Wait, it’s July already??

Well. It’s July 11 and I’m just now writing a post about the 2019 garden. Let’s get started, shall we?

The garden bed under the walnut is growing back to grass very nicely. I’ve created, with the help (hahaha they did all the work) of Gadgetron and the BSE, an actual flower bed along there. It’s lovely, and it looks intentional. I’d post more photos of the lovely hosta, except my jackrod deer have been at them. No interest in them at all, till I made the bed look so nice. It’s all in presentation, folks.

I have fawn triplets! Triplets are kind of rare and these are precious. Aren’t they the most darling? I think they have been bedding down in the front blueberry/garlic beds during the day. I know they’re well fed. Their stupid mom ate all my hosta.

I did get around to seed starting this year! I started tomatoes indoors in April, and put them in fabric pots in early June. I have eight varieties this year! Green Zebra, Chocolate Stripes, Vintage Wine, Amish Paste, Opalka, San Marzano, Ace 55, and Trip-L-Crop. Here’s how they looked in June.

Here’s how they look today. It’s been a hot, humid summer so far, and the tomatoes are going out of their minds. Both sides of the driveway are lined with the pots. I’m going to be inundated with delicious heirloom tomatoes. Give me wheat bread and mayo and a sink to stand over, friends.

I also started seeds for broccoli, Brussels sprouts, ground cherries, watermelon and cauliflower. While moving trays I took a spill and plants went everywhere. I planted some of the broccoli/Brussels sprouts in a raised bed and hoped for the best, since I didn’t know which was which. For two weeks they thrived under the chicken wire protectorate I created. Two weeks, I had hope these would grow to term. Then the vampirabbits, or werechucks, or whatever the hell they were, showed up and overnight they were gone. You can imagine my rage.

I put the remaining cauliflower/broccoli/Brussels sprouts in the apple box out front. They’re happy, as are the watermelons I parked in there. We’ll see how they do, and they’re well protected in there. Immediately thereafter I sprayed all around my tomatoes with gag-inducing coyote urine. They are unmolested.

The asparagus bolted in the hot weather before I could harvest a single stalk. I was annoyed, because I’d so looked forward to this year being the first year I could take stalks to eat. Good thing I live in Michigan where local asparagus is plentiful and cheap. While weeding yesterday, though, I noted MANY new starts have spread. Just as well that I left the stalks alone this year, I may have a bumper crop next year!

The wet weather did not fill the strawberries with joy either. It’s okay. Again, I live in Michigan, so…. I’m good with waiting on next year. Mine are everbearing, though, so I may get another crop.

Sunday I put in bush beans among my strawberries. Bean fix nitrogen, so I’m hoping for a boost to the berries. I’d like them to send out more runners than they are, perhaps this will give them a kick. It’s been impossibly gross out, so my raised beds are choked with weeds. Yesterday was decent so I skipped out of work and got out there and weeded, and put in three kinds of zucchini, some bush cucumbers, and some watermelon. This time, though, the moment they sprout, I’ll be vigilant with the coyote urine.

I flagged the garlic Sunday with those little utility markers. I plan to pull the grass out and lay down mulch. It will look nicer, and showcase my gorgeous blueberries, garlic, comfrey, onions, and Rose of Sharons. I think the blueberries will be happier with less competition from the grass, which has gotten thoroughly out of control, thanks to the aforementioned gross and humid weather.

While walking about the yard last night I found this little colony. I plan to tax each ant $10 for the privilege of living at the Farm at the NSSL. I expect it will be quite the moneymaker for me. Perhaps Gadgetron can come increase my tax bill for this accessory structure. 🙂

One of my neighbors stopped by this week while walking her little dog to warn me about the perils of growing the Devil’s lettuce right out in the open. She warned me that “those kids will come right up in your yard and steal your plants and smoke them and get high!” I wanted to tell me I was more concerned about cops who come and try to take my crops, but I was pretty sure she was not fully conversant in the Cypress Hill catalog. In any case, behold my 7 foot tall stinging nettles, which are definitely not something the kids want to be smoking. Or grabbing, either.

That’s all I have right now. I’ll leave you with photos of my irises, which were beyond lovely this year.