It's been awhile...
We had over 20 cucumbers so my gal got to pickling. 14 medium sized jars of bread n butter pickles. They are my favorite and make burgers pop. She has a real talent and should really sell them but all we ask is for the jars back.
We had my sis and 2 of my nieces over to do some "farming". They had so much fun picking tomatoes, cutting cucumbers, eggplant, and cucumbers. We had a big pot full of potato plants which we turned over onto a tarp and the the girls had a blast digging thru and pulling out potatoes. My sis got plenty of basil to make pesto so she was happy. Afterwards we walked around the corner and got some pizza followed by a visit to the bakery across the street.
I started cutting and saving the dahlia heads so we can plant and grow them next year. They are really pretty and I love all the bees they attract.
The cherry tomatoes got so big and are kinda collapsing. We have them roped so they shouldn't fall any further. There are still branches 12' up! Really good year for them.
Cucumbers are starting to wind down now. Some yellow leaves and the fruit is a little smaller. Not many new ones but 6 more ready to pick on the next couple days.
Eggplant and peppers have really picked up the last 2 weeks and are producing big time.
The basil has flowered and been well pollinated. Gonna grab all the leaves I can next weekend, grab some seeds, cut it down, and plant some radish seeds in its place.
Compost is doing well. Right side of the composter is ready to harvest. Should be about 30 pounds. Gives me over a hundred pounds for fall and I am hoping that will be enough. Left side is still being slowly filled. No rush. Its next years compost.
Thinking of taking the pot we used for potatoes and try to grow some kale. Hot today in Queens but cooler weather is on the way.
Only thing that hasn't done well this year is the persimmons tree. Lots of unripe fruit fell and now green leaves falling off. Maybe next year will be better.
For storing my completed compost
If it's sunny and above 85 F, I turn my composter daily. Cooler months and winter it is once a week.
There are no soldier fly in my compost this year. I dont recall what month they got real active last year but seems like it was summer. Maybe it was end of summer. I don't mind them but I don't miss them either.
There were a lot of gnats during the spring but none in at least 6 weeks. I assume it's just too hot in there for them.
There are fast moving ants going up and down the legs of the composter and into the tumbler. Tempting to kill them but I will leave them be.
Thank you NYC for the organic collection cans. Great for holding my completed compost. I'll post a pic later of the can.
I am still amazed at how fast banana peels disappear in the compost.
Decided to get my soil tested. Mid growing season is probably not the time but curiosity got the best of me. Looking for a scientific mind to explain some of that to me but based on how well everything in the garden is doing, I am not too concerned.
Friggin white flies!! Lol
They are everywhere and I know why. Nothing to eat them.
I love bugs. Always have. They are something I go out of my way to look for and something I noticed about Queens is...we don't have many. A ladybug is a rare sighting and what I need most right now. Lacewings? None to be seen. Honeybees? Good luck finding one. Earthworms? Very few.
To deal with the white flies I bought yellow sticky traps rather than use a pesticide. They have worked very well. They were completely covered in 24 hours. There is a drawback to using them though...they are not discriminate killers and the mantis I introduced last year made a bee line for them. Sighhhh.
Next spring I order ladybugs and lacewings.
