I hope we're past them (lol). I wouldn't be surprised to see a 'return to summer' encore.

I've seen Sept hotter than Aug. Hope not.

About to start sowing out turnips and rutabaga.

Rick

So, it's Sunday at noon, where are you people? Are you all dead?

I am here , just working on many things.

The Dog Days is an astronomy thing... not just because of heat. It has to do with Sirius. They begin the first week of July and end the second week of August approx.

which lines up with that weird cool thread that i feel starting about the second week of August when its still very hot.

thanks for starting this weeks thread, Jen.

It has dropped to 76 degrees, I may need a coat. I picked my okra in a light rain, a very light rain that lasted about 15 minutes. The rain was not much, but, I was glad for it. My pumpkins and melons look bad, except for the Old Timey Cornfield pumpkins, they are almost as hardy as the Egyptian Walking onions. I did not even plant these pumpkins, they are almost a " grow wild " crop.

“Blazing as the star that cometh forth at Harvest-time, shining forth amid the host of stars in the darkness of the night, the star whose name men call Orion’s Dog”

I like that quote. It's so gardeny too.

We started Rick's January King cabbage seed tonight. Watered everything well. Although some of the metro got great rain this weekend, we only got a few sprinkles. Desperately need some rain out here.

Once we get some rain, I'm going to weed and put down more woodchips.

Harvested a bunch of stuff, because although it's hot and miserable and the garden looks tired, it's putting forth its fruit. And that is a good thing. It's the season of harvest. Actually August 1 is the first harvest sabbat.

All of our seed has been started for fall except the stuff that will be direct seeded. I SO need to get my salad turnips and carrots in.

Larry, do you have SVB or squash bugs at your property?

Why do your other pumpkins and melons look bad? Pests or lack of rain?

The DUMB squash bugs are on our Armenian cukes and melons, but they're still producing. They just don't look good.

I have some flower pics, but they're not natives...except maybe the Mexican petunia depending on who you ask. I won't post them, although I'm thrilled with them. They make me happy.

Our cabbage seedlings were attacked by loopers already. Sigh. And we apparently have the army worms that everyone is talking about. As long as they don't bother our garden, I guess, it's fine. I sure don't care if they eat the crab grass and bermuda.

Todays harvest.

Jennifer, I have a nice supply of squash buds, and, maybe spider mites. I dont like to spray, but my neighbor gave me a bottle of spray, and I keep some mixed up in the back of my side by side. If i were not so slow and shaky I could kill a lot of squash bugs by hand, but, as it is, I wait till I find a bunch of young ones in a cluster and spray them if they are not near any bloom. I know I am fighting a loosing battle, but it is the best I can do.

There has been a few showers around us, but we just a sprinkle or two, not even enough to settle the dust.

I have harvested a sugar baby and a crimson sweet in the past few days, and 3 Ukrainian butternuts. I feel I must get pumpkins and squash far enough along to save seed. I already have enough okra low on the stalk to mature for next year. I am working very hard to teach my children that gardening skills and saving seeds may become very important someday.

Having failed to produce any winter squash seedlings, last week, I planted some black eyed susans and basket flowers. I tailed to look in the packet of black eyed susans and probably dashed about 1000 seeds into my pot. I'm certain I have at least 100 seedlings up and more germinating by the minute on the rudbeckias. As for the basketflowers, well there might be three so far (lol). Having never germinated those before, I could have three weeds.

More darn yellow daisies for my yellow flowerbed (I want other colors, but this time of year, most everything is yellow daisies), but I am hoping that at least a few can cope with the winter/spring wetness enough to flower. Species diversity is at least as important as my color schemes. Hopefully some basketflowers can add an airy pink/purple diversity too.

Today is Jasper's final puppy immunization. I look forward to being able to take him on walks to parks, and even just around the neighborhood, safely (parvo being the puppy killer). Of course, at the moment, he's convinced the leash is an instrument of torture.

Edit: We made it to the vet and back. I took a photo in celebration. He is cleared to join public society within a week (I may shorten that to 3-4 days..but vet said a week...probably expecting I would cut corners? Shots seem to clear dogs in a day or maybe two (ie the immune response) from my experience.). Also an Arkansas Ironweed in the front yard.

Isn't it intricate when you look at it up close?

