Yesterday morning, I spent almost two hours yanking up squash plants. They’re dying off due to those FRIGGIN’ squash bugs, and I took great pleasure in squishing every one of the fuckers I came across. I don’t know how many squash and zucchini plants I pulled up, but I filled the wagon up four times with squash plants that I then pulled over to the compost heap.
There are, I don’t know, five or six squash plants left. One of them is covered in baby summer squash, so I’m hoping we get at least one more harvest of yellow squash before we give up for the summer.
The weeds in the garden have gotten out of hand due to my lazy ass (and the fact that squash plants are scary in the morning because they are absolutely covered in bees). I did start yanking up the weeds in the squash patch, but it’s such an overwhelming job that I gave up pretty quickly.
I find that spending time working outside in the morning puts me in a better mood for the rest of the day. Go figure.
Scenes from around Crooked Acres.
Our blueberry bush. Ha. I ordered this from somewhere last summer, and at the end of last summer it was just a stick in the pot. This spring, it grew some, and I actually thought we were going to get a couple of blueberries, but it was not to be. Maybe we’ll plant it in the ground before Fall comes around. We’ll see!
I think these are our key limes. They might be the oranges, though, I’m just not sure. Whatever they are, they’re happy. I don’t honestly expect these trees to make it through the winter, but it would be cool if they did.
A month ago, this ground was bare. I yanked up every bit of wisteria. Now the wisteria’s come back. Given that it grows so easily and is so tenacious, I may yank it up again and toss it in the woods at the back of the back forty. I wouldn’t mind if that area (beyond the fence) was covered in wisteria.
Sungold cherry tomatoes.
What’s left of the row of tomatoes. I took this picture to show the feed bags on the ground around the tomato plants. They’re doing a fine job of keeping the weeds at bay.
Jalapenos! I told the jalapeno plants that they’d better step up production because I’ve gotta make more sweet pickled jalapenos. They didn’t seem all that impressed with my instructions.
Japanese eggplants.
Okra flower.
Look away! I AM DISEASED! Fucking blight.
Cherry tomatoes in the raised bed.
Lemon thyme.
We’ve got an obnoxious number of little chicks right now.
Pretty Gracie.
This frog lives under the hose reel by the pig yard. I touched him with the toe of my boot to make him jump, and he just looked at me like “I don’t even THINK so, lady.” Unimpressed with me, was Mr. Frog.
Gracie and the chickens.
I call this chicken “The pigeon” because she’s shaped like a pigeon, in my opinion. The only reason she hasn’t been processed is because Fred couldn’t catch her.
Sweet Gracie.
The only adult rooster we have left. Fred processed the rest of them.
George under the coop. It’s cool under there.
We call this baby “Screamy” because if he’s more than 6 inches from his mother, he screams for her. What a drama queen.
This hen and her chicks spend all day wandering around the property. Last night one of the chicks got into the back yard but couldn’t figure out how to get out. Sugarbutt was stalking him when I realized what was going on and went out to rescue him.
Dog wandered onto our property. When George and Gracie charged the fence, the dog rolled over onto his back. They just stood and stared at him and wagged their tails.
I got a package in the mail. Bolitar checked out the box, and then checked out the produce while he was at it. He is the nosiest cat in the house, and that’s saying something!
Check out Martin’s crazy eyes.
He’s a bitey little brat.
But cute. SO cute.
I am a tiny bit too amused by this picture.
Snuggly Moxie.
::thlurrrp::
Joe B. in the Joe Cave.
Previously
2009: No entry.
2008: Hint to the chickens: You can ensure yourselves a long life by being friendly.
2007: No entry.
2006: No entry.
2005: “Did you fart?” I said accusingly.
2004: No entry.
2003: No entry.
2002: “KITTIES!” I scolded, and after a moment the thumping and running stopped.
2001: No entry.
2000: No entry.
Unless this is a new type of blueberry bush, I am pretty sure you need at least two if you want blueberries. My highbush blueberries require another for fruit production.
