Today I am skipping reporting the weather, as it is sizzling hot where I bet you could fry an egg on the sidewalk. How long Mother Nature will keep it that way, only God knows.
Making the most of my little bit of coolness in the morning, I started laying the boxes on the tomatillo row. Since these are temporary as a covering, I didn’t worry about tape and staples — and looking at the huge boxes I laid, there wasn’t much tape or many staples anyway. I think I told you my trick: if I’m using boxes in a bed, letting them get wet from dew or rain makes the tape peel off quickly, and the staples can be torn out easy‑peasy.
Since that didn’t take any time, I started another chore that I’m doing in stages, as I don’t want to overdo it in the heat. I measured the fall bed area to make sure how much rabbit fencing I will need.
It so happens I probably have all I need — a partial roll that’s still mostly rolled up, with about 13 feet currently in use. I found enough to splice into the bean fencing and then use the longer roll on my new fall bed.
When I have time in October, I plan to go around my plot perimeters to find where Peter Rabbit has his secret entrance and secure it so I can eliminate the rabbit‑proofing chore.
I measured and needed 39 feet, as I am extending it so I can keep my outer walkways. My gardens are well equipped with poles and stakes. I found just the right length of stakes that are perfect for a 2‑foot‑high fence. The spacing was about 4½ feet, and I used my stake driver and drove them down just enough, as I want to be able to pull them out easily since my stake puller doesn’t work on these short stakes.
After this chore I took a much-needed hydration and snack break. I decided to start watering Rudy’s Radish Ranch with their little sips of water and when I was done with that, I did some sowing of regular turnips for the first 5 feet and keeping one foot for the Hakurei seeds.
I think I have only enough for 1 square foot with 16 holes. Since they didn’t germinate the first go round, I am going to wait till mid-September or the right temperature for them. I really want to taste them as I bought the seeds on the recommendation of my sister. She said you can eat them like an apple they are so tender and sweet.
While working on my sowing James the tinkerer came by. He came just when I needed him —my mower started have this problem — it would start and then fizzle out. He asked if I had the mower and I said if you pull up by Rudy’s gate I will bring it out. We lifted it on the tailgate of his truck to make easy to look at it. James went to the back seat and got his tools to remove the nut that was holding on the carborator. I learned how the carborator works. The filter wasn’t too dirty and the carborator seemed to be working. He is taking it home to run it through its paces as the carborator must be clogged a little somewhere he was thinking. I told him take your time as I can use my weed whacker till it is fixed.
I always love talking shop with James as we have the same ECO gardening principles and I love asking him questions as he has been a gardener here for 15-20 years.
After he left I finishted the watering and harvesting, which I have to report I think the heat is affecting the okra pollination as for the last few times it has been slim picking. I then drove to the Learning Plot and water and picked a few cucumbers and left for the day.
Before I close I want to say that Fredericus was in the shed on my broom handle and his relative was happy in the boxes. I am concerned that Fredericus won’t let me help him out of the shed as I hope he is okay in there. To me he looks to be a little skinnier. Can he get out of my shed if it is locked? What do you think? leave me a comment at the bottom of this article.
My little army of tree frogs are gobbling up all the bad bugs, and by doing this, hopefully I will not need to spray as much. The more eco‑friendly I am, the better off I am. I am ribbiting out of here. More tomorrow.