What did you do in the garden today?

[PopoMyers]

It's been busy around here, picking raspberries, marionberries, and Asian plums, with the yellow ones starting. Have been picking kale for the girls. Watering, weeding, pruning out finished berry branches. Ripped out some old and lower production raspberries to be replaced with better ones this winter/spring. Dahlias are getting ready to bloom. I had dug them all out last fall, so have a new bed that DH put together, planted.
Put support netting for my green beans and shelling beans, which turn out to be half runners. Last year they had fallen over, and got mildew on them while laying in the dampness. I have my fingers crossed that this will work better. Will soon put bags on the grapes before those pesky, fat raccoons raid me