I'm enjoying this cooler weather and got some mulching done yesterday. We got a late evening thunderstorm after we finished our fireworks. You'll have a good day to go to the park Helen.

My kids actually enjoyed looking for potatoes down in the dirt. I don't remember liking that job when I was a kid. lol I didn't plant very many though. I remember it being an all day job digging when we were growing up.
Has anyone ever tried to plant a second crop of potatoes for fall?

I thought the Japanese Beetles weren't going to be as bad this year but I guess they were just taking awhile to build up. They're on sooo many things in my yard now I don't think I could list them all. Just noticed yesterday how badly they're defoliating a serviceberry. It's depressing.

Ceresone - What kind of onions did you plant?

Well, in Potatoes, I've dug about 60-70#, not too bad from planting 8*. They're Kennebec and Yukon Gold. Plus I have enough small ones to plant again. I have a fall crop in the ground, Yukon Gold-and a solid blue/purple one.
The onions were mostly Copra, with Candy, a supersweet and a red, names escape me at the moment. Ordered from Dixondale.
I started seeds one year, think I should have started in December.
Onions, I have drying, didnt weigh, but I had 2 heaping wagon loads.(blue metal mesh wagons, ya' know?)
Peppers coming on too, the mild Jalapeno's are heavy loaded.
Now, if my Deer would quit pruning every night!
Violet (was my sisters name), I have about 28 chickens, too many of them are roosters, I get from 5 to 12 eggs a day, and that overruns us in eggs, I take some to Munch every so often.
About 5 drops of rain here this week--it all went north, or south of us.

Didn't do any gardening from the 3rd until this morning. Both kids came down for the 4th.

I did get out this morning and mulched two more bales and weeded most of the strawberries. I have some volunteer potatoes in the strawberries that I dug up. They have been there several years now. Peppers are hanging full. Haven't begun the onions yet, but pulled a softball sized Candy for the burgers....as always, it was sweet as sugar. I love those onions.

I will go out later to pick blackberries.

The Japanese Beetles are still munching away here!

Found a terrapin had been eating on my first set of eggplant. He is in a bucket awaiting relocation.

Harvested the garlic...now need to know how to keep it. {{gwi:1114978}}From misc

I planted 5 tomato plants last year and they were looking really good when on four of them the leaves started wilting. I planted 5 more in the some area this year-same thing. They settled in, grew really well and then wilty leaves on four of them.

A friend sent me this info today and it is what I wondered about as they are close to a small walnut tree, only the one farthest away from the tree isn't affected. Anyone else had this experience? Guess I will change where I put them next year. Here is the info he sent.

Here is a link that might be useful: Tomato Wilt

>Harvested the garlic...now need to know how to keep it.

gldno,

Is it hard neck or soft neck garlic?

Hard neck.

Susy - There are some plants that you CAN put around your walnut trees but not tomatoes. They're very susceptible to juglone. If you can't find a good place to put them that's far enough away from the tree, you can try a raised bed. I wonder if your wilted plants would perk up if you moved them. Sorry about the bad luck.

I've been seeing more hummingbirds. Still not many butterflies. Lots of Japanese Beetles though grrrr. They were on my brand new Balaton Cherry. I didn't know they would bother that. It's easy to keep them off now while it's small but it surely won't be easy when it's big.

Ceresone - Be sure and let us know which of those onions tastes best and stores best. When is the best time to plant potatoes for fall? I have some store bought Yukon Golds that are sprouting a little and I was thinking about planting a few where I dug up the others.

We just enjoyed our first very sweet and huge Candy onion. I do love them.

My late planted ones are going to be very small....due to the company (Park) backordering. Next year if I do seeds again, I will order from Harris and in January! I haven't tried the Red Candy yet, but it is huge. The largest were from plants generous Okiedawn on the Ok Forum sent me. I will be doing a comparison between my early ones and her plants. They were fantastic plants from a grower in Texas, maybe the one Ceresone uses and even though expensive may be a better way to go for really big onions.

