My recent lack of posts. Garden log

Dueing the past few months, there have been fewer posts on growing greener. Despite that, there have been many readers checking in on the garden.

I've been making multiple trips to the midwest, with 2 very ill parents. The work schedule has been extended as well. This is not complaining - in this economy, just having a job and career is something to be grateful for. But it has meant significant neglect of the backyard garden and the blog.

So here are a few updates. Pictures to follow.

The chickens -

The Americauna pullet turned out to be a rooster. Not allowed in my town. Can't be kept secretly, either - he was announcing his presence early and loudly. SO he was given to a coworker. His fate... "Don't ask / Don't tell".

The Leghorn has grown up and is laying one nice, large, egg daily.

The Australorp pullets are nearly to laying size. They have a definite "hen-like" appearance (although so did the Americauna).

The tomatoes -

2 days ago I picked 3 medium sized Lemon Boy and a big handful of Supersweet 100.
The plants have remained small. Last week I added some organic high-N food to give them a boost.

The figs -
One ripe "Vancouver" breba yesterday. One getting close. Two ripe Petite negri, probably tomorrow. Two Lattarula probably ripe next week - that will be the first from these trees. Not much, but they are loaded with figs for fall crop, so I'm happy to get a preview.

The Peppers -
All are loaded with fruit. Not large yet, but peppers don't need to be ripe to be eaten.

Other Crops -
Roma beans yielded a bowl of beans last night. The summer crop of raspberries is done. With the recent heat, some of the leaves are scorched, but it looks like there will be a big fall crop. I'll post some peach photos - getting closer! Pears weighing down the tree. Lots of cucumbers. Zucchinis once again giving more than we can eat.

Flowers -
These have sufferred neglect, the most. Lillies are blooming, and fragrant. Some are scorched. I'm definitely moving more toward Xeriscaping with more succulents next year - the sedums and sempervivums are surviving like shamps. The night blooming cactus has the most buds, ever. Probably bloom in late august.

I have some photos to upload tonight.

With my Dad on hospice, and my Mom having Alzheimer's, there is a good chance that there will be more deferred maintenance in the yard. Even so, doing the gardening and writing about it give me peace of mind and something to look forward to, so I'll work on posting at least once weekly again. I ordered a large # of bulbs for fall planting, just to have something to look forward to. I have plans to re-engineer a couple of garden beds for better access and improved spacing. This will involve further encroachment into former lawn. No problem. I let the lawn go brown, so at least no mowing now.

What's blooming?

Family illnesses and other issues have kept me from keeping up with the garden and blog. Despite neglect, the garden appears to be growing rampantly. Weeds too, but despite being unsightly, they are not enough to get in the way of the veggies, fruits, and flowers.

What's up in the Kitchen Garden?

Ning's happy about his cherry tree producing so many cherries.

This is about half of the cherry crop. Yum!

Lots of stuff in bloom now.

Strawberries - Getting about a pound every day.
Raspberries - A bowl full daily now.
Tomatoes - All in bloom now.
Figs - The few brebas are getting larger, not there yet.
Peaches - I'm wondering if I should have thinned more. They are weighing down the tree branches! WIll need to get some supports soon.
cherries - I also summer pruned them. CUt most new growh back to 6 inches to a foot, in most cases leaving the first tuft of leaves pluys a few. Most of the removed growth was about 2 feet in length.

Epihyllum forst bloom

This hybrid epi was purchased as a rooted cutting 2 years ago. This is the first bloom. The variety is "Piccolo". It opened last night, and is still open now, 24 hours later, so the bloosom has more staying power compared to the one-night-stand of Epiphyllum oxypetallum.

Fresh Fruit! Garden Log for mid June.

Ning's Cherries are almost ripe. This is the oldest tree, about 7 years old. The 4-year-old trees just have scattered cherries.

The strawberries have been producing for a week. This is a typical day's haul. Plenty for our needs. The most productive have been the ones around the rowse bed and around the tomato patch. Fertilized only with compost.




Other Garden Notes.

1. Figs. I've pinched out the terminal buds on all of the fig trees. Those that were pinched 2 weeks ago have responded with new fig embryos at each leaf node. I've removed about 1/4 of them, in hopes of earlier & better figs. Brebas not yet ripe but growing larger day by day.

2. Peaches. Most are about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. I thinned about 1/4 of the remaining peaches, to avoid over bearing, and inprove chances of earlier and better fruit.

3. Tomatoes. Most are blooming. All have been tied to their posts, and side branches removed for cordon training.

4. Peppers. Lots of holes in the leaves. What's eating them? But they are blooming.

5. Rhubarb. Over the hill. I made a wonderful strawberry-rhubarb sauce, similar to the video below but with 1/2 strawberries. Used frozen rhubarb and frozen strawberries still left over from last year. Great on pancakes! Yum!

6. Roses. First bloom is over the hill. They've been beautiful and prolific.

7. Asparagus starts. All are about 6 inches tall. Will I EVER get them established? Still trying.

8. Lawn. Still mowing using the mechanical mower. More clover this year. Not a problem.

9. Hazelnut trees. Still alive! Also all of the new fruit trees, including sour cherry, 2 Japanese plums, and multigraft Asian Pear.

10. Fallgold raspberry, now bearing too. These are SO good!

Lots of weeds going to the chickens. No eggs in a month from the 2 older hens. The 2 younger ones are not laying yet either. Come on girls.... earn your keep!

Rhubarb Sauce. Since my rhubarb was limited, I replaced about 1/2 with strawberries. I used tapioca instead of starch. Otherwise about the same. SO GOOD!