Suffering through the weather

 Closed up early today because we were going to be running the oven and stove for lunch. Still kept the rest of the apartment tolerable and comfy.

Not much else in the garden to report. The bucket pepper is very, very green and has flowers but no fruit. Guess what that means. Too much high nitrogen fertilizer.

It's been not so limp after I soaked the soil really well, guess it really needed water. The aphids are covering the new growth on the cucumber. Didn't see any beetles or larva running around as much though. And then there's the sunflower that is just covered with  lace bugs.

Those are all eggs and juvenile lace bugs. I think I'm going to have to pull that sunflower and spray it down with neem tonight. The flower is mostly done, the petals are starting to shrivel so it's time. Video will be posted on my fb garden page. Don't watch if bugs make your skin crawl, I find it fascinating though.

 

 

I'm also a bit concerned about the bean and cucumber conflict. When I looked at the bean plant I thought it was mildew then realized it was caterpillar/worm damage on the back side. That bean is going to have to get pulled as the cucumber is starting to grab it. It is also in the shade all the time so not ideal location. Maybe move it to the full sun north bed?

Took a picture of this because it shows  me trying to coax tendrils to the stakes. That long one I had tried to latch onto the stake on the right, instead it just said 'nuh uh' and want off in the opposite direction. Another already curled one was in prime location for that stake and still had to coax it to curl on it. 

So things are winding down as the heat climbs. Still too hot to set up the raised bed and likely won't have the money for soil anyway. Another few weeks maybe.

More important things need to be taken care of with my meager income before I splurge on soil.