I’ve had just one blueberry bush for about 10 years, and it’s had fruit every year except this one (blasted 100 degree temps last summer combined with a harsh winter damaged it). So there is at least one variety that doesn’t need a companion.
I did have two blueberries that started growing on this bush, but I think the birds got ’em. We do intend to get more, though, and plant them all in the ground. Probably the damn birds will get any blueberries those produce, too. 🙂
I had the most amazing apricots EVAH on a tree in my backyard, and I know this from the 2 apricots that survived the birds in the 10 yrs the tree produced fruit. Bastage got it all, every year. I don’t mind them eating some, but leave some for the rest of us, dammit! Tree finally gave up the ghost. /sigh
Blueberries? Dayum, I would love to grow them, but prolly not happening in the Valley of the Sun. Keep my fingers crossed for ya.
So what kind of disease did the tomatoes get? Cause that’s what my 2 freakin’ plants look like…. I just thought they were done producing and were dying…. I know very little about growing things with my brown thumb and all. Oh and that extra looong kitten is very cute, he shall be adopted quickly ; )
It’s tomato blight. You can google around and find out more info about blight, but let me tell you, THE BLIGHT SUCKS!!!
I am more than a tiny bit amused by that pic!
I was just reading about squash bugs in my latest Mother Earth News – their trap plant idea seems like too much work for me, but I really like the hinged-bug-squisher idea. Maybe it would work for you for next year?
http://www.motherearthnews.com/Squash-Bug-Control-Squisher-Trap-Crop.aspx
Guinea hens are supposed to be great, too. (Cause you need more birds, right? hehe)
http://www.motherearthnews.com/Ask-Our-Experts/Organic-Gardening/Guineas-Control-Squash-Bugs.aspx
That last article also mentions something called Electro Net, an electric netting, which again, seems like a lot of work and maybe money, but worth a look. ‘Cause those bugs are just yukky. 8o)
Oh we are SO not getting guineas. They’re loud and obnoxious and the neighbors are so great about the chickens and the dogs that I don’t want to test their patience. 🙂 I like the hinged-bug squisher idea. And in the comments to that article, someone says that catnip repels them too!
I am not sure if this has been mentioned but the blight riddled tomato plants really need to be bagged and disposed of. They should not go into the compost pile. The fungus can infect your compost.
Stupid Squash bugs attacked my plants too!
Can you put chickens in the garden to eat the squash bugs? or would they eat the plants too?
Yeah, I’m putting the tomato plants on the burn pile. The squash plants are the ones that go on the compost heap.
As far as I can tell, the little group of chickens who leave the back 40 to roam the property aren’t too interested in the squash bugs. In fact, they’re not that interested in the garden at all, which is kind of odd now that I think about it…
Joe Bob! Love him!
Sorry about the tomato blight – how frustrating. Everything in your garden looks so great. I want those limes (assuming they’re limes)…yummy.
Hee! The visiting dog was so docile that George and Gracie couldn’t bring themselves to yell at him. Cutes.
Oh, Martin is so adorable. He has amazing eyes.
May I suggest a counter in the header to keep track of the animals? Something like “X chickens, Y cats, 3 dogs, 2 pigs and a frog.” ;D
Your chickens have such beautiful feathers … do you gather them up and do anything with them? I “collect” feathers (beautiful feathers) … and basically just look at them, no crafty-stuff involved …:-D
Before you throw the wisteria into the back 40, I have heard that it attracts rats. Not having wisteria, I have no firsthand knowledge of this.
That’s a toad, not a frog. They’re a lot more placid than frogs.
Do you rotate what is planted in your rows? That might be an issue. Plus, the weather was weird this year. Too cold, too wet, too hot … for too long.
Moxie looks like a cute but evil cartoon cat that I’ve seen somewhere in that picture. I’m hearing a male voice with it-Not really hearing just remembering that it was an evil boy cat. Don’t you just love those teasing partial memories?
Love the okra bloom-the okra’s slime scares me but it sure makes purty flowers.