What have you done today in the Garden?

I hadn't intended to do anything today, but first thing this morning...alright around 10.00am... I noticed something had been into the four plastic pots on the patio steps. Two hebes and two small peonys. Checking the trail cameras it was "the usual suspect" a neighbour's cat! He's looking for Marcel the mouse who is often picked up by the camera heading for the bird's ground feeder.




It had also shown an interest in 'arry's feed station, but it's just curiosity, he can't get his head in through the entrance, it's too small, the food is at the far end of the station and there's a large brick on top of the box so he wouldn't be able to turn it over.


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He won't be a threat to 'arry, in fact they've never appeared in the same photo or video for over a year.

One of the peonys was completely uprooted so it went in the bin. The other three pots I moved to the side of the drive, with the roses.
I had to have a general clear up of that area and get out the garden vac.

The steps will remain "potless."





The first casualty of the hot weather, one of next door's trees.




Not watering a garden to save on water bills when there's no ban, is false economy. Replacing established plants is more expensive than a slight increase in water charges.

 

Picked some wild rudbeckia to dry out.

 

Did my afternoon mist spray of the acers, they all holding up well despite the heat which can cause burning of the leaves.



















If I were being picky, the very end of the tips of some leaves on this one, that gets the sun for most of the day have gone white but it's hard to see.

 

Watered the greenhouse today and picked enough cukes for about five jars of pickles. More toms are beginning to ripen. So far we have enjoyed a slow and steady tomato harvest for the last two weeks, which is amazing for us to have red toms in July. ( There are no red ones in the photo because...well....I ate them. )



I hand water the corn patch in the lower garden. The one's I planted from seed underneath clear plastic with slits cut in it, are catching up to the others that were transplanted. The coir pots certainly worked best for transplants. They are polinating a couple of weeks apart, but the cobs look like they may be bigger on the seed starts.



There are still artichokes coming, but smaller. We harvested some for dinner the other day.







The Early Gold Nugget Buttercup Squash are chugging along - some smaller than others. I planted so late with the cold wet spring, I'm just happy to see them. If I can get them to the second week in September without a killing frost, I will be able to harvest them I'm devising a way to cover with blankets and tarps "without squashing the squash" to buy them some time.




The onions are all bent over, and hopefully will come out tomorrow morning or today to go on drying racks. It depends how much stewing I do, so that I can work on processing harvest, before I get to pick raspberries and pull onions. hahaha. But it is only 7 C outside, so I'm enjoying the Stew.

 

Raspberries are crazy loaded this year, and harvested every two to three days.







I made fourteen jars of Jelly a couple days ago, from the raspberries in the freezer. I poke a few holes in the bags, put them in a large bowl and let them thaw. When I harvest the juice, it is very intense and concentrated in flavour. Wonderful as a spread, but also inside a Jelly Roll Cake.

 

Zuchinni ( Corgettes @Sjoerd ) are one of my favourites. They are a happy little surprise in the mornings. ( " Why hello....I did not see you yesterday....but welcome to dinner. ) First potatoes for Hubby with fresh veggies.



The carrots had to come out due to the fierce perseverence of the meadow mice/voles and or pocket gophers ( not field gophers...northern pocket gophers look like a hamster and have an appetite like one also). The joys of having a garden next to a fallow field. hahahaha





I left the really chewed on carrots on the side and some in the ground. If I completely remove their happy snacking grounds, I worry they will move onto the buttercup squash. This was an issue last year. Score....50 carrots to the greedy gremlins, and 200 for Mel. I can live with that

The larger carrots will go in the fridge crisper on the porch, unwashed with newspaper layers. The small ones will be washed, chopped and blanched today ( ...she says while she drinks coffee and visits the Stew).

Next time I have to remember to plant the carrots and beets far enough apart that I can easily hill the rows with a hoe, to keep out the "welcome to buffet" sign.

@Daniel W - we have been SO impressed with the dwarf Red Robin Cherry Tomatoes. I really appreciate everything you taught me. I'll post on your thread too, but wanted to share this here. We are still getting toms, and Hubby says he has never enjoyed the so much. The 2 gallon pots are great!

 

@Melody Mc. that's very impressive well done and it's good to leave some carrots for the critters.

 

Thank you for that Logan. I appreciate it. Adorable new Avitar by the way. With a capital A.

 

Doghouse Riley . We have similar trees in our gardens.
This willow has put on monster growth with no water…. Once established they do well. Every fall cut our the wild growth or it will over take the whole side of the garden . It was once a tiny lil dancer with a few twigs .it’s now 19’mtall and just as wide. So it’s getting a butch hair cut this fall.
I like the tri color leaves. In spring the new leaf growth have pink,White and green.

These are the acer Palmatum lace leaf.

fall color

 

Another lace leaf tri color acer palmatum

 

Ours never go that glorious red colour. I don't know if it's because they get plenty of water here in north-west England.

This is the closest they go. here at the end of October last year. Some leaves have already fallen.



A week or so later the early frosts get at them and they start shrivel and dry out.

 

Very nice trees. So easy and handy . Required little to no trimming and adds that ‘Wow” factor …especially early spring and fall. I like the way your dwarf maples have a dominant place in your garden.

 

Not doing anything really. We have guests for a few days, so I may not be posting during this period.

I did want to comment on your piccies and text first before withdrawing.
Now Mel, your piccy of your harvest was so good to to see. You gotta be well chuffed with your haul annnnnnd presentation on here.
It was shocking to see how those rodents are treating you…still, like you said— the harvest percentage is in your favour.

Saying, “Well done”, just isn’t complimentary enough. I think that anyoe would like to mirror your success.

 

Oké Then, mate— that was the most recent posting. The earlier ones with the onions and the raspberries. P-wah !!! Now, those were super good to see. I have looked at them a few times since you posted the pics. The corn, arti’s and squashes were also delightful to see. You are having such a good season there. You mentioned that it was 6 or 7 degs C. I had to polish off my eyeballs and look twice to see if I had read it correctly. 7 degs, cor!
The toms? Well, I have to take your word ton that. Wait one— is that red juice on your upper lip with a couple of seeds in the corner?

 

Thank you Melody and yours is breathtaking.