The drought is finally breaking; the garden is flourishing- with critters that is. I discovered hornworms this week. They look kind of cute in pictures especially when you think that they are a caterpillar that will cocoon into a big beautiful moth. There will be two less moths this year. My banana pepper and tomato plants are safe for now. The experience of oozing green hornworm carcasses still haunts me.
I have discovered vole trails around the garden and am watching to see what the impact will be.
I have learned that bush beans do send out vines and metal containers do not do well for planting here in Mississippi.
I harvested two tomatoes, a handful of green beans, a few banana peppers and a small bell pepper.
The Queen Anne pocket melons are resting nicely in their new bed, but are still slow to show progress. I am contemplating replacing the metal bottom and topless cans I put around them with a wire cage. They may not be getting enough sunlight.
I harvested a couple hundred zinnia seeds from my two plants just this week with a promise of much more to be had and have decided to winter sow a large bed with a mass planting of zinnias as I will have plenty of free seed to do so.
After months of trying to get marigolds growing from seed, I found four big thriving ones hiding under the lima beans. I guess they really do grow anywhere- Just not where I planned to put them.
The sunflowers have finally grown taller than their little twig fence, but the middle of the bed still has not sprouted its seeds. There may have been some plant sabotage there.
Lessons Learned: Metal containers do not work in places with high heat. Bush beans send out vines that need to be staked/trellised. Zinnia seeds are located just at the bottom of the petals and can be harvested when the bloom is spent. Hornworms can eat a banana pepper plant in an afternoon. Exterminate them by cutting them in half with a sharp cutting tool (Scissors, pruners). They make really good food for the birds.
I have discovered vole trails around the garden and am watching to see what the impact will be.
I have learned that bush beans do send out vines and metal containers do not do well for planting here in Mississippi.
I harvested two tomatoes, a handful of green beans, a few banana peppers and a small bell pepper.
The Queen Anne pocket melons are resting nicely in their new bed, but are still slow to show progress. I am contemplating replacing the metal bottom and topless cans I put around them with a wire cage. They may not be getting enough sunlight.
I harvested a couple hundred zinnia seeds from my two plants just this week with a promise of much more to be had and have decided to winter sow a large bed with a mass planting of zinnias as I will have plenty of free seed to do so.
After months of trying to get marigolds growing from seed, I found four big thriving ones hiding under the lima beans. I guess they really do grow anywhere- Just not where I planned to put them.
The sunflowers have finally grown taller than their little twig fence, but the middle of the bed still has not sprouted its seeds. There may have been some plant sabotage there.
Lessons Learned: Metal containers do not work in places with high heat. Bush beans send out vines that need to be staked/trellised. Zinnia seeds are located just at the bottom of the petals and can be harvested when the bloom is spent. Hornworms can eat a banana pepper plant in an afternoon. Exterminate them by cutting them in half with a sharp cutting tool (Scissors, pruners). They make really good food for the birds.
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