Summer is here, bleh.

We will be closing up early effective immediately to keep indoors tolerable and the conditions remain intolerable outside. Am expecting the temperature to be over 90 for at least two days. Will try and get out early (before noon) and then check again after sunset. We didn't open the windows until after full dark today.

Only flower picture I have is from the Nandina that are blooming now that will be red berries by Christmas time. That is a huge thunderhead cloud formation to the east of us. Needless to say it was very windy today and they just skimmed the horizon, didn't even come close.

I spied two holes/scrapes dug behind the tomatillos in the south bed yesterday ::cue dramatic tense music:: They could have been gopher but considering they were both facing parallel to the wall and the dirt thrown toward the wall as well as not being very deep I'm not discounting gopher but could well have been something else. I watered heavily and didn't see any sign of them being tunnels. That's the only bed that does not have complete coverage and there has been gopher activity along the wall in Dolores' beds. 

After watering today, not a sign of any disturbance of the soil so am counting on it not being gophers. The tomatillos are taking forever to set fruit. I checked a few that had lost the yellow petals and they just dropped off. Wonder if I should hand pollinate some of them, but it's in the tomato/pepper family and usually is fine without any help.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I tore up one of the male flowers and hope there was enough pollen for the two fruit. The first fruit started shriveling so I cut it off and tossed it on the compost bucket. Of the flowers I've opened, all of them had tiny ants in there working the nectar but it doesn't mean they're pollinating. The fish pepper continues to do well at least.

The soil was VERY dry today so much so that the water was puddling on the surface. I kept watering all three beds until the water started to disappear immediately. The strawberry was even dry so I hit that and then stirred up the soil so it got some air.

That west bed is going to be my perpetual potato bed I think. There's another freaking sprout coming up from the potato roots! There's no way I can get all of them and it's kind of counter productive to a point and heresy to say you need to kill some potato plants.

 I had to water the strawberry today, it was very dry. Most of the lower and older leaves had brown edges so I cut those off as well but there's three flowers on it and the leaves are getting bigger and longer. It's had a hard life for sure and should be bigger. I used the last of the potting soil in the bucket and filled one of the cup planters. 

I did notice though that the two long containers were still wet from watering the other day. I am highly suspicious of that soil and think it is probably MG with the water retaining stuff. Not good at all but it's all I have or rather had.

Flower buds, on the potato plant. I asked about killing subsequent plants and gave the situation in the garden group so will see what happens.

That's all there is for today and yesterday. Hopefully I don't melt in the next three days.