Summer is holding steady

 With the hose broken I'm unfortunately reluctant to water as often as I should. It's been warm but not horrendous the past few days and it's clouded over at sunset tonight and will be partly cloudy until the next weekend.

The mighty green trees are giving wonderful shade and the parrots have returned again. Beginning of the parrot migration leading into fall has started. The tree canopies don't look like they are symmetrical  until you take a picture and realize they are matched like puzzle pieces. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The fragrance coming off the asparagus fern is incredible! The wind is usually blowing toward the garden so as I walk by it doesn't hit me until I'm downwind, wonderful mix of apricot and peach. That is the only redeeming thing about this noxious plant. It has tripled in size in the five years we've been at the apartment because no one trims it and it's almost overtaking a tiny rosebush sucker that blooms one or two red flowers and then it's done. The Sycamore trees are a wonderful canopy, I looked up and saw that one lone seed ball and had to get a picture for the artistic value.

This was a couple of days ago, watering with the water jug and bucket best I could. Water jug by the way has disappeared. I may have left it over by the lemon bush with the intent to fill it but forgot and it's gone. I could have sworn I put it in between the raised bed and crate when it was empty.  Tomato plants are in tatters and showing signs of mites, have been for a few weeks so today was the day to trim them back.

Here they are looking very sickly before I pruned. The squash is hanging over the edge and only putting out females rather than male flowers  I managed to partially pollinate one flower tonight but I had watered over the top so not sure the pollen stuck. 

Things removed, I decided to pull the tomatillo, it was never going to fruit since I only have the one plant and then just pulled the two 'weeds'.  The reason why they weren't growing much is they were sending down tap roots! Even more of an indicator they may well have been from a tree. I also pulled the third pepper in the other bed because it wasn't growing much and kept getting swamped when I watered.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The peppers are doing really good! Look more like serrano than jalapeño though and honestly would not be surprised if they were. I think I got these as a packet either from the store or library and the infamous 'pepper gate' was still being talked about last year. I think I have seeds from a store bought pepper or can get some from the one in my fridge. I forgot to fertilize again dangit! At least I watered really well.

After the pruning, the previous picture up at the top was day before yesterday. The little tomato seedlings and the squash are still going strong, as much as they can. Still debating that squash though and the tomatoes, it feels like it's going to start cooling down more often which is not good for either of them. But if I keep those tomato seedlings they'll go in the middle of the bed or in the west bed with cages. 

I thought I watered thoroughly then dug down and about a half inch below the surface was still absolutely bone dry so got the hose going again and just completely flooded the bed. 

The lone female that I hopefully pollinated. Next year, if I do squash or zucchini, I'm going to have to dedicate half the bed to two plants. I might do one tomato and one cucumber on the trellis and try peppers once again. I am bound and determined to get peppers! Both sweet and spicy!

I need to start planning fall/winter crops now. I watered the west bed thoroughly and there's tons of cilantro seeds in there from trying to glean the remaining brown plant today. So hopefully those will make that a lush bed and then interplant with ... lettuces later on maybe. Again if the tomato seedlings survive I'll put one in there and one in the raised bed. Waiting for it to cool down a bit more before I amend the south bed again and figure out what to plant there. Determined to find some good radish and carrots for the winter as well.

POTATOES! I need to plan for the crate being the potato bed. And onions! I can't believe I managed to grow that garlic, apparently you're supposed to chill them before planting like you do tulips.The results I had are typical from what I read. Garlic, onions and cilantro in the west bed? 

Will see what happens because I never go according to plan.