The rain went around us too. We watered yesterday.

I'm going to have to try the old timey cornfield pumpkins. I like things that grow like wild plants.

Are the birds eating your army worms, H/J? Your chickens would enjoy them.

We either purchased seedlings or got them at spring fling this year. So we have some Italian frying peppers I really like. I have grown them before, but they were smaller. I'm thinking I need to save seeds for the future. I think we bought this plant.

I'm ready to pull all but the slicing tomatoes. We canned again yesterday. Rick, my pressure canner whistles, like loud high pitched whistle before the weight starts to rock. Is the heat too high? also what happens if you don't have enough to fill a jar. Will the extra space cause it to go bad? I should go lurk on the harvest forum again.

The pit bull that daughter was fostering was placed. She now has a really sweet female lab puppy that has bonded with the baby (who started walking this weekend). AND the dog that escapes brought home a friend, a young female shepherd who has decided she lives there, too.

The baby starts actual daycare today. His aunt had been "nannying" and we watched him when she couldn't. She has rheumatoid arthritis and has reached the point of not being strong enough to do it any more.

Have a good week my friends.

Amy , did you vent the canner first for 10-15 minutes before putting on the weight? If you didn't it may be blowing out the air under the weight before it starts to rock. Also before starting make sure the vent hole is clear, maybe poke through it with a toothpick or something. If the vent hole is partly restricted it may cause the whistling although a little whistling at first is normal. Try to turn the heat down as low as you can for the weight to rock continuously. The weight is pretty much self-regulating , doesn't hurt to have the heat up a little bit higher than it needs to be but if it's way too high you could boil the canner dry. I assume that your using the 10 psi weight.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WP_HHkOibQ4

About the partly filled jar , how much extra space is it? If it's just an inch and a half or so headspace it probably ok as long as the lid sealed. You could use a little vinegar diluted with water to finish filling it. If the jar is just half full or thereabouts I'd just have it for dinner now.

Rick

I went down to the wildlife garden to check on things. It looks as tho I will not be able to save my half-breed pumpkin. I have too many insects, and, of course with a mutation, or cross, you dont really know what to expect. I will go down and take a picture so you guys can see the strange "seminole pumpkin " anyway, If my grand daughter can get over here and fix me and my computer.

Nancy, I think it was you that ask to be updated on the mineral tub rack. Well, it is doing better than I expected. I have never really had any luck with containers, but, in all honesty, I have never tried as hard as I am now. At Megan suggestion I placed a good layer of compost over the 4" french drains in the bottom of the tubs, then placed about a 3" layer of potting soil on top of the compost. I have a weed barrier cloth over the 4" plastic french drain, and a 1.5 or a 2" PVC pipe that runs from the top rim to near bottom of the tub to run water to the bottom of tub. I have a 1/2" drain hole about 4" from the bottom of the tub. It is surprising how much water these plants can use. We have harvested tomatoes, cucumbers peppers, roselle, and I expect to harvest sweet potatoes from these tubs. I only used one tub for flowers, but they are doing well also.

The bad thing is, that I will have to use the tractor to lift the two sweet potato tubs off the rack to harvest the potatoes, if any. Madge and I have past the time in life when lifting was an option.

Well back to the outside, I cant stay out long without resting, but thank God I have the tractors and the side by side so I can go to any spot on the place and work a few minutes, then come back to the house and rest a few minutes, or the rest of the day if I want to.

Jennifer please do post your flower pictures. I love seeing what everyone is growing. Especially since I am not doing much

Everything at the school is doing well. Lots and lots of melons. Not very many grasshoppers. Didn't see army worms. I'm afraid to go look in our yard. Well, I did. I don't see any army worms. I do hope it stays that way. I'm not sure the okra ever IS going to produce. I just was so slow in getting it planted. Cute dwarf sunflowers there!

Danny--I didn't realize how much black was in Jasper's face before. He is even more handsome now, as he's getting older.

And--that's the basket flower? It's gorgeous.

Larry--I'm sure enjoying our mineral tubs, too. I think we'll follow your example in growing those things in them next year.

Yes, Jennifer--post pictures.

I am so doggone tired and worn out right now... and was totally surprised about the Sunday thread...

Not that I didn't know, it was Monday.... but still.

Danny that ironweed looks gorgeous! Did you plant it from seed?