My past experience tells me the Candy onions will keep fairly well, but the Super Stars won't. I always use them up first. Both are extremely sweet and crisp.

The Japanese Beetles are here by the thousands...I will spray the blackberries this morning and sacrifice them to try to eliminate the beetles before they lay eggs.

We don't have many butterflies either and the Orioles have left. Not nearly as many HB's this year as last.

I dug two volunteer potatoes out of the strawberry bed and each filled a Murfin bag (Christie knows what I mean). I hope the rows yield as good.

Christie, I looked at MU's chart for Missouri and they don't show a fall date for potatoes??? They may not sprout in hot weather, but they should be in the ground and ready for early potatoes next year. That's where the volunteers come from. I will try to remember to plant a short row that way for trial.

An old man we used to know would always plant his fall potatoes as he dug his spring potatoes, by just tucking the small potatoes back in the ground. He would wait a week or two and if it didn't rain, water the row. He said the fall harvest was never as big as the spring, but he did get enough to make it worthwhile. I've never tried this, but I think the watering must be the key otherwise the potatoes left in the ground that volunteer the following spring would come up the same year. We always have volunteer potatoes. Usually in our corn as that is the rotation we use.

mulberryk, I just dug a few hills and I think the volunteers produced more and bigger than the spring set ones...of course they were late like everything due to the rains. I wonder if you planted them in September for the next spring how that would work....if I can remember I will do a short row.

One Gentleman on another forum, say's he had a perennial potato bed for 7 years. He replanted the small ones as he harvested (fall harvest) and kept the same bed going.
My onion's were; Candy, Copra, for storage, Red Candy Apple,and Red Zeppelin.
Be careful, everyone, Heat's coming back.

Well I so happy to hear that you onions did so well. I was looking forward to some this year. How ever mine did not grow.
My spinach did not grow either. As well as radishes or butter crunch lettuce.
So I think I will replant the later of those. I purchased so new seed. I hoping it was the seed I had used before that caused the problem. But time will tell.
I have noticed that one of my watermelon vines has a split in it off from the main area. I know this may be a borer. But I was reading that I should have placed soil over the vine in other areas so it would have roots along the way an not to cause the whole plant to die. So I guess I will go out today an place some soil on a few areas an see what happens. I really can't hurt since it could die any way. It still looks really healthy so far.
Are my potatoes still ok since they have not turned yellow as most of you have mentioned? They are still green. They have a very small bit of yellowing down on the bottom leafs.
Great to hear everyone's garden are coming along.
Bonnie : )

Bonnie, your potatoes are fine; I have a few that are still green too.

gldno1,

On storing your garlic, since it's hard neck, it typically does not store as well as soft neck. Soft neck is what you see in the grocery store because it has a longer shelf life, up to a year. Hard neck can be anywhere from 2 weeks to a year, average 4-6 months. I recommend harvesting at the proper time, when the three out leaves have dried. Pull them and dry them completely in a cool, shaded area with plenty of ventilation.

Then, if you can store them somewhere where temps are stable and it is relatively dry, that can prolong the storage. Even inside a paper sack inside kitchen drawer where it's dark and cool. They do best when stored much like onions.

Jspeachyn5, I agree with gldno1. Youre potatoe are fine. Different varieties will have their foliage die off at different times. I've planted 6 varieties. One died off completely a month ago and others aren't even looking like they're close to turning brown.

I am already loosing some! I read on a garlic website that a good way to store is in white vinegar in the fridge. I have an extra fridge out in the milk parlor and I think I will give that a try. I do plan to order some softneck variety for planting this fall.

Any advice on a favorite anyone?

