Still with the cloudy weather but things got done

 It's one of those kind of days that you see people in sweaters and light jackets strolling on a breezy beach. High overcast, brisk breeze and cool temperatures. It never got out of the high 60's yesterday it might break to 70 today but still in the 60's. I was itching to do something last evening because  I knew if I didn't do it then, it wouldn't get done.

First, combining the mulch and leaves. Left picture is after dumping mulch and starting to add it to the leaf bucket mixing as much as I could as I went. Right picture is completely filled. I gave up trying to mix and just dumped the last of the mulch on top.

Empty mulch bucket and that day's scraps tossed in before dumping the compost on it. Potato skins, pea shells, tomato, red bell pepper, orange peels, cantaloupe rind... bunches of stuff.

I then tackled the peas. They were done.

 

Cut them from the trellis and pulled them up. Roots, of course, were everywhere and since the trellis isn't stable and secured it was being shifted around a bit as I roughed up the soil and got as much of the roots out as possible. I really need a hand cultivator for jobs like this.

Clean slate now and honestly, given the tomatoes in front, not sure I'm going to plant anything on it other than that tomato. Too hard to get to at this point and am not going to move the other tomatoes there. It could kill them.

 

And into the empty bucket as starter for the next batch of compost. Something was seriously munching on those leaves though. Wondering if I should add some of the current compost to that bucket for the organisms needed. More scraps are accumulating and without anything to cover them up, more gnats and fruitflies will be coming back.

Mostly full right now and next to the other compost bucket. The compost still smells good as dirt should but lots of large bits of vegetable matter is in there as well. I keep forgetting to take a nutrient test on it but hope to remember one of these days when it's a bit warmer.

 

Again with the poor pictures, but there's seeds on the cilantro finally! Camera was focusing on the flowers and the breeze of course came up just as I hit the button.  I also decided to do something about them leaning and looked around to what I had. 

Yep, green wire and tomato cage is it. Lots more room and air flow for the lettuce and tomato now and not worried about the cilantro being bunched together really because it'll be done in a matter of days anyway. If the freaking sun would please come back!

 

Proof that there are snails in the bed. Trails on the tomato leaves but ...oddly enough no munching to be seen. Yet. Small trail so absolutely one of the decollate snails. Little bastards are probably the reason for all the damage on the peas as well as the inch worms.

Better view of the lettuce and tomato with the cilantro out of the way. Going to start calling it coriander since I'm growing it for seed now. The tomato in the south bed is definitely showing signs of issues. Pale center rib and not a deep green color. I fed them all but they're showing the same signs all over. Hmmm. Looks like I need to feed everyone, especially the ones in the ground.

 

Meanwhile, in the north bed. They look okay but now  they've got those dang inchworms and leafminers. Can't protect them against everything and judging from how robust they look I had hoped they would be growing up and not out. These are looking a bit pale but not too bad. Will have to make my cup or so of fertilizer stretch between them all.

I don't have patience for garlic, I decided to pull up and use the tops of the three that were left around the tomatoes. Cut off the bottoms and tossed them into the compost, taking the tops home to add to my chopped green onion bag.

I pulled the little lettuce under the tomatoes as well and just added it to the compost bucket. Was going to leave it for the snails but changed my mind. The bunching onions are slowly coming along as well, maybe another couple of plants that are ready to be pulled soon. I think I'll trim the tops on those and see if they develop more of a bottom on them.

 

Another shot of the new compost and the raised bed to show just how much room on the back there is. Empty space in a garden like that makes my garden ocd grasping at things to put there.

Poor little peppers. Struggling to get some roots out and not enough energy to do much else. They're looking light colored as well. If they survive this weather and grow I'll compare pictures when that time comes.

I decided to prune some of the larger branches on the back tomato. It's putting on a lot of width and not a lot of height. I suppose I should test that soil as well at some time.  I took one leaf and left it as an offering to the tomatoes to see if they are 'clean up crew' as someone said when I mentioned them being voracious vegetarians.

Someone in a garden group said in their research they ate decaying matter and leaves. I told them not in my experience. They went for my potato leaves and there is no indication of any slugs ore other snails in the garden except them. The trails on the tomato now confirm them since there were trails from the log pile to the raised bed. If they slid underneath the retaining wall they're likely munching away on the decaying leaves and logs at the bottom and are making their way up to the living leaves.

Time for my walk so might have flower pictures for next time.