Those not getting my facebook posts:

I drove to Denton on Friday (short quick decision after Amy Banu cancelled going with me to Ft.Worth for it on Saturday) to see Big Boy, the big steam engine train. Loved it. Sorry I didn't get to meet up with Kim... but she kept me informed about the last station the train was at. :)

Then, pretty well rested on Saturday, cause beside the trip to Texas I also rode my bike earlier in the day.

Sunday a charity ride our club puts on, and today back to trying to get the hedge out/cut down. It wears me out. First cut stuff off, then cut it to size to fit in the garbage can... then play tetrus getting it all in...:)

I spent way to much time at this today.

Amy, if I don't have enough to fill a jar, I either use it pretty quick, or freeze it.

Rick, great advice about venting the pressure canner!

Over and out

Moni

Moni my brother called me I kept him posted too. He was like a little kid. So excited. My daddy loved trains so we did to of course.
My butternut. The grasshoppers chewed it to stumps once

Here

My butternut isn't that far yet... and my watermelon looks like it is about to die...

Kim, your butternut vine looks about mine. I have butternut growing in 4 areas. I have one vine in my south garden, it is a volunteer, the fruit is not as pretty on it, they are pot bellied, but there are few weeds in it. The trellis in the wildlife garden has 6+ Walthum butternut vines growing on it, but covered with weeds and morning glories. I can see over a dozen fruit, I expect more are hiding in the weeds. The Ukrainian butter nut, about 40 yards from the Walthum has no trellis, I had no idea of how to plant or grow it, but it is doing well considering the bug and little water problem. I expect that there are 30+ Ukrainian butternuts growing. I have more butternut about 50 yards from the Ukrainian, but I thought I was planting acorn squash, they are growing wild also, but looks good.

The most productive squash I have are the Patty pan. There are 8 or 10 hills of them, which are picked every other day.

None of the wildlife garden looks great, because there is too much to keep watered over there. My neighbor and I have well over 600' of water hose in the wildlife garden. I expect that between the two of us we have near 2000' of water hose strung out.

Now that's a whole lot of water hose.

Hope you all are on well water and no water bill.

Rick

Rick, so far my neighbor has paid most of the bill. I haul a barrel or a tank over to water something that is not getting enough water from the sprinklers. He sells the stuff in his veggie stand, it looks like a small store, with soda, water and AC. I also take the excess from my home gardens for him to sell. I also breakup and till ground for him. We try to help one another.

My sprinklers can run almost $3.00 an hour, (which I pay), his will run over 2 times that because he has 2 meters and the regulators are set much higher than mine. I have never made a garden pay for its self, (except when I lived on the back side of this property with an artesian well), it is just a hobby for me.

It is hard to make a profit with a garden. you either gotta love it or leave it.

You think I'm gonna leave it. NOPE!

Rick

When I did market gardening I did really well except when they drifted me with herbicide.

Found three of these guys on my chaste tree. Rustic Sphinx?

I'm going to backread and catch up.

I did see the picture of Jasper. He's super cute!. Have fun taking him out in public now that he's fully vaccinated.

Amy, I'm not sure about the birds. I see brown grass and dead spots on the property. It's hard to tell if it's from army worms or lack of rain. Maybe both? But, my neighbor did come over and mentioned having them. Rick was here and the three of us looked closely and found them in our grass too. I don't see 1000's of them yet and maybe it's because the birds are eating on them. I would put the chickens out on the property, but...our gardens are not fenced. I wouldn't mind them in the KG, but don't want them scratching up small seedlings in the SG. I don't see army worms in the chicken yard. Makes sense.

And, Amy, did you get rain last night? It missed us yet again, other than a few sprinkles.

Oh, and my pressure canner whistles a bit too. I have the weighted gauge kind too.

Larry, your mineral tub rack is so cool. If you get a chance, will you take an updated picture of it?

And I'm sorry about the pests on your garden. Pests really are bad this year for a lot of people. I really think it has to do with the hard winter. It's the opposite of what we've always thought, right? I think when bugs are forced to go through an adversity like a very cold winter (polar vortex!), they not only survive but become super bugs!

There's a YouTube channel that I watch. Jonna Jinton. She lives in north Sweden. They're under snow half the year, but their mosquitoes are SO bad in the summer that she often wears netting types of protection. So, cold and snow do not affect them, it seems.