I found a little bit of info online about planting a second crop of potatoes but not much. One link said the crop would likely be smaller like Mulberryknob said. I also read that late blight is more likely so maybe that's why it's not common. I had just a few store bought Yukon Golds that were sprouting so I planted them today where I dug my others last week just to experiment. There will only be about 10 plants so it's no great loss if it doesn't work. One link said to mulch with a few inches of straw to help keep the ground cool but I don't have that much straw.

I'd like to try planting some in late fall for the next spring too. I wonder if it matters whether they are an early season or late season variety.

I picked my first Coyote and Black Cherry tomatoes today. I'm not sure how to tell if they're ripe. Black Cherry isn't as dark as I thought it would be so I might not have waited long enough. Tomato hornworms are fast eaters. I've been checking my plants just about every day but one of them was leafless when I went out today.

I hope this post moves this to the top. I have to hunt to find it each day.

I finally picked banana peppers and some anchos and canned 15 pints of pickled peppers. They are floating which I hate. I need to research what to do about that.

I still haven't dug all the potatoes and really need to get that done this week. They will begin resprouting after the rains. We got another 1/2 inch last evening. Hard to believe for July.

The weeds are getting ahead of me. I think I will focus on the strawberry patch exclusively right now.

Jap. Beetle trap: It didn't seem much fuller yesterday.
I may move it to another location and see if that entices more.

I finally found a zuchini among the jungle of growth. It was a little big, but not pithy so I am using it.

We had pasta primavera last night using garden veggies. I didn't think DH would touch it, but he ate two portions. The only meat was about 1/2 cup of chopped ham in the sauce.
I had never made it before and loved it.

Chores today: Mow around the garden and use trimmer.

Mow entire yard.

Plans for later: Pull rest of onions and dig potatoes.
I want to till the onion rows and plant turnips in August

Hope things are going well for everyone and you have a great gardening day.

Ha Ha. It doesn't rain at my house so I don't have to mow. I didn't get the half inch either. I am now watering by what is wilting. There is no way I could water my whole yard. I spotted some blister beetles so be on the look out; they can defoliate fast.

Hope you get rain soon Helen.
I finally got may lawn mowed yesterday. Put it off all last week b/c of the rains nearly everyday. Glad I did. It looks much better.
Moved some plants around. I had them in the wrong spots. Short ones in the back and some were just so big the were covering some up. Crazy I started out with seeds and could not believe they would reach such a size in a 6 week time. I suppose I should have more faith.
Things are moving along in the vegetable beds.
Dug up some potatoes last week. Plan on having them for dinner tonight w/catfish.
Bunny rabbits are getting my lettuce an a few other things.
Looks like my melons will be ripe around end of Aug if this weather keeps up.
What has everyone else been up to?
You can pass that loaf of fresh bread and all the fixins around an share... lol
I am going to try to put in some more potatoes this week as a test an see what happens.
Bonnie : )

I haven't done any meaningful gardening since I posted last.

I have sprayed a few plants in the front yard because of the JB's. They are loving the rose of sharon and another rose.

The trap is still catching them in the back area.

Helen, I hope you get some rains from this next system they are talking about this morning.

It is almost light enough to do my garden tour, so I am off.

Have a good gardening day!

We are getting some light rain or drizzle now. It started something during the night and we got a little rain shower late yesterday afternoon.

I began yesterday pulling all the dead poppies. I tapped a few plants into a trash bag and probably got a cup of seed. They will all be mixed but I think they are all gorgeous. If anyone is interested in some, let me know.

I got most of the bed clipped back or pulled up or cut to the ground. I may take the trimmer to it today.

I just have two more beds to do. I let things get way ahead of me this year.

Picked the first little bunch of haricort vert green beans. Slender little things. I just stir fried them whole in a little oo with salt and pepper. Tasty, but wouldn't want a lot of them.

Still being absolutely attacked by Japanese Beetles. I have never seen anything like it. Makes me think of stories of the grasshopper plagues during drought when you would see fence posts totally covered with them. Finally saw a few June Bugs too.

Every time I go into the garden, two or three bunnies run out; a plague of rabbits in Mo. this year too.

