July's Garden (2024)

 

Rain fell this week and broke the two month drought. Bill hasn't had to mow or rake the yard and has enjoyed his vacation. No grass mulch has been added and the soil is showing which is why the garden looks different.

The experiment to cover the squash with a bug net to keep the squash vine borers away so the plants could get a head start seemed like a great idea. Surely now, I would get a decent harvest. Right? What could possibly go wrong? 

JUNE BUGS!

That's what went wrong.

They always arrive in this area in July (so why aren't they called July bugs?)  Normally, there aren't that many but this year was different  - there were thousands.  They are big, fat bugs that never learned to navigate their flight paths, won't be shooed away and insist on smacking me in the face as I work. Swatting them with a tennis racket is easy but futile - they keep coming. They swarmed the netting ruining it by eating through to the plants inside. They ate the nylon! At least it killed them.

After they got inside, they feasted on the leaves and probably sent engraved invitations to every borer around. 

I gave up and removed the netting. 

The other new netting (it was the third row planted) just fell apart. Nothing touched it that I know of and there haven't been any storms (because we are in a drought). Holes just appeared. When I tugged it, the fabric disintegrated in my hands and threads dropped all around. China doesn't make things like it used to.

I gave up and removed it also. 

I swear. I don't make up these crazy things. If I hadn't taken pictures, nobody would believe how many failures I have had when it comes to growing zucchini.

Before anybody starts crying, there is good news. Last month I shared how I had stripped the leaves off of this squash vine borer riddled spaghetti squash (it was in the first row that was planted) in hopes the fruit would mature, well, it did! Together they weighed over 7 pounds.  At the current price of $1.49 per pound at my local Kroger, they are worth $10.43. I'm counting it as a success.

This squash row (it is the second one planted) produced less than six yellow squash, total. The borers found it and feasted the minute the net was removed. Three plants are still hanging on but not producing anything.

There is more good news. Two strange looking spaghetti squash fruits have matured and the new seedlings are filling up this row.  My goal to have a continuous crop of zucchini, yellow, and spaghetti squash hasn't been reached; however, the season isn't over yet!

This Roma tomato decided to die for no particular reason even though all the others beside it are fine. Cucumber seeds have been slipped in and are waiting to take over.  A watermelon is rooted at the beginning of the row and is vining under the tomato plants. When it hits the end, it will be turned back to go up the other side. By then, the row of sugar beets will have already been dug. New gardeners don't get discouraged. Keep planting seeds and you will have success. Leave no spot bare and unproductive.

The bright red milk crate has become a step ladder to help me reach the plants up high. It was full of canning jars purchased at an estate sale and pressed into service to haul produce. Now I don't know how I ever gardened without it. I'm not sure if my plants are growing taller or I am getting shorter.

This North Carolina White Pickling Cucumber running up the fence on the left above and looking pitiful was almost ripped up two weeks ago.  However, it is still producing two to three tiny cucumbers everyday without ever being treated for diseases. They are used to make pickles because it stays crispier than other varieties. It is a keeper.

It has been a hot, dry month and for a while it looked like no amount of watering would keep the garden alive. The well dropped low and I switched to carefully hand watering each plant. Without any mulch, the soil quickly dried. During the past few days, a slow steady drizzle has fallen and the garden came roaring back to life just in time for these pictures. The grass has also greened up and it will be difficult to cut. Next month expect to see grass mulch piled up to my knees.

In spite of the drought and bugs, this garden produced far more than I ever expected. 

UPDATE: Soon I will be sharing how we pressed the sunflower seeds into oil. I'm waiting for the residue in the oil to settle so it can be separated. Sounds difficult but it only requires pouring the good oil off of the top. It makes a huge difference in the flavor.

Last Month's June Garden (2024)

Last Year's July Garden (2023)

Through the Garden Gate