And WOW...that's a lot of water hose.

We just replaced one this week.

Nancy, those are beautiful sunflowers! I'm jealous of people who can have sunflowers and zinnias look good for longer than a week or two. Mine get some kind of grossness on the foliage. In fact, the smaller variety that I planted, needs to be taken out. They look awful. The wild ones that just come up everywhere, look better....but they really only look good out in the field. They're pretty from a distance.

Kim, I remember when you were doing so well with your market garden until the dumb herbicide incident!

There's a home down Indian Hills who has a new, large garden and it looks so lush and productive. Maybe the pests haven't found it yet being a new garden? But, I did notice last weekend that she had a sign up and was selling her garden goodies. Thought that was pretty cool.

My deal is, I'm not sure people would find us and I don't want to sit out there all day because I have too much to do. IF I knew people would come, I would do it. I couldn't make a living at it, but if it offset some of the cost, that would be cool.

We use a lot of ours for preserving too...but, even so, I think I could sell some of it. I took a bag of okra and a few cantaloupe to church to share, and it was gone in no time..

I need to get up and get busy. I have a list. Tuesday is my only day off, other than Saturday, so focus is necessary.

I'm going to exercise first because I've been slacking on it. I really don't enjoy doing it, but feel better when I do.

Laundry, clean bathrooms, clean up the kitchen (again!), and make tomatillo salsa. Then, Pilates tonight.

The cats are upset because I've moved the final litterbox to the utility room. And put Josi's crate in the room where the final one was located. I also put a diffuser with light lemon and orange essential oils. Cats aren't supposed to enjoy citrus, so maybe it will keep them from that room. Maybe.

And, I put a light lavender diffuser in the utility room and a pheromone plug-in. I'm taking Josi out through the front door and asking everyone to be calm and chill when and if they need to go to the utility room. I've never had cats who are so difficult about litterboxes and I sure don't want cat pee on carpets and furniture.

I laugh now when I read how declawed cats have serious behavior issues like all the issues my clawed cats have.

Before I knew it was "cruel", we always declawed our kittens. Honestly, we never had behavior issues with any cats prior to these. In fact, Harry and Charlotte who were both declawed, went outside and could climb trees, fences, and even the house without front claws. They would also use the litterbox wherever I put it. They didn't care.

Okay. I'm putting off my work, so need to get up now. Have a good day, friends.

Thanks Rick for the canning advice. I think we had the burner set to high (Ron always uses high. I do not.) Video was interesting, I probably had the weight moving too much. I haven't used the canner in a couple of years, but I didn't remember it whistling that loud before. Fortunately tomatoes are only 15 min and we have not run out of water. (Yes to 10 pound weight.) I told Ron to put the partial jar in the fridge. I concidered a pint jar, but it was more than a pint, but probably 2" from the quart. It doesn't help that Ron and I are working together. He gets irritated with me.

H/J, we got. 02" of rain at 6 am this morning. We watered yesterday though.

We have butternut growing, too. And yellow squash. I don't particularly like yellow summer squash, and I think Ron's letting it get too mature. How long will it keep after picking? Should it go in the fridge? I've not grown it before, Ron picked up seedlings.

Jasper is really cute.

Larry I can't imagine that much hose!

I never thought I'd hear Moni say she was tired! ;)

I'm not sure how it got to be Tuesday. Dog goes back to vet tomorrow and Thursday we put Dad's ashes in the niche at the cemetery. Saturday red headed grandson turns 4. For me this is a busy week.

Yellow squash will keep in the frig for a couple of weeks at least.

Could also plant summer squash for the fall if you plant it NOW !

OSU says July 15 to Sept 1 for summer squash for the fall.

Seeds or plants , last call for fall squash.

Rick

Yes Larry this butternut is crazy tough. The grasshoppers took it out once and the it stalled for awhile. All of a sudden it came back. The vines are 4-8 feet in all directions. There have been over 20 fruits try to make but the hoppers eat the flowers before they get pollinated. I think I have 4 viable fruits. It really has fought for those. If I actually get to eat them it will be a celebration.

