Friday, August 12, 2011

Fighting off tomato worms and eating figs


What can I say, every day I wander rather aimlessly in the afternoon when it's too hot to rake up all the oak leaves that are raining down like they think this is October or weeding. (Now that was a runalong sentance. A bit like my wandering).

I do munch my way through the garden, but have also been much better this year at picking crops right before ripening, therefore, haven't shared too much with the birds. The late rain and unusual snow seriously made the garden bounty much less this year. But perhaps the fruit trees need a good rest from producing, in fact I notice that they are much taller and have loads of new growth. I will practice better thinning next year to help them get even stronger.

About those huge tomato worms, well they don't stay on the tomatoes, they also like peppers and eggplant, I've been picking them off and offering them to the birds but they are so well camouflaged they are difficult to spot, and my glasses are constantly slipping down my nose because I am peering so hard though leaves and stalks.

Never mind, several baskets of garden goodies have been shared and loads of stuff has been quick blanched and frozen for later in the year when I am without the benefit of immediate fresh things in the garden. I am in process of persuading Mr. G to build about 4 more raised beds, I do want more, but will ease him into the project. The shade clothe I bought, well I probably didn't need this year (it just doesn't pay to outfox Mother Nature), we haven't been blazing hot in fact only turned the AC on twice so far this year. Quite unusual.

Almost all the major work has been done, now we are waiting for the gutters and downspouts to be installed next week, then we can refurbish the decks install railings and DONE!!

Will get some big tubs to catch rain during the coming rainy season. And then there is the chickens I want, shhhh it's a secret at the moment from Mr. G. But I have picked out the perfect spot for them, huge smile on my face and I found a chicken site that I can purchase the fluffy little things.