In article , Charlie wrote:
On Sat, 11 Jul 2009 17:04:04 -0700, Billy
wrote:
http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article...28/1309/LIFEST
YLE?Title=Backyard-bugs
Backyard bugs
They're not all pests; having a vibrant insect community is key to a
healthy garden
Thanks, Billy.
Good ideas and things to look at and think about and plan for and all
that stuff. Right now we are enjoying the benefits of the finch
feeders and the freeloaders that hang out all day, and all the barn
swallows, purple martins, chimney swifts, dragonflies, bats and
nighthawks that are keeping the biters and others at bay.
The cardinals are working the cukes and maters on a regular basis and
we've seen no sign hornworms yet. Costs me some sunflower seed as
payment, but hey....
Had to shoot a young rabbit in the garden today. Stan's rations are
going to be halved if he keeps missing such easy pickings as this.
Damned cat, we have a contract.
Have had to hand pollinate the zukes, but am seeing a few honeybees on
the cukes. Bumbles are taking care of the pollination of the
eggplants (in pots, the damned flea beetles ruined the ground plants
and they went to the crick). We are enjoying eggplant from the five
potted plants....four Ichiban (yeah, I know...hybrid Ichiban, but they
are damned good) and one Thai Long Green (open pollinated).
Asian cukes are coming on like gangbusters, as are the beans.
Rattlesnake snap beans are at the top of the trellis...eight feet and
waving in the wind, with lots of tiny beans. Empress bush beans are
going nuts alos and we've had two messes steamed, served with garlic
with ghee.
Had cuke, American Neufchâtel and lemon balm sammies for supper, along
with pickled beets and onions.
Lot's of green onions/scallions being enjoyed. I've a tip for enjoying
them all summer I'll get around to posting sometime soon, along with
some cheap garden tool thingie ideas,
Had the first ripe maters yesterday...two cherry maters!!!
Been watering the pots with fish pond water, in which I am fighting
algae...figure that the algae, and nitrogen from the goldfish is good
for the plants. On a two week schedule to water with fishpond or
rainwater and Alaska fish sauce.
Later brudda
Charlie
Green with envy, ummm, make that green with tomatoes (little ones and
bigguns). Had a good garden salad tonight, lettuce, dandelions, Romagne
cukes, and sliced crookneck. We nearly finished the leftover pork ribs
that we smoked last night and served with garden squash. Tomorrow we'll
BBQ some chicken and sausage and finish them ribs off, once and for all.
I'm all for the BBQ (charcoal chunks, no effen' briquettes, because it
tastes good, and the charcoal and ash go into the garden.
I've got parsley growing in a pot but my root garden is all gone to
hell. I'm trying to get it into a self seeding mode, but so far all the
seeds, parsley, beet, onion, and Swiss chard are still clinging to their
branches. I have some beets in progress but that is only because I
broadcast some seed.
Our daytime temps will be similar for the next couple of day but no
thunderstorms, or chance of rain here. We are still hugging 50F at night.
You grow potatoes? The potatoes that I've put coffee grounds on are
green and about four feet tall. Where I didn't put coffee grounds they
shriveled up and turned brown, even as new growth is coming out of the
ground. I think I'm supposed to wait for the potatoes to die back in the
fall before I dig them up. I know I could dig some up now but they are
very close together, and I don't want to queer the situation.
Glad to hear that the birds are doing their thing for you;O)
--
- Billy
There are three kinds of men: The ones that learn by reading. The few who
learn by observation. The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence and
find out for themselves.
Will Rogers
http://countercurrents.org/roberts020709.htm
http://www.tomdispatch.com/p/zinn