I am still not seeing any melons on beautiful vines.

I've been afraid to post--I can't get June Bugs by posting close to them, can I? So far, I haven had one JB--now you see why I was afraid to say it out loud? LOL
Not much going on here, perhaps a good book, since it's raining. We haven't gotten the rains everyone else has had, but still a nice year, cooler temps help. It cost $50. to run the A/C this past month!
Next potatoes vines have greened up with the cooler weather, so wont have to dig for awhile. Watermelon and Cantelope vines fill one bed, no blooms yet. Picking the raspberries and tame blackberries.
Be careful storing the garlic, the meal moths, I think they're called, decimated my crop last fall, after I hung them.Good idea to hang a fly strip close to watch for them.
My chores are light morning and evenings now, the horse is turned out, so just chickens and garden for a few weeks.
Have 4 starving dogs hanging around, dont know if they're dumped, or a neighbors.And, if I feed them-more problems, but I do hate to see a starving animal. Hope the owners, whichever-are dealt with in the afterlife.

It started raining here last night as well. Still raining slow here now.
But in truth we do need it. The rain we had last week was nice, how ever after a day of sun an it was dry once again.
Helen hope you are getting some much needed rain : )
I really don't want to say this...I have not had any Japanese beetles, now watch I will be covered in them. But I have seen a few June bugs, stepped on the ones I could. Have some cadids as well. Not nearly the amount I have had the past two years. Maybe they are starting to decline here. Hope hope.
Yes, I agree with the over run of rabbits this year. I had this problem a few years ago. But no so bad last few years. My hawk need to add a few rabbits to their diet. I know they are big enough to have them they just don't. I won't complain too much I don't have a problem w/mice much since they are here.
My cantelope vine look great also an a few blooms but no melons yet either. The watermelon are small but I put them in late.
I replanted a bit of lettuce etc last week but may put in more this week. Maybe I can have enough for me an the rabbit.
I have pulled a few things that were don in the flower beds as well.
I started some pansy and viola seed Sunday. So we will see what happens.
Have a great day.
Bonnie

My biggest watermelon (Moon & Stars) is barely the size of a golfball. I'm loving this cooler weather but I'm afraid the only melons I'm going to get will be store bought. They really need more heat. Wish I had planted them earlier. Charentais is growing well and blooming but I haven't found any melons on it yet. Hoping I get a chance to try those and my Orangeglow Watermelon since they're new to me this year.

I've been looking through seed catalogs online. lol I usually have burn-out by this time of year but since I've only had to drag the hose around a couple times this summer so far and it's raining right now, I think I'm ready to plant more stuff. : )

Our riding mower has quit again for the third time this summer. This time it's the blades. Daughter hit a tree root and they're not turning at all. We may be shopping for a new mower. Watching for good deals at least. DH is getting tired or fixing it.

Well, the great potato-in-shredded leaves experiment is over and it was interesting. I had two 18-gal containers with holes in bottom and planted Yukon Gold in one and a red potato (Kennebec?) in the other. I only bought 3-4 potatoes for each container and cut them up after sprouting the eyes. Planted them in about 4 inches of good compost then started piling shredded leaves on as they grew. They never did really die, but I was tired of them, so I dumped them out, and found probably 25 potatoes in all, some as big as a tennis ball, but most golf ball sized. They were clean and didn't have any insect damage. Used the leaves as mulch in a bed and am still working on eating those potatoes. They are delicious! It was a good experiment. Next time, though, I'll plant them in the ground.

Had my first Cherokee Purple the other day and it's my very favorite. Next year I'll have more of them. Box Car Willie has been prolific and I'm waiting for them to ripen. I use Repels-All to keep away the squirrels/rabbits and it works.

Something ate my green bean seedlings so I have been sprinkling Sevin on the leaves and so far so good. I'm growing Roma bush and stringless pole (think it's Blue Lake?). Looking forward to those!

