Hot and stifling, stilll no watering needed.

 There is a hazy high overcast that kept it warmer overnight so today starts with stifling low breeze heat. Like a stuffy closet with no ventilation. Bleh. I got out in the evening yesterday to just spot water and check on things.

You know how it is trying to take a picture of the moon with a phone but there it is. Pretty sunset/dusk colors with a small half moon. The plants were all recovered from their heat of the day wilt as expected. 

Secondary leaves on the tallest bean sprout, still concerned about those leafminers but not panicked yet. Yeah need to take care of them early but I do what I can with what I have. I forgot to bring the neem oil with me when I went to the garden.

 

Too bright in the day and too dim in the evening so pictures are blurry even though I tried to hold still while the camera shutter was open.

 

Grasshopper was back and it is missing a back leg. I chased it off and then made sure it wasn't coming back again. Lots of cucumber flowers opening but likely no fruit yet. 'Might' have been some swelling behind that flower but couldn't tell.

But the garden still didn't need water. They were wilting yes, but that can't be helped with the heat we have right now. Overwatering would be just as bad.

 

Yes indeed that bean is putting out leaves very well, and the peppers were wilting but the soil was moist so will check again tonight hopefully and whether they want it or not might give them a sprinkle.

 

Better shot of the side flower and the smaller ones that are trying to bloom way too young. Sigh. I joined a fb garden group and everyone was posting pictures of thriving flower beds, gorgeous vegetable harvests, incredible sunflowers and all manner of things. I had to stop following it due to feeling totally inadequate and then after checking the group rules realized, it was based in Ohio. No wonder.

Before and after shot of weeding behind the sunflowers best I could. Due to log pile I couldn't reach everything conveniently but got most of the grass and a purslane pulled. One of the roots ran toward the front of the bed for at least a foot. Ah yes I also picked one of the peppers despite them being too small because the botton was starting to darken.

I didn't bring anything to cut it with so had to carefully pull the stem off the plant. I'll likely pick the other one as well tomorrow.

As a comparison for dirt composition, raw unworked and cultivated. 

 

 

This is behind the sunflowers where I was trying to dig out the grass. The trowel only went in maybe an inch, sorry for the angle. I tried to dig out the spurge and purslane in front of the bed and was stopped about a half inch in. And here's a picture from a few days ago showing the soil but you can see the trowel is almost shoulder deep into the soil at the front of the bed.

 

It only went that far in because it is not as worked as the rest of the soil.  It does make a difference but it still doesn't have much in the way of nutrients or organic matter. Here's hoping that mulch does the trick. I don't know if it'll acidify the soil much and with that type of mulch it's going to take at least a year for it to break down to compost level amendment. 

Oh and the ad for the mulch pile was still up but would have to drive over there to check and, one I have just enough gas to get to the gas station right now and two, I don't need the mulch.

Evening is still warm but not sunny so will get out hopefully and check tonight.