Yes, Jennifer, Rustic Sphinx. Your gardens this year are so beautiful! I'm so anxious to get this hip stuff over with so I can sign up with PT for building muscle tone again. I desperately need a program. I don't want to start before the surgery, as I'm not sure what I should attempt. I'm sure the doc will subscribe great PT.

Re de-clawing cats. Daffy was about 6 mos old when I took her in to have her de-clawed. She was in so much pain it made ME cry. I swore then I'd never do that to another cat, after I'd researched what it actually was. However, neither of my beloved female kitties ever displayed any problem behavior. https://www.thesprucepets.com/how-is-a-declaw-surgery-performed-3384578

I was telling a friend about this great surgeon I found--her husband is a doctor, too. She came back on messaging and told me her husband said my surgeon is the best, and that's who he wants her to day one of these days. It was nice to have his endorsement, as I think a lot of them. It was good to have input from Amy and our FB butterfly friend, too!

I do love summer squash, Amy, but I like it picked young, as the seeds aren't so big and obnoxious. I also like the winter squash (AND sweet potatoes), but GDW is kind of a pill about those.

Oh--how many of you use thermoses regularly? We DO. But never really knew how to clean them until just today. Stanley tells us how. Duh! Rice and vinegar.

Ouch re watering, Larry. That IS a lot of hose! We have been extra lucky to have had more rain than many of you. We've had 1.3" this week, with a good chance of more tomorrow and Friday.

I see the late boneset is beginning to bloom. One of the few plants the grasshoppers didn't get. I'm very bitter that they obliterated the asters. GRRRR.

Okay. . . later, all.

Question: just saw this "Southern Dishes" question on FB. I have eaten a large number of them, but here's 3 I haven't--but aim to ASAP. Chess Pie, which I've intended to make for a long time; fatback, which I'd never heard of; and Brunswick stew. The Brunswick stew--that looks like one of those "anything goes" sorts of dishes. Do any of you have a favorite way of fixing it? Thanks!

I had to look up brunswick stew. Sounds similar to what an old relative called slum gooey. But I'm not sure I've ever had actual brunswick stew. And chess pie is good but way too sweet for me. But definitely something you should try at least once.

I am not a big fan of bbq sauce, so it doesn't sound too good to me. I have made chess pie though. I've friend fatback many times.

I asked Google what it tastes like, Danny; said it tasted like pork belly without the meat. Would you say that's accurate? Hope I can find some. I like BBQ sauce on BBQ. Don't know how I'll like it in Brunswick stew!

Oh BOTHER! We changed internet providers, but had to get a form signed and returned to Vyve so they could send it to Windstream and we could keep our home phone number. Only Vyve dropped the ball and didn't send us the form. What's new, right? It took me two phone calls and 3 progressively nastier notes to their customer service in order to get their attention. Last note I told them if we didn't get this taken care before we received our next Windstream bill, we'd drop Vyve. That was two days ago. Finally they got the form emailed to us and then it took me forever to get it filled out and signed--and they wanted us to write our PIN number. I said, "WTH" to Garry. We never HAD a PIN. So then had to sign onto Windstream, get a customer service chat and asked her what it was. She said we didn't have one. So I asked her if she could get us one and she said "Sure." So she did, I finished for form and sent it all back to them. SHEESH.

Meanwhile, I checked them out on BBB and saw a multitude of complaints. Then I checked out Windstream on BBB and saw even way more complaints. We are so screwed with internet providers!

I need to relax in the garden! Cept it rained really hard a while ago. LOL Guess I'll just have to make some chess pie today. Jen--Garry and I don't do hardly any sweets. But I say if we're going to do sweets, then we go big or go home! We'll give 'er a try. If we don't like it, I'll take the rest of it to John.

Well hope your internet is better ;)

My largest Seminole.

I had to use my tablet to post the above picture. This is where I planted a Seminole and Walthum butternut at the same trellis last year, planning to hand pollinate and cross some Seminole and butternut. Well I never got around to it, and, I think the bees cross pollinated for me. These vines are volunteers, there are two of them on this same trellis. The other vine has some of the prettiest small pumpkins you have ever seen, they have a perfect shape, and just the right size for a meal.

I have other pictures that you may be interested in, but I need my grand daughter to come over and show me how to post them correctly.

Larry, nice size pumpkin. :)

I assume your plan is to get an offer then start looking for alternative housing? Or you gonna shop simultaneously?

