Transplants and other developments

 All closed up for the day by 11am. Complex had a bbq pot luck so I was busy with that but was able to get out to the garden. It's windier today but then it's always windy midday which doesn't mean there's a weather change it's just the change from onshore to offshore winds.

I got out rather late, almost full dark and decided to transplant the tomatoes. Dark comes surprisingly fast when you're busy. Looked out the window and it was around 6 and thought 'oh I have about an hour' next thing I know it's almost too dark to see and an hour later. Yikes!

I got out and watered this morning tho ugh so they're all settled in. The strawberry is still chucking along but I'm keeping an eye out for leaves that might be sick and checking the soil.

 

I have a female flower! The males will be open before it is ready but there's lots of males still so here's hoping she gets a pocket full of pollen! That plant is still a lot smaller than I would have expected to have so many flowers but then my only other experience is zucchini and cucumber. Again, another day of no evidence of rampaging invertebrates or mollusks... on the surface.

And here's hoping the baby tomatillos will hold on, there's flowers on almost every branch joint and fruit on some of them. Yay! Now if the tomatoes and peppers would kick into high gear....but those are growing at a good pace at least. Just took some hot weather and fertilizer to get them going.

I saw a swallowtail in the garden flitting around of course going too fast for me to get a picture but I think it might have been a Western Giant Swallowtail but could have been Anise. It didn't stop at the lemon bush other than for scent and unfortunately no other flowers in the garden. I have flower seeds but no place to plant them even if I had done it earlier. I would need full blooming plants right now for butterflies. Something for next year. Oh, I also heard and saw one of the hawks fly overhead too. Made me sad because I'm sure they were looking for their nesting tree.

Dill and fennel are too big for my garden, Echinacea takes two years to get flowers as it's a biennial, sweet Alyssum is a drop kick but it can also take over. Marigolds are okay but are also too big for my space judging from how big they got three years ago. At least the gophers won't get them. I do have the oregano if I let it flower and the chives, just not big and showy enough. 

Dolores once again moaned about not having a garden bed like mine and I told her the rough cost of something that size and she wondered where to put it if she did get it. Only viable spot is where the log pile is and that's a good month or so of hard work to move and level everything. She wants to get rid of the jade plant but I would fear retribution from the other lady who says it's her favorite bush and I wasn't to do anything to it. 

Gardening life with neighbors, from what I hear it's worse in a co-op type community garden. I am thankful for what I have.