Saturday Journal

 

It's been a busy few weeks. First we were drenched with rain which halted everything in the garden and then the ducks and chicks needed to be moved so that took up all our time. Hopefully now that the rain has stopped and the weather man has said we will have a few days in a row of sunshine, things will get done in the garden.

The one very exciting thing, we ate a handful of pea pods! They were a bit bitter, but tasted sweet to us! 

Went to our green thumbed friend to ask a few questions about pesticide and bugs and he suggested Garden Dust from Bonide he claimed it was more natural than most pesticides, we'll give it a go and see how it goes. As it was by the time I got out there the bugs had chewed through every leaf (in a day). 

I'm not sure how the cabbages/Brussels Sprouts are going to do, they don't look well. I think it was too late in the season to plant them, or maybe it's the pine shavings? 

The potatoes aren't up. Dad dug up some of the potatoes and a few are rotten, some are growing, we are going to give it another week to see what happens.

Mom and Dad planted another garden to use some of the seeds before they went bad: carrots, squash, turnips and onions so now we have to gardens to watch. 

List from two weeks ago:

• Weed tomatoes
• Hoe between the rows
• Mulch Brussels Sprouts
• Thin the beans

What actually happened:

• Watched Brussels Sprouts, cabbages, and potatoes drown.
• Thinned beans
• Roto-tilled or hoed a couple of rows
• Trimmed tomato
• Strung peas
• Ate peas
• Planted more: carrots, blue hubbard squash, butternut squash, turnip, onions
• Weeded strawberries

This weeks list:

• Keep an eye on the bugs
• Re-plant potato, cucumber
• Fertilize onions, tomatoes, peppers

How is your garden growing?

Stomper (age 1.5) munching on pea pods

Waterlogged

After about seven inches of rain in the past few days we are all feeling a bit water logged here. Part of the garden is underwater. I wonder if the potatoes will emerge or rot in the ground. I performed an experiment when I was out taking some photos. I put shavings around half of the Brussels spouts and cabbages to soak up some water and keep the roots cool. Later if they start to grow we will know what worked and what didn't!

Later in the evening I went out again and attempted to make little waterways for the water to flow. I was able to get some of the veggies drained out. Found out that the water run right under one of the Brussels sprouts. I was talking to my Mom and I told her that I thought part of the problem was how Jason and I planted. She echoed my thoughts: "It's all a learning process."

I had one companion while I was out there. And found a little bit of beauty in the water drenched plants.