A little change up and Manny sighting

 The weather is still good, warm daytime chilly at night but according to the weather app, we're expecting high 80's and low 90's for a couple of days next week. Stupid Mother Nature and her hot flashes.

I finally decided to pull up the Jalapeño. It was looking yellowed and the last few peppers were turning color despite being small. I've never really had good success with that pepper, prolific but never good size one. I also pulled that potato plant and it did have a few swollen spots on the roots but I wasn't going to leave it in place due to it getting brown tips.

Not sure where those roots are coming from, they go deep and am hoping they aren't from anything growing up from the ground. I used the cultivator and raked that area out really well and moved the soil around a bit more. 

Fish peppers and the lone poblano looking good so far. I am realizing that 90% of the issue with low production in that bed is low soil and lack of proper fertilizer. Hoping next month I can haul in some more soil and really pile it up to the top. I'm treating it like a pot where you have to leave watering room and that's incorrect. From what I've seen other gardeners do is they pile it up to the top and mound in the middle then mulch with straw to keep the soil in place. I need about 6 bags to do that, $60 I do not have.

Day before yesterday, I smoothed the south bed really well, ready and waiting for planting seeds, critter deterrent has been working and haven't smelled skunk in a while. The other picture is what I assume is scat of some sort. Possibly rat or mouse, maybe a quarter inch long just out in the open. Not even sure if it might be lizard but that's a first in the garden.

Seed planting. I had to shift that piece of wood in a little because it was outside the ring of fencing that was being covered by soil and the cultivator was getting caught on it. Sprinkled cilantro lightly along the back and the green onions in a line in the front. Cilantro is easy to see when planting since it's a tan little ball but the onions, had to trust my fingers on how many were being released. Will see what happens, soil was moist enough but I watered today just because it was looking dry on the surface. It will be slow germination due to the bed not getting direct sun now. 

Tomatillos are coming along and turning purple but the outer skin is far from drying up so resisting the urge to pick them at this stage. I even detected a little stickiness on the big one so they're getting close.

And finally caught sight of Manny. I need to keep track of him for when I have to pull up those bushes. I thought about doing it today but need to find a suitable new place for him to catch lots of food. If I could have put him on the tree branches when the caterpillars were out more, he would have feasted every day!

I had a brief thought about somehow making walls for the two ground beds and since there's gopher proofing already in I don't have to worry about continuing it up another foot or two. Then there's the logistics of what to use and the amount of soil needed. So that's a long term plan that if I knew we were going to be here 'long term' and had the money it would be implemented already. As it is, it's not my property and have no money to use it right now. Still working on that.

 

 

Great expectations and more invasion

 Not much in the way of noteworthy pictures so will just get down to it. It's warm this week but again it cools off when the sun goes down so we can open up completely and have a pleasant night temperature. Night before last I smelled skunk...really bad and knew there would be tracks in the garden.

I didn't pull the fencing forward as much as I should have, luckily nothing was damaged and had no plants growing there. I am doing it to try and discourage them when they do come around, and they have not gotten into the raised bed or the crate of soil.

The first pictures of the south bed, the log wasn't there and they just slipped right underneath and rooted around in the dirt. I then put that piece of wood and attached the plastic fencing on the ends. That was the ticket and I used two logs for either side of the west bed also turning it over so it was like a tunnel rather than inverted and crumpled.

Peppers are still doing well and the tomatoes, despite being ripe looking wouldn't pull off easily so will check them again tonight. I still have a number of logs and bark in the raised bed just in case.

Oopsie... I may have forgotten to turn the water off completely last night. When I went to check on things tonight it was on and I didn't even use the hose. It was Layla because her pots were watered. Grrumble.

So when I went out today I brought the lettuce, romaine and cilantro seeds with me with a mind to plant in the south bed. Well...... I took the deterrent off and ended up working in that entire bucket of compost and watering it in well. 

I was only going to use half of the bucket but as I worked it in I realized it really needed all that compost and a bit more. After working the last of it in and then watering, it took the water just fine but was still very gritty and sandy and clay but I think even that small amount is better than it was before.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Everything buttoned down for the night and you can see how clumpy the soil is after I mixed in the compost and wet soil. Going to let it sit for a few days to let it dry a bit then use the cultivator again and smooth it all out before putting seeds in.

The tomatillos are starting to look burned on the tips like the other ones were a few weeks ago with the sun beating down on the wall. I am now thinking reflected heat is not a good thing for these plants. I may be giving the seeds to someone else because I don't have the room for the production needed.

But there are a handful of the fruit that is splitting the husks already and turning purple! A lot of them are still small but at least four or five that were splitting. These are definitely smaller than the standard green ones. Yay I have fruit but man if I had more room I'd dedicate a good half dozen bushes to growing the green ones. Will see how this progresses.

Waiting in the wings is Romaine, mixed lettuces, green onions and cilantro. I think I'll only be growing onions in the south bed. They seem to do good for Layla in just plain dirt so will hold off the lettuces and cilantro for the raised bed and am still considering at least a few potato plants for the crate and maybe the raised bed. Have to put them on the West side as that's a bit drier than the East side that gets a bit more shade in the winter. 

The potato slip I planted in the corner is turning color at the tips which I seem to recall meant that it was staying too wet. I may just pull that one because it is going to hold that corner forever at this rate without the benefit of potatoes and I have some languishing spuds in the cupboard right now that will be perfect for planting.

Did I mention I'm an impatient gardener?

Happy Fall Equinox Y'all!

It was clear and sunny with not a cloud in the sky today. It warmed up enough this afternoon we had to close up and turn on the AC. When that sun comes over the building and blasts the wall....didn't help I used the oven to cook some chicken but it was only for a few hours. All is dark and cool and fall feeling now. Having it cool at night is making it much easier to sleep well. 

