Sunday, July 31, 2011

Kitchen Garden Progress Report

I pulled the multiplier onions ("yellow potato onion") and garlic from a small bed south of the house. This bed got out of control with weeds, and it looks like most of them died. Or someone ate them. I think I have a dozen to make a new start next year. These are an heirloom variety and I don't want to lose them. Plus they taste really good, but there won't be any to eat this time. I will have a special raised bed or garden box for them next year.

So
In the place of the onions I planted 2 types of bush beans. The seeds are a few years old. If they don't grow, no great loss. But I think they will. If they do, that should mean beans in September.

Fig cutting

This fig cutting has grown about a foot. I stuck all of the fig branches in this container garden, among peppers and onions, this spring with no special treatment. I didn't care much if they grew. But it's nice if they do. Most have baby-leaves. Those are small leaves that grow before the roots take hold, so remain small. This is the first cutting to take off aaand really grow. This is Desert King, which seems to be harder to root compared to other fig trees.

Once the onion goes, the cutting will have a lot more room.

Container Gardens Progress Report

These beans are growing like crazy! They are blooming great! These are an Italian pole bean. The container is a plastic basket, with holes drilled in the bottom. This is working great! It does need almost daily water though.  I can't reach the top growth now!

Peppers! Before barrels, I could never get them to bear. I can't beleive they are almost ripe.  This is great!  I had garlic plants in this barrel too.  It was the largest garlic I've grown.

More peppers. Cool!  The onions are spring bunching onions.  I planted the seeds in this barrel just to see what would happen.

Peach Progress Report

The peaches have made excellent recovery from peach leaf curl. This tree is the only one with a significant number of peaches. All of the peach trees recovered and are covered with beautiful lush growth. They look tropical.

Despite thinning the peaches, there was some June drop. Maybe July drop. That was the tree saying "I can't manage all of this damn work! I've been sick mister!" Maybe the rest will get to ripen! There are enough for a good taste.

So lush! This fall I really really really have to stip the leaves in November and cover with plastic bag. It works if you do it.

Saturday, July 30, 2011

Zygopetallum hybrid

The larger plant is the result of one year of care at home. The smaller plant is new. It's subtle to me, but the smaller plant has lighter leaves. I think that indicates the lighting was better, and may be why the larger plant hasn't bloomed. I had it in brighter sun and now there is some sunburn. I don't know yet it it will bloom later. Always learning.