The tomatillos in the planter are going great guns. Strange to see the papery outer shell and it feels there is nothing in it.

Sunny
{{gwi:64661}}

Did you know you can't post to the same post twice in one day???
Anyhow--I found Melons too today-two kinds, one stripe and one solid, one must be the yellow I tried. And Cantelope. They went in way late, cause I decided even if my raised bed wasnt filled all the way up, I'd plant it.
Picked more Cucumbers, I've probably given away at least 80#, I need to use up the pickles from other years before I make more.
My Ananas Noire if finally ripe, Need to look up what the small yellow one is, because I didnt plant small tomatoes in the garden, they went into pots. Black Cherry is good too.
One more week in July-times flies by, the older we get.
My Sweet Potatoes are spreading into the chicken pen, thats the only way they can spread and not be deer pruned, glad I used cattle panels and fenced that bed.
And, so goes the summer..

ceresone, if you type in something like 'additon' or 'another thought' to the subject line...anything, it will accept it.

I went out early while it was still very wet and trimmed around the pole beans, tomatoes, and melon patch (lots of other stuff too) and found a Moon and Stars that already has the spots, about the size of a grapefruit. I clipped ends of the vines so they would maybe ripen some sooner. I also saw some butternut squash, but still no pumpkins. It is like a jungle out there with wall-to-wall vines.

Something is still eating my lowest tomatoes, maybe the little banty hen that flies out each day!

I did a batch of salsa and one quart of pickles yesterday and am on the 2nd day of the 3-day process for a small batch of lime pickles from my one volunteer plant. The planted vines are just now starting. We finished off the limes pickles this spring now that DH is eating them too.

I made the salsa too darned hot.....won't be adding that many peppers again.

The way my tomatoes are going, I will be lucky to can a few jars of salsa. It has been a disappointing year for the tomatoes.

Looks like my Kwintus beans are hanging full. I may go out later and pick them since I can do it in full shade under the hoop house.

Trimmed off the onion and potato patch so I can till some and plant turnips......my Aunt says to wait until 8/1; that is always what Grandpa did....sounds good enough for me.

Beginning the process of putting the hardneck garlic in a jar of vinegar to store in the extra fridge. I will also do some in oil.

I have a good shady spot to plant lettuce now because of the fallen elm tree; back by the melons.

I still haven't found my Ananas Noire!

Yard needs mowing...........again.

Glenda

It's hard to believe, but we just got another very good rain. It was moving sw so I hope some of you get in on it!

I didn't get the mowing done or the beans picked; maybe later today.

We got a light shower this morning, looks like the rain you got is fading as it comes our way, but more expected later, Brandon says.
All I have done so far is box up my potatoes that were drying on the dining room floor, used milk grates, but covered from light.
I think I'll mow my tame blackberries to the ground after they're done producing, means I wont get berries for next year, but getting harder to care for everything alone. It wont kill them, just a year setback. I see they now have blackberries, and raspberries that you mow each year, then have a fall crop the next year.
Think I'll go back to flowers on the deck next year too, if I can rig waterers.watering with a hose twice a day last year burned me out.
My mowing needs done also, the tractor tire I plugged is down to a slow leak now.
Last week of July, cool nights, rain, and I'm a year older--what more could we ask for???

Well, Happy Birthday!.

Sorry we missed that. I never think to check.

Actually that last sentence is all any of us can ask for, don't you think.

Happy belated birthday Ceresone. I don't think to check either.
We got almost a half inch of rain this morning. I agree, it's been a good month. Hope we don't pay later.
I found three more little watermelons. I didn't keep track of what I planted where but I think they must either be Orangeglow or Blacktail Mountain. Also found the start of a tiny melon on one of the Sakata Sweets that I planted in a container.

I planted some (forgot name)turnip seeds yesterday. This will be my first try with turnips. Also dug down and checked my 2nd planting of potatoes. I found one that was sprouting and another that was completely rotten. I'm not expecting much.

