More clear skies and a possible fail

 Very breezy today, wind chimes going off and trees moving all over. This is good, it means different weather soon. Looking at the forecast we won't have rain for at least another week, four days running through next weekend, not this weekend.

So I decided to try and put the netting up. First, it is tight quarters on both sides to get to the back of the bed. I had to move all the buckets out of the way in order to get on the far side next to the jade bush. Second, I realized that there are logs all over underneath and had to find a spot for the pole to go all the way down. I also almost obliterated another pea seedling coming up. I had to move the stick on the left out further and another remembering of how flimsy these stakes are without something to hold them out.

I strung some of the green wire across, with the idea of just stringing the netting through like a curtain. No go. 5x8 netting in a 4 foot wide bed. This is not going well. The netting needs to be more taut for support. I wove the green wire through the top of the fence for more support but still not working well.

I then decided to just hang it over like a blanket on a laundry line. This still makes for a saggy and not too secure situation and it is still a good bit of weight pulling the poles together. The reasoning is so the strings are closer together for easier grabbing of the tendrils.

The only other thing that would work is rigid welded wire fencing. But these are peas not pigs that need to be fenced. This fencing really is silly unless you have a cross piece on top, an actual frame to put it on. Could make one for less than $20 honestly. 3 pieces of wood and some nails, that's it. Could likely find even a standing trellis to put in but that's double the cost.

There are strings on each side I can use to tie to the poles, maybe use the third pole on top and wire it together like lashing to hold it up. Will go at that tomorrow and see how it works. Will really try and get that aloe out of there and maybe do a discreet trimming of the jade bush.

 Better pictures of the bearded iris almost blooming. Deep dark purple which I adore, but it could be white or orange and I'd still love it. I wish I could take some root cuttings of it but don't know who to ask. Look at all the buds on those though! As soon as it's in bloom I'm going to get a good picture and ask one of the growers if they know the variety.

Growing fast for these potatoes! Makes me happy but then it's a very guarded happy because the gophers were in there last fall and could easily just come in and munch away at any of the growing tubers. Need to toss some fertilizer on there and the lettuce as well.

I have 'a little' extra cash this month so technically could get a small bag of potting soil for seeds, spend a little more for fencing or just hang tight for another three weeks. That may be too late for pea fencing though so will see.