veggies I do manage to grow. 

That is straight up mud in that bed. I could add a little lime to it and I could make bricks. There are areas of San Diego that have absolutely verified adobe clay the early natives and settlers used for making bricks. When you encounter that in your soil, there is no helping it and you go to above ground containers or tall beds. The other bane of the southwest is caliche which is quite literally natural cement from sedimentary rock. There are experts that have been able to garden in it but honestly not worth it if there are options.

I'm lucky I only have silty clay muck. Heavy amendments and it's okay dirt to grow things in.