Moni, thanks, but I now wish I had followed through on the experiment so I would know just what the cross is. My goal was to get a meatier, longer keeping, and better tasting pumpkin/squash. All though I cant complain too much about what I had, I still have sweet potatoes, butternut, and , Seminole from last year. My search may end with a squash that George sent me seeds for. If I am not mistaken, he called it a Ukrainian butternut. I have not found much info on the Ukrainian butternut, but the squash bugs sure like it. This squash is of a nice size and seems very productive, I am hoping the taste is great also.

I seemed to get lucky on my watermelons this year also. I planted Sugar Baby, Crimson Sweet, Charleston Gray, and Moon and Stars. The Moon and Stars did not come up, but I hope to get new seeds and try them again next year. I have not tried one of the Charleston Gray this year, I will plan on picking one today, but the others I have tried have been great.

I have made the statement about growing food on an old road bed that goes through the wildlife garden, well, I now have watermelon, tomatoes, squash, and peas growing on that old road bed, but the rocks are terrible. There has to be a ton of work done on that road bed, and even at that it will never be a good garden spot.

My haul from the wildlife garden today, Crimson sweet, sugar baby and Charleston gray watermelons, and UKrainian butternut,all grown on the old roadbed.

Larry that looks so good

I'm definitely in the mood for Garry to try our first watermelon (ChouChou).

Uh-oh. Bad news. I got a message from John showing a frost weed that was eaten to the nub. He wondered what bug was having a feast. Bad news. Blister beetles at Lincoln. I remember Dawn saying they were apt to show up in large numbers with huge grasshopper infestations. Oddly, I was just out here looking and didn't see them. But I'm bummed they showed up at Lincoln. Poor John. I told him what they were and he put his gloves on and began smushing. He said he got about 50 so far. THEN he showed me a picture of the "cutworm" he smushed. Which wasn't a cutworm, but a hornworm. Tobacco, I think--it had an orange horn. Smart guy from Butterflies and Moths told me how to distinguish it. I let John know; know he'll feel bad. But at least now he knows. Told him I hoped he gave it a lovely funeral! lol

There were so many butterflies at Lincoln, my head was spinning--lots of swallowtails and Monarchs--crazy cool, I had picked some split melons and must have had some juice on my hand, and a Question mark landed on my hand! Of course it was my right hand and I couldn't get a picture. lol

Meanwhile, I went out to gather peppers--there's a couple boatloads. But I forgot to spray down for mites, so came dashing back--but have my very first two super hot ones! Fatalii and Yellow Ghost pepper. I was so late with getting them in--and they DO grow and produce slowly. Meanwhile. . . Sugar Rush Peach peppers. Everyone's clamoring for them because they are SO big and productive. That thing has peppers all OVER it! (So do the Ros de Mallorca, Hungarian paprika, Cayenne, and Thunder Mountain. I think I'll mix a lot of them together and make pickled ones. Maybe.)

Well, that's about it for now. Rain again tomorrow, it looks like. Yay.

Hi Y'all.

Larry, that pumpkin is big! I haven't had a Seminole that large.

Nancy, the gardens are a bit of a mess. Just not enough time to keep up with everything. But, there's certainly pretty areas. I've thankful for all that we've grown this year.

And I'm not familiar with the dishes you mentioned other than the pie. My Mom makes Chess pie fairly often.

Life is busy. Both jobs going in full force. Main job is a pain. Nothing is the same as before Covid, so it's making it up as we go. And so much more to say about it, but this isn't the place. It makes me so tired.

We've only harvested 3 melons so far. But those 3--WOW! Super good. Cantaloupe is super productive. I'm eating one a day and have given away about 10 plus what Rick takes.

Tonight, Rick amended the area where the corn was to get it ready for some fall stuff.

We canned 7 pints of diced tomatoes. Not a lot this time, but I didn't want them to waste.

The greens and brassicas in the greenhouse needed watered, so I did that too tonight.

We got some rain, but not a lot....and it's going to get hot and dry this next week. Will be dragging the hoses around again, I guess.

I'm boring tonight and super tired.

Happy Gardening!

Are these butternut? These are volunteers in my north garden.. I had very nice butternut here last year, they were very large, and not so pot bellied. These look nice,but I am not sure what they are. Any advice?