Yes Happy B-day Ceresone.
I never think about checking either. Always have a list running in my head of what I "need" to get done. Along w/all the slips of paper I have laying around to remind me. lol
Yes, I can not believe I have been getting so much rain in July. Normally I would be yanking things up that are dying from lack of water.
The children an I went down to check the melons an pumpkins I found. They were so excited. Was very hard on them not being able to pick them up and move them around.
It is very dark outside now. So may be a bit of rain soon. I have not had any yet today.
You all keep talking about turnips. All I can say is good luck to you. That is one veggie I never acquired a taste for lol.
I'm w/you ceresone I get tired of watering.
I'm trying to start plants that will be drought tolerant so I won't have to water as much. Now to figure out how to rig up a drip line to the others over the winter. I think I will make that my winter project. I want to purchase the items needed to place a drip line in the veggie bed and flower beds. Then I won't have to stand around dragging the hose.
Christie I put my potatoes in about a week ago. So I'm hoping to get at lest a few. Time will tell.
Everyone have a good day.
Bonnie : )

Happy Birthday! I have also been thinking of scaling back a bit. Parts of my jungle are out of control and would look better as grass that I could mow. I haven't been getting a lot of the rain; it is falling north of me. I have been siphoning the pond. It ran out until the inch of rain I got last week. Everything looked much better the day after that rain.

Good morning!

Just waded the dew out to the garden to empty the two JB traps which were full all the way up to the top. Had one new bag left so reset it. I have emptied by slitting the bottom of the two full bags, what a smell, rinsing them out and letting them dry. I am going to try to reseal the bags with the old standby, Duck tape. I still have lots of JB's everywhere. They have practically stripped the pole beans I was trialing on the sweet corn and are back in the top of the rose of sharon tree.

I picked my first handful of Cajun Delight okra and found JB's there too.

Only had three small tomatoes. Something is eating all the ripe ones, even up higher on the vines. It is also eating the tops out of the cabbage and pumpkins. I hope we can get it before it moves on the the sweet corn.

Picked 3/4 bushel of Kwintus pole beans in the cool, shady hoop house; just stood and pulled them off by handfuls. I do love not bending over in the sun! I plan to do some more hoops next year.

When I need to water pots on the patio, I just set the sprinkler so it catches it and one end of the HB bed and the kitchen window bed.....of course we can't use the back door for an hour or so.

We ended up with a full inch this time so should be good for water for a week or better since we were still wet from before. Still too wet to til for the turnips.

Bonnie, I bet you don't like cooked cabbage either! I cooked up two big heads yesterday and ate a bowl full and froze the rest. I have two more to do today. I will either eat it this winter or put it in soups.

We finally took the HB feeder down after they drank all of it in one day. Also a bee person told me that doesn't make good honey....not a good thing. There are plenty of flowering plants around in the garden and yard.

Oh I love cabbage raw or fried w/brown sugar etc. Just depends.
Never have liked turnips or beets. I like most veggies an fruit. In one form or another.
Sound like you are catching a lot of JB's.
I took my hummer feeder down also. I was not getting any hummers just bees and ants. So the bees are happy with the flowers.
I'm going to mow and an weed eat today. Also need to water my melons an tomatoes. I think I will see if I can find some for fried green tomatoes. Haven't had any this year yet so I.m hungry for them today.
I didn't get any rain yesterday. Just cloudy off an on. But was most definitely humid. I could not stand to be out in it. So I curled up w/a book. so.. you know I will be paying the price today since I am behind.
Have a good day everyone.
Bonnie : )

The month is almost over! Where does the time go?

We got another nice, but windy shower yesterday evening, about 1/2 inch or less. I see it knocked some corn down a bit, but I think it will straighten back up.

No varmint in the trap again and the bait still intact.
I haven't checked to see if the rain washed off all the Sevin, but it probably did. Will do it again to keep of raccoons, hopefully.

