Yep, cucumbers grow as fast as zucchini

 It is going to be 91 in a very short time so we're already closed up and staying reasonable inside. Another late start as I don't get to sleep until around 1 am so as a result don't get out to the garden until noonish. Didn't water or fertilize, hoping to do that tonight. Hopefully it will be a reasonable temperature at dusk to do that.

But about last night...

Yes indeed, the cukes are running away. They are doing incredibly well and next summer I plan on planting them earlier and in that bed. The tomatoes are all being funky with the tops burning, not surprising really given the sudden heat. They are running down the days for sure, I'm picking any that are mostly reddish colored before the tops get too soft.

(A note on the temperatures.. I opened the weather app and have had it open for the past few minutes. It went from 87 to 89 since I started typing, no more than ten minutes.)

One of the reasons why I am taking pictures daily is to show just how fast these things grow! That one in the curve of the bed is now another half inch bigger, the baby next to it I think was open this morning.

Found a live snail over near the strawberry pots. Tossed it over the wall absolutely, not leaving it in the garden. I have been told that starting the runners in water if they had no roots would have been better. I tried to find some with roots in the huge bucket but guess not but to be patient, keep them watered and in the shade for now.

Yes indeed there will be cucumbers to eat in a week. I pollinated at least two more today and might do another tonight. Oddly enough as I was bent over pollinating something flitted up and under one of the leaves then moved out in the open to land on a leave right next to me. A skipper butterfly!!!! Yay! I think it touched on one of the flowers. Then a bee or more likely a yellow jacket given the flying style tried to stop by as well. Did I say something about flying pollinators not being as common for cucumbers?

Yes, that is the same cucumber in the photo above. How do I know? The leaf miner tracks in the leaf next to it. That was as long as my finger yesterday. It will be full grown in a matter of five days I suspect. The little curved one wasn't ready but will be tonight.

Cucumbers are a success in this bed, definitely a do again.

It is now school seasoan so I am back to my three times a week walks around the school neighborhood. Nothing amazing in the way of flowers but that one jasmine/morning glory/honeysuckle hedge was trimmed back a bit. I also walked a different direction as I had time, and passed the same onion flower stalk in someone's potted plant. It was going to seed and I took advantage of it. I didn't think to get a picture of the plant but will do that on Tuesday and likely gather more seeds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was definitely onion not an ornamental. It was only starting to flower three months ago and I remember saying I would get some seeds from it if it had any. Speaking of seeds, the sunflower has definite seed formation going on. I also found a few worms nomming away on the remainders of the anthers or whatever. Some of the poop can be seen there, that's what clued me in.

Wild gathering done and this is the time of year to plant them for harvest next summer. It takes almost a year for onions to finish from seed. I was reading up on the process and apparently going from seed in nice loamy rich soil is best. Roots and bulbs are going in the raised bed, leafs and some onions in the west bed. Unsure of the south bed still since it gets mostly shade. Might be time to toss some cilantro and green onion seeds in there. Which reminds me I have three green onions I put in water that need to go down there also. I have a fennel bulb that is blocking my view of them behind the kitchen sink. It's a faster way of growing them for sure but still like tossing seeds in for the long run.

I have squash and beans and all manner of things to plant for next summer. I wish I had more room!