Dear Carol, Mary Ann and all of other friends,
I’m hot, and yesterday, the water well broke in the middle of my shower. It’s 8:00 a.m., and the temp is already 81F with today promising to be another scorcher above 100F. From the weather map, I see most of the continental U.S. is in the same shape. As long as the air conditioner holds steady, we’ll be fine. The guys from the water well company will be here soon to fix the well, and I’ll celebrate with a shower and watering the garden. The well didn’t have any problems for 40 years, but, in the past six months, they’ve replaced the pump, fixed a fuse, and now a broken pipe.
In spite of all of this mayhem, the potager is pumping out the vegetables. Without me to squish them, the squash bugs were victorious after I returned from Buffalo, but I’ll just replant once they’ve moved on. We have loads of green beans. The ears of corn are growing larger, and we have tons of tomatoes. Earlier in the week, I made sauce so I can enjoy it this winter, and we’ve eaten sliced tomatoes with nearly every supper. A funny story about the corn . . .
Bill came in the other night and said, “The corn doesn’t look very good, and I think it’s because there’s some kind of vine strangling it.”
“Those are Kentucky Wonder pole beans,” I said, “I’m doing a three sisters planting of corn, green beans and cantaloupe. Pumpkins are traditional, but I like cantaloupe.” He looked doubtful.
“But the corn is being strangled,” he said.
“That corn is just fine.” He just shook his head and walked on.
I think I stress him out sometimes. He likes neatness and nice straight lines. I color way outside them.
To help him de-stress, I bought squash at the farmer’s market (there is no shame in this) and fried it up for him just like my Grandma Nita used to do. The cucumbers are starting to make lots of cukes, and I love them sliced with onions in a bowl of Japanese vinegar, olive oil and water. How’s that for blended cultures?
All of the eggplant is growing and bearing, and I’ve had Thai basil eggplant several times. In fact, it’s a very good veggie year here although I’ve heard other gardeners complain. Because of the torrential rains they have rotting plants. I think mine didn’t rot because the potager is like four large containers. Good drainage, but it also means they need a bit more water than the plants in the ground, and we’ve hit the dry spell which will continue to September.
I also came back to gravel paths partly covered in Bermuda grass, my nemesis.
Bill said, “Hey, the paths look bad. Tell me again why we don’t use Roundup?”
“Because it’s a dangerous chemical, and we are out in the garden all the time.”
Before he found some Roundup, I quickly got out the sprayer and Burnout II, which is organic and began working on the paths. Of course, the sprayer stuck, and he stopped trimming up trees to help me. As he unscrewed the spray tip, he said, “Now, tell me what I’m working with.”
“Huh?”
“What chemical?”
“It’s not a chemical. It’s clove oil, vinegar and lemon juice.” Looking at his hands covered in it, I said. “This is why we don’t use chemicals in the garden.”
He just nodded. Maybe I’m making a convert after all. I can only hope.
Til next time . . . .
Hi Dee, My letter was very late this week, but I finally posted it. I am envious of your eggplant – it’s one of my favorite vegetables! And I just picked my first big tomato.
Do you want us to tell Bill he’s working with one of the best gardeners in Oklahoma and to just do what you tell him to do? We’d be happy to do so!
(Oh, and I planted cantaloupe with my corn, too, but didn’t plant any pole beans… I guess that makes mine a two sisters garden?)
Well, you know I’ve been late a time or two, or five. Oh, let’s not tell Bill anything else. He fixed my irrigation system for me this week, and it was hard. Thanks for the gardening atta girl BTW.~~Dee
Wow Dee, you sure did make some changes! Looks nice!
I just wanted you to know I added your blog to the soon to be launched North Carolina Nursery and Landscape Association blog roll for NC Blogs!
http://www.tarheelgardening.com/wordpress/
I also wanted to make sure you received my new link for Gardening With Confidence’s blog
http://www.gardeningwithconfidence.com/blog.
Thanks!
I hope you are doing well!
H.
Kathleen, you can find it at Farmer’s Grain in downtown Edmond. Great place for organic solutions.~~Dee
I’ve never heard of Burnout either ~ I’ll be waiting to see your answer to Pam’s question of where to get it. I refuse to use round-up also (much to my neighbor’s chagrin ~ I can’t seem to keep the weeds pulled fast enough for them)
Ugh on running out of water. Reminds us of what a precious commodity it is. Hope your well is fixed soon so you can cool off.
