It is raining! The sky is gray, gloomy and I am taking pictures in the rain! It is wonderful. We shifted from severe drought into a week of slow drizzling rain. The garden has been revitalized. The old timers call this a "season rain" meaning it makes the season successful and there will be plenty to eat come winter.
Earlier this month was focused on getting the front (southern) part of the garden tilled.
A few areas have been done but since this was originally the yard, the ground is rocky, weedy, and the dirt is hard clay. It is quite difficult.
This is
May's garden last year when we were installing the fence. It shows how much area has been added. Even though it is bigger, we still seem to be running out of planting space.
This is Bermuda grass. It has runners that are deep and snap when you pull. Any remaining root will regrow. The ground is like concrete and the tiller won't fit in this tight spot. We plan on removing all we can then covering it with cardboard and mulch.
The soil is being built up at the base of the fence with leaves and compost. Closing the gap under the fence has stopped the rabbits, groundhogs, skunks, and armadillos from entering. They still can dig under but nothing has tried yet. Keeping them out has made a noticeable improvement.
The row beside the fence is being planted with a mixture of whatever is ready to transplant at that moment. This year's garden hasn't had much planning. Everything depends on getting the soil prepared. When a spot is ready, something is planted.
The compost pile is being emptied to build the new rows and amend the soil. The left side was dug out and when it was empty we switched to the right. Weeds are being discarded on the left now. Never do I turn it over. It is too much work when waiting will accomplish the same result. Sometimes we fill it high and the next morning everything it is gone. There may be a few thieves in the neighborhood.
An army of fire ants are back in the garden. The colony hides under plants, swarms if you step too close, and it hurts when bitten! They are probably looking for water due to the drought so we give them all they want. Bill digs up their hills, drowns them and their eggs in a bucket of water, and if they try to rebuild, he dumps the all the water back in the hole.
Usually, they will move to another area but this colony tried to rebuild in the bottom of the water hole. After another douse, the queen moved under the tomato plants. We will continue to chase them until they are away from the garden.
Anyone who has followed me for a long time will know growing summer squash in my area is impossible. Squash vine borers kill them yet for twenty years now every season I try something different to out smart them.This year they are under a new hoop house net (no holes anywhere) which is removed when the squash begins to bloom.
These were bought at a local nursery and immediately placed under cover since the borers have attacked my starter plants on the front porch. The extra leaves have been stripped away, the vine tied up a stake to make it easier to spray the stem with mineral oil, and then it was sprinkled with wood ash. Soil has been mounded high over the stem for extra protection. Mulch won't be added so the soil can be regularly raked to not allow any hiding places. A local gardener said her grandfather always sprinkled wood ash as a repellent. She didn't know how much to use, or where to put it, or how often it was to be sprinkled so all of this is a guess. Wood ash changes the PH level of the soil so coffee grounds will be added to hopefully, restore balance.
The poor plant at the end of the row seems to have gotten a bit too much wood ash. It will be sacrificed as the control plant and will receive no help other than a cup of coffee to see if anything I am doing makes a difference. Perhaps all the borers will attack it and leave the others alone? Time will tell.
Maybe wood ash is squash vine borers' kryptonite? If it works, I can patent it and make a fortune!
Overall, the garden is doing fantastic now that it has rained.
As for me, I'm drinking all the coffee I want without feeling guilty - it is to save the squash! They need the grounds. Seconds please.
