More visitors to the zinnias and the heat continues

 The heat continues but it's going to be a slow and gradual roller coaster down into cooler temperatures. Next week and the following weekend will be in the mid to high 80's. Today it was 93. So by ab out 10 or so it was already 88 and we closed up. Not really surprising the seeds aren't sprouting, I don't want to be out in this heat either.

As I was surveying the garden this evening a butterfly stopped by the zinnias. I think it's one of the native dusty blue butterflies very similar to the skippers. That orange zinnia is just incredibly productive and the other one is not as much. I guess they like the moist soil at that end.

 

 

 Even a fly stopped by on another flower to get a snack so yes, flies can be pollinators as well.

I almost lost the cilantro growing in the back there when it was so hot day before yesterday so I put the found piece of fabric on the wire and it kept them shaded today. 

This morning there was a surprise when I checked on the raised bed where I had left the two lettuce containers.

Good news is there are now two lettuce sprouts coming up in one container and I decided to be cautious and put all the containers in the shade this morning. Bad/good news is, found hundreds of pill bugs just chilling in the corner.

I had to enhance that photo a lot because they're in the shade, I got a real quick video as well that shows them a bit clearer. Needless to say I scooped up as many as I could with one of the cups and continued to pick what I could out of there. Hundreds I'm sure  but now I know how to catch them  better. Wish I had a sieve to get more of them.

 

Still working on a DIY trap for them and if the seeds ever come up I'm going to need it really bad. Because as many as there are, baby plants do not have a chance.

 

Damaged from the heat the other day, poor pepper plant was wilted and the strawberry has burned edges but there's a third leaf coming up so it's thriving.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is Dolores' pepper plant. They don't seem to be getting any bigger and using google lens it says it's a very hot chili pepper either Mayan Black  or Black Devil. Which I would totally believe given size and color. I suspect it would be shorter if it were in the sun but at this point I don't have any use for them, when I see her next I'll ask for a couple to experiment with. The biggest pepper is no more than a half inch and doesn't look like they're getting any bigger than that.

Hot on the plant, hot in the air, can't wait for the winter to start.