Journal of a Gardener
Norman Wallace, Kentucky Master Gardener
June 24-30, 2008
June 30, 2008
I harvested our first zuchinni, four cucumbers, lettuce, mesculun, Swiss chard and the last of the radishes (about ten). We enjoyed the mixed greens salad with oil and vinegar at lunch and we gave some to friends. I saw lady bugs, spiders and bees at work this morning. I pulled up one kind of lettuce that has gone to seed and the spinach. Normally lettuce and spinach are finished by this time in the season, but the cool temperatures and morning shade from the pine tree have extended the harvest very well this year. The weather during most of June makes me think of Minnesota summers.
June 29, 2008
No activity today.
June 28, 2008
The afternoon weather was mild and so I chopped weeds and broke up compacted soil around the tomatoes, peppers and okra and finished thinning the okra.
June 27, 2008
We got a half inch of rain last night. Patty helped me place tomato cages around the last half dozen plants. We used the re-bar wire Tommy gave me. We pulled our first two grape tomatoes. We have to wait a while for more. We also pulled our first cucumber.
June 26, 2008
After our 6:00 am walk I chopped out a few weeds and thinned the second planting of okra so that plants are 6-10 inches apart. I saw one bumble bee on the zuchinni blooms. There are fresh deer tracks by the green beans, lettuce and okra. I suppose the creature is scouting to determine when to come back for the beans.
June 25, 2008
Patty harvested four kinds of lettuce, mesculun and a small amount of Swiss chard. We are eating all we want every day and sharing more than we eat with family and friends. In the evening Tommy, a friend brought some wire used for concrete reinforcement which he had bent into several cylinders for use as tomato cages. He had more than he is using and said he would be glad for me to have them.
June 24, 2008
No garden activity today.
June 17-23, 2008
June 17-23, 2008
On the 17th I visited with nephew David in his big garden down the road. He has corn, beans, tomatoes and peppers. His son, D. J., has 36 hills of pumpkins. Half are “monster” pumpkins and the other half are smaller and will be good for jack-o-lanterns and pies. David bought a rear tine tiller and has the ground in great shape. The pumpkins need 120 days to mature. They should be ready by early October.
On 18th I harvested onions, radishes and lettuce and had some to share with cousin. A volunteer sunflower from last season bloomed at the far edge of the garden today. I transplanted some volunteer sunflowers in front of the barn by the garden.
Harvested radishes and green onions on the 19th and observed the beginnings of zucchini fruits a couple inches long. Also saw Japanese beetles on a small crepe myrtle in the yard. Late in the day we got .8 inch of rain.
No activity on the 20thand 21st.
On 22nd we harvested Swiss chard and lettuce. Patty steamed and froze nearly a pint of chard (just right for a serving for two) and we had some lettuce to give to friends at church. The lettuce is doing well in moderately hot temps. We use vinegar and olive oil to cut some of the bite that is in some leaves. We also heat olive oil and pour over the lettuce for wilted lettuce. The tomatoes have lots of blooms. Soon I need to set stakes and run some twine ties for the last planting of Jet Stars. Winter squash vines are looking healthy. The late planting of watermelon and cantaloupe seeds have germinated well. The inter-planting of purple hull peas and green beans are growing very well. The pole beans are climbing the bamboo poles very well. I am having to coax the cucumbers to grab onto the fence wire.
June 16, 2008
June 16, 2008
With temperatures in the 70s this morning I thinned the okra to 8-12 inches between plants. I harvested lettuce, swiss chard, mesculun, radishes and green onions and chopped out some weeds. The birds gave a delightful symphony. After lunch I took some of the produce down the road to my aunt and to a sister-in-law.
June 14-15, 2008
June 14-15, 2008
Both days were hot and sunny. I had no garden activity, except to check the soil temperature at 5:30 pm. The reading was 87 degrees.
June 13, 2008
June 13, 2008
Two inches of rain came quickly late Friday afternoon. The winds were strong and blew young plants around a lot.
June 12, 2008
June 12, 2008
I planted lima beans where the radishes were, completing a 30 foot row. Between the peppers in the row next to the tomatoes I sowed marigold seeds. I also planted six hills of Sugar Baby watermelons and two hills of cantaloupes. I planted my first arugula where spinach did not germinate well earlier. I side dressed all but the flowers with a dusting of bone meal, urea and muriate of potash and chopped it in with a hoe.
With some space still left at the edge closest to the house and on the south end, I sowed and/or planted Shasta daisies, zinnias, cosmos and sunflowers.
June 11, 2008
June 11, 2008
I tilled (except for the middle between the pole beans) this morning. The ground is in good condition and the weeds and grass are under control. I also harvested lettuce, Swiss chard, and the rest of the radishes from the first planting. We are having great salads every day now and are sharing salad greens with Morris and Edith.
RAISED BEDS - I forgot to record that yesterday we added some clay soil to the raised beds to give more body to the soil. Water and nutrients were leaching through the beds too quickly. We shoveled in three or four inches of the heavier dirt and mixed it between our plants with our existing dirt. Four residents from Culpepper helped Audrey, Sharon and me with the project.
June 10, 2008
June 10, 2008
During the night we got .2 of an inch of rain. That is just enough to set the newspapers I laid down last night.
Randall, my gardening neighbor, came over and looked at the garden today. He was gracious about how it looked. His is a couple weeks ahead of mine on most things.
In the evening I stuck the pole beans by making a teepee with three poles from each of the two rows. I used 6 foot bamboo poles and pulled them so I could tie them at the top.
June 7-8, 2008
June 7-8, 2008
I walked out to see the garden both days and could see plants emerging from the planting I did a week ago. Both days were hot reaching mid 80s. The afternoon soil temps get to high 70s and low 80s now. This is great growing weather for summer gardens.
June 1, 2008
June 1, 2008
The soil is drying and warming. Morning temps read high 60’s and low 70’s. The early evening temps are 75 to 80 degrees. Squashes are emerging and tomatoes are growing well.