Pike Place Market in Seattle Washington

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Kamikaze Attack

This is what all my rose buds look like right now. Seriously! The kamikaze attack by the Japanese Beetle is in full swing. I actually lowered my organic gardening standards and I've sprayed twice with Sevin and they still come back in hordes. I do go out and shake them into a bucket of soapy water twice a day but it looks like I won't have any roses until September when they diminish. I think they are in full reproductive mode and hopefully will slow down soon. I've applied Milky Spore Disease for the past 3 years but I think they just keep flying in. I read somewhere that they fly in from 5 miles away so unless everyone in your neighborhood is battling them you're bound to have some in your garden if you live east of the Mississippi River. In my experience they love roses, raspberries, hibiscus, dahlias, grapes and morning glories. In the no good deed goes unpunished category they were imported in the early 20th century to eat aphids. I have to admit I don't have an aphid problem so maybe that's the bright side.

Vampire Protection

The garlic has been harvested on August 2nd so it's safe to say that no vampires have been seen in the garden. I planted it last October so it definitely is a crop you have to have patience with. It had great big heads this year and a huge crop so I think we'll be eating garlic until next year's harvest. I have it drying in the shed on racks and will hang it in the basement later. I let the soil dry on them for a few days then just brush it off before I store them. I think it helps them last longer that way rather than hosing all the dirt off when you dig them up. That's the other pointer is to make sure you dig them up not pull them up because the stem will break off and you'll end up leaving your garlic in the ground.

Dinner's On

I had the first tomatoes of the season today on July 28th. I had one medium sized Wayahead which kind of lived up to it's name. The stripped Tigerella tomatoes are also starting to ripen but are smaller than I expected. I'm getting a few tiny Yellow Currant tomatoes as well. All in all I'm just glad to get a few tomatoes before August. I have seen on other blogs that their tomatoes are late in ripening too.

I harvested 2 Japanese climbing cucumbers that I have climbing up a twine trellis as well as one small Bush cucumber. I'm really impressed with the bush beans which just keep on coming and have looked better than they ever have with no blemishes. I've been picking them daily and have frozen about 8 small bags already. The pattypan squash got a little big when I was out of town for 2 days but I sliced it up and threw it into pasta primervera.

Garden of Eatin' (not Eden)

The harvest season is finally starting in the garden. This week I've cut and ate most of the broccoli. I made a big cold salad with it using red onions, bacon, mayo, sunflower seeds and raisins. Yummy! This is what the broccoli looked like in the garden.
I also dug up the first red potatoes of the season and added them to my tuna nicoise salad along with a few fresh green beans from the garden.

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Garden Daze

I can't believe how fast the garden changed in the last 6 weeks since I posted a blog. I really haven't been able to keep up with it all. Sometimes I'd like to freeze a moment in the garden like when it was all flowering in shades of purple then it's on to the next season of flowers.
Now, I'm in the heart of the Lily season and then that becomes my favorite garden of the moment.
I guess that the changes in the garden are a metaphor for life. You're at a certain spot where you think you want to stay forever but around the next corner you find that life is different but perhaps better than that moment that came before.