With this lingering heat, parts of the garden are struggling to get through each day. The Corn in the Three Sisters Garden, has been looking pale and tired, although most of the stalks are making corn. Setting cobs? Since the other two sisters flew the coop, the beans and pumpkins, the garden isn’t getting nitrogen from the beans. And corn needs nitrogen. So I picked up some fish emulsion and hand watered the corn with a diluted mixture. I also threw some worm castings on top of the soil, because I have an irrational belief that worm poo fixes everything. We’ll see. But for now:
Heat stressed corn
corn cobs growing
The peppers are doing fine, but do look a bit stressed in the heat of the day.
Peppers hanging in
The tomatoes in the garden are waiting for less heat to fully thrive.
Garden Tomatoes look puny
Butternut Squash or Cucumber?
This is either butternut squash or lemon cucumber. I planted both and can’t tell the difference. Whatever it is, it is happy. Hoping for the butternut, but if life hands me lemon cucumbers, I’ll make lemon cucumber pickles again.
The broccoli seeds are up. I need to thin them a bit every day. I never know how they all show up in one end of the garden. Watering, maybe.
Broccoli seedlings
The Black Seeded Simpson lettuce has sprouted as well. I really hope it cools off, or it will be too hot for this lettuce.
Black Seeded Simpson Lettuce
There are some strange things sprouting in the potato bed, although I’m not sure any of them are potatoes. Still waiting. They might be compost.
On the Herb Patio, the Bay Laurel, which sat as a barron stick for a year, has sprouted a friend! This will be fabulous for winter soups and stews. I love Bay.
Bay for Winter
The garden winners of the day, strangely, are the tomatoes in the Earthbox. They are the healthiest and heartiest of the whole lot.
Tomatoes in an Earthbox Surviving the Heat
So, it’s still hot, but I’m ever hopeful for Fall weather, and a more and more productive Fall and Winter garden. The Fall and Winter garden are my favorites. So abundant and with such good food.
Hey, I picked a corn yesterday because the silks were looking brown and I thought that’s how you tell they are ready. Either way, it would have been ready but it was totally dried out. Like, some kernels had formed in areas of the cob, but not everywhere. It was the oddest thing. I am hoping with more water the rest will develop better.
Isn’t this rain just great?
Hmmm, I’m wondering how my corn is developing with the heat. I just planted more, hoping to learn when it does the best. The rain is amazing! As of right now, I’ve had 3.4 inches and it is still coming down. We should meet for Cafe Josie happy hour soon, compare notes, and harass Charles!