Meanwhile, your veggies are awesome! I buy most of mine (so you know I see no shame in that). I figure the farmer’s definitely can grow them better than me. I do have tomatoes, squash and pumpkins planted tho ~ waiting to harvest my first tomato!
I’ve never heard of Burnout. Where do you find it, Dee?
Pam I find it at Farmer’s Grain in Edmond. However, I saw several links to it on Google. Here’s the search: http://www.google.com/products?oe=UTF-8&gfns=1&q=burnout%20II%20buy&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wf I hope you can find some. Much of the Bermuda is already dead, but it will take another application. Also, since these weeds were established I used a half water half Burnout II concentration to get maximum effect.~~Dee
Gardens are much like a marriage … in love, we endure the wrath of both 🙂 (((hugs, dear Dee)))
So sorry about your well. I know what that’s like.
Kathy, it turns out the problem is actually with the irrigation system. Bill is trying to fix it. Frustrating. Hot.~~Dee
Oh Dee! You make me laugh again!
Feels like I am walking around with you and Bill in the garden.
I have made tabouli with store bought vine tomatoes till ours come on. This makes me sad.
Sorry we were not able to trade this last week.
I also planted a cantaloupe and the vine is so beautiful! Who knew? I never thought about that three sister combo you mixed. We have our beans on a fence type thing. Can’t wait to see what you share with us next week. Take care, my friend!
Dana
Dana, I hope I made you laugh. We really did have those conversations. Maybe I can get you some tomatoes this week. They are really good, but I could use some squash.~~Dee
I love it, your husband sounds just like mine in the garden! Except I’m the one who’s neat and tidy, and he’s way outside the lines.
Hey Heather, I would have pictured you two the other way. Shows what I know.~~Dee
Nope, I’m very straight-lines, super-organized in all things. I love a good list or a diagram. He’s all let’s get out there and wing it. I had to pull out a wildflower garden a few years ago because it was too wild for me.
Those egg plants are so pretty. I’ve never tried the three sisters combination planting. I’m surrounded by field corn here so any sweet corn might be cross pollinated.
Good luck with your well. Don’t they say problems come in threes.
Marnie
Yeah, Marnie, you might want to buy your corn from the Farmer’s Market. As I wrote, no shame in that. LOL.~~Dee
Your squash bugs “move on?” How do I help mine pack?
My husband and I killed several generations last night.
Does your spray mix really work on bermuda grass? What about on bindweed. I battle both as well.
Yes, once they eat everything in site, the squash bugs do move on. I think I’ll plant more squash at the end of the month. It takes two applications of Burnout II to kill Bermuda grass. Bermuda is evil. With bindweed, I think it’s essential to chop off most of it, and then spray on the weed killer. It has fewer leaves to make energy with.~~Dee
Those eggplants are too beautiful to eat, Dee, almost. We see no shame at all in helping support the local farmer’s markets either. They need our help and for me, they can grow the stuff way better anyway. I needs me some Burnout II! Does it work on Poinson Ivy? That one is my nemesis.
Frances
I know, aren’t they pretty? Burnout II works on everything so don’t spray it on something you like. 🙂 It’s broad spectrum.~~Dee
Dee – hope it’s cooler soon. Luckily your vegetables don’t mind! I’ve never tried Burnout II….will most definitely be giving it a try soon. Have you had good luck with it in the past? I’m always looking for an organic way to kill weeds.
Rebecca, I hope it is cooler soon too, but it won’t be until mid-September. I’ve used Burnout II for the last couple of years, and yes, it is a good broad spectrum weed killer, and it works best in the heat.~~Dee
Dee, I am sorry I didn’t get a chance to meet Bill~he sounds like a good guy! The eggplant looks wonderful and there is nothing wrong with supplementing the potager with farmer’s market goodies~it helps the farmers and fills in the veggie gap. Must try the BurnoutII~ gail
Gail, you’ll like the Burnout. It really does work, and yes, Bill says he’s a good guy. He is BTW.~~Dee