 

There was a free mulch/compost event starting this week from the SD Green Waste. Luckily one of the locations was a fifteen minute drive from where I live. My only problem was collecting sufficient containers that would bring home enough.

I used what I had as much as possible. Bags would work as well but harder to shovel compost into. This compost was drier than a popcorn fart and very dusty so I didn't want to waste bags too much. I had hoped that there would be yard type garbage bags in the rec room but the assistant manager brought out the same kind of kitchen trash bags I have. I used them to line most the crate and then dumped out the orange bucket that had my collection of trashed plastic containers and the cat litter bucket. Had to bring my own shovel too and at least remembered my moving gloves (cotton gloves with black rubber dots on both sides)

I first was just going to leave the soil as is in the crate, putting one of the log pieces on top to deter critters. I then decided to take the bags out and just use the crate to put all the compost in as a planter..... well it being very dry and dusty... that wasn't such a good idea. I happened on the cardboard box on the patio and it just so happens to fit perfectly. I'm concerned about the larger slots on the side but once the compost gets wet I think it'll work out okay. I'm hoping to use it for potatoes or maybe bulb onions. All that compost needs to be wet down thoroughly and guess what doesn't reach all the way to the end of the garden anymore? I also covered the orange bucket with a bag and hope that will deter any diggers. 

So all totaled I think I might have gotten maybe enough compost to fill the crate.  Not nearly enough to replenish the raised bed. Enough for adding to the south bed a little and definitely will be saving some for the west bed when everything is done. That raised bed will have to wait until I can get some bags of actual potting soil to go in there. Can't do anything with the west bed right now though because everything is still growing.

So this little critter was on my screen this morning, I think it's one of the fig beetles and about 3/4 inch long. I tried to flick the screen to scare it off but it just shifted position. Funny how those pictures are taken almost the same time but different angles, the close up is angled more to the north so some clouds are visible in the sky but nothing in the other one. 

That was my excitement for the day. I might dump all the compost into the crate box and go get two more containers tomorrow. The compost is fine as an additive into native dirt but would need some perlite and maybe some larger bits or some native soil if I wanted to put it into the crate for growing. 

Yay for dirt!

Many things and Manny sighting

 The weather has taken a turn for the cooler! It's only going to be in the high 80's in the next four days other than that in the mid to high 70's with very chilly nights dipping into the 50's. Huzzah for fall weather! This also means that garden beds are staying moist longer and one particular bed is now in shade from noon on.

Yes indeed, cloudy cool weather that I will not be complaining about. It may get down into the 50's during the day in the winter and colder at night but I can always throw a blanket on and wear more layers. Hot weather you can only strip down so far before it's indecent exposure.

Overcast mornings with just a hint of moisture in the air that smells like rain. I finally shook the bushes enough I caught sight of Manny heading for better hiding place. So he's there, just very very good about hiding in the leaves and branches. 

You would think as good as that bed looks I would be having a bumper crop year but not so much. I have one small tomato on that tiny plant, which Layla actually thanked me for. I don't know why since she's not paying attention to that or the other one that I pulled out. I put lots of logs and pieces of bark in the bed to keep out whatever critter was getting in there and so far it's successful. Keeping the chicken wire in the other two beds full time.

I picked up the bark and branches to water and discovered the only critters in the soil is still millipedes. They aren't going to harm anything so I'm not concerned about them being in there. The leaves and logs I put down as a base is likely broken down a great deal and I know there's worms in there somewhere so it's okay.

At first I was both pleased and disappointed two Fish peppers were coloring and then discovered the holes from some microscopic bug. That caused them to age rapidly so I pulled them off but there are still two more that are progressing just fine.

They're staring to show more pronounced stripes and the poblano is not being burned with the cooler weather. I picked the two tomatoes yesterday because they were starting to color but also showing signs of sunburn. They are currently in a bowl with garlic and peppers on the counter getting riper.

I had to water again today and did it from about six feet away from the bed. Seriously. I mentioned to Layla maybe we can all pool our money for a new hose. She didn't understand a word I said apparently because all she did was smile and say 'oh yeah?'. I tried to also mention it to Dolores and again, less then involved or aware of what I was saying. I suspect what I have to do is either buy it myself in two weeks or when I see Dolores have to stand firmly in front of her and speak clearly and slowly. Not be a pleasant garden person but a concerned gardener. The shortened length isn't a problem for her, all her plants are near the hose, same with Layla. 

I actually caught Dolores yesterday as she was moving things around and that's when I asked about the hose, then when I was finishing walking with Rocky I saw her moving pots of soil/compost and asked if I could have a bucket of her soil for one of the beds, she said sure and almost started handing me one of the pots I told her to put it near the bed at the end of the wall.  So when I got back it was a 5 gallon bucket of home made compost and soil. She said there might be snails in it but I had dumped it out already. Oh well. I thought I saw something that looked like a slug as I did that but wasn't worried. I spread it around as best I could using the cultivator then put the chicken wire protection back on. I watered it yesterday and it was still damp today. That will be a cilantro, onion and lettuce bed.

I wish I had used more patience when I lined that bed and the West bed with chicken wire. I'm losing about six inches of growing space due to not making the corners square but I was very angry at the gophers. There's enough room to plant what I need and thanks to that compost it should hopefully be sufficient for the seeds/plants to thrive more than survive. 

So lots of little things and the big weather news, right now it's clear and warm but a bit smoke hazy and windy. I heard the hawks calling again today, it sounds like they keep coming back to this neighborhood hopefully finding a new tree to use. Or maybe they found one not far from here and are just circling. The parrots are migrating back and forth again which is always fun and I managed to get a less than 30 second clip of them flying over the garden. And once again it's being difficult to get it uploaded, oh well will try again next time.