Didn't do anything outside yesterday. Canned 7 quarts of dills. I won't do much outside today because this is bread making day. That means that the weeds with have doubled by the time I get back out.

These rains are wonderful, but sure helps the weeds grow and is keeping me from planting the turnips! Ground is way too wet.

The bees are still swarming the HB feeder even with a dilute solution. I am hearing that this is happening in Iowa too. I was late mowing and had lots of white clover blooming over the yard but didn't see a single bee until we put the feeder up again. Something is going on.......

We did not get any rain.
Looks like a chance for next few days.
I have to get out an replant lettuce an a few others. I really think I must be crazy because it will be a race to see who gets it first, me or the rabbit.
I killes 2 black widow spiders in the past week. one in the garage and one in the flower bed. I had found that one last year when I was cleaning etc out side. So I guess they are here to stay. Sort of strange though. Because I have always had a problem with those big hairy spider down by the old feild area that I mow. (always afraid they will jump on me while I mow). But I have not see but two or three of those this year an now these. I think I'm ready to go back to no black widows at all. The scare the be gebers outa me.
Bonnie

We got almost 2/10 inch of rain.

I don't have a hummingbird feeder up now. I get tired of filling it. My mimosa is blooming and lots of other flowers so they should have enough nectar around the yard.

I have some little turnips coming up! I only planted a couple dozen seeds. I need to plant the rest of the packet.

I've never had fried cabbage with brown sugar but gosh - Brown Sugar! It sounds good. : )

I planted too many cherry tomatoes. The Black Cherries are splitting before I get a chance to pick them. The others aren't nearly as quick to split.

I looked back at last year. The Japanese Beetles disappeared around mid-August. That's something to look forward to. Only a couple more weeks.

Be careful of those Black Widows when you're pulling weeds. I was pulling weeds around some shrubs once where there was dead leaves and the wad I had in my bare hand had a black widow in it. I was lucky I didn't get bitten. I try to remember to wear gloves but often don't.

christie, I am going to scold you like a mother (or grandmother!), get some of those cheapies at Race Bros. and never go out to do diddly in the yard without them! I have half a dozen pairs and have almost worn them out. I hate dirt under my nails and don't like to reach into hidden areas without protection.

I will be checking up on you!

BTW, my great aunt lost a finger due to a copperhead bite on her bare finger....thinking gloves could have been a help. I would wear leather ones if I was reaching into any scary looking stuff.

That's the thing.
The one in the garage was walking across the floor in the open. the one in the garden was just sitting on top of the soil where i have the potatoes planted. In the open as well. Glad there is no new growth above ground on the potatoes yet.
When I have time this week I am going to do some spraying around the house foundation an garage. I may hit right around the area where the potatoes are at but not right where they are.
I need to figure out where the are coming from. Strange since I never seen them here before. Have been here 2004 an last summer is the first on had ever seen.
Cristie I don't normally wear gloves either unless doing something big. Although I learned my lesson an now suit up head to toe when I go any where near what might me poison ivy form last years error in my ways. So maybe I need to see if I can get myself to wear gloves all the time. I just like the feel of the soil in my hands and the feel of what ever I am growing.
Since I like to feel maybe I should wear gloves to protect my hands.
Bonnie

I found a spider in a building that was shaped like a black widow and had a red spot. It wasn't black. It was dark but not the shiny black you usually see. I think it was some type of black widow. It is in a bottle with rubbing alcohol somewhere. I was going to research it.

I forgot to ask how you know when black cherry is ripe. Mine seem to stay green on top. Do you wait until yours are all red? I think the reason I really like the taste of my Black from Tula is that it won't get ripe on top. I leave it until it is really really ripe before I eat them and they are very good. The trouble is some have gotten rotten spots more than my other tomatoes. I got .08 inches of rain. It all goes north or south of me.

Helen - There are Brown Widows too - also poisonous. I think some types may go through color changes a little bit as they mature but not sure.
I'm having trouble figuring out when Black Cherry is ripe too. Mine seem quick to split open. They don't get as dark as I expected them to and they have a little green around the top and green inside around the seeds when they split.

A friend gave me a handful of black cherry tomatoes last year and that is what I planted. They weren't red, but more greenish red. I still don't have any ripe ones and the vines are monsters, about 5x5. I planted them by the garden gate and can barely get past them now....won't do that again.

Well, We got, by the rain gauge, 1 .80 inches Tuesday night--but according to a previously empty bucket in the yard, it was closer to 5 inches--then another heavy rain last night.
Can't measure anymore, I took the rain gauge down. For some reason, small Bumble Bees pack into it-and die!! I'd empty it each day, but every time, I'd have 5-20 bees in it. Wonder if its because it was mounted on one of my raised garden beds. Anyhow, I dont want to loose that many bees if I can help it. I do like Bumble Bees!
I'm taking Cucumbers and Eggs to our local Munch program after a bit-That way I can only hope the ones that get them are grateful, and not see the attitude I sometimes see.
It does upset me to have a person say "they'll take something off my hands" if I have too many. My beautiful Heirloom tomatoes? I dont think so!
Cucumbers are really producing this year, Tomatoes are slow ripening, and dont have the flavor I expect, I think because we arent getting hot weather.
I understand the Brown Recluse is very deadly too, it's the one that all older farmhouses used to have, and we just existed with them. I think everything has had a attitude change in the years passing. From people to animals.
With one exception!!! My resident family of Groundhogs!
The graze yard, paths in the garden, etc--and have never touched the garden. I watched one yesterday, grazing around like a cow.
Well, enough rambling.

I thought you all south were getting rain. My aunt who lives in Christian County said it has rained the last three nights.

They said none for us today so I went out to do some weeding; worked about an hour and the shower got too heavy so I came in and made coffee and here I am. I did cut down some forest sized poke plants again. I will remember this as the year of no tomatoes and too much poke weed.

We still haven't caught our garden varmint, but have no further damage.

We have the occasional Brown Recluse....old farm house. I used to go bonkers if I saw them, but just squish them and go on now.

Glad you all are getting rain .

My daughter, who was an ER nurse, told me if I ever got a spider on me (particularly brown recluse) don't swat it while it's on me. They bite when there is pressure on them. She said to just brush it off and if you have shoes on, step on it.
Sunny

Last day of the month! Can't believe July is gone.

I made myself go out and do some serious weeding. Lasted three hours and am not quite done yet, but I feel much better about the whole thing now.

Checked one variety of sweet corn and decided some was ready so picked 30 ears and am waitng for the water to heat. It was Honey Select, a new one for me. It turned out very nice.

Not liking the looks of Kandy Korn. The husks are pulling away from the ear at the top exposing part of the corn. Not a good thing. Won't do it again.

Picked the first okra, enough for a meal and several egg plants, a variety I do not like. Got to decide what to do with it.

I have left piles of weeds and saplings laying here and there in front of beds....not looking good, but I had mulch and tools on the cart so couldn't use it. Oh well, another good job to look forward to when I get bored.

How are you all finishing up July?

Ceresone is that person who is taking tomatoes off your hands a worker at the charity or an individual who is getting the tomatoes? I thought I would take tomatoes to Crosslines, but friends and neighbors of my pal in Joplin are getting them. I am getting lots of appreciation for my tomatoes. There are elderly people who would greatly appreciate them if your aren't getting good feedback for your effort. Many older people used to grow gardens and know the work that goes into it. Many are short on cash and could use a little help with good food. I am sure there are some children who are eating your produce; that is a good deed whether you get credit or not from adult recipients.

Helen, the Munch store wasn't open, so I ended up taking my produce/eggs to the Senior Citizens Center--And they were happy. Seems noone is having much of a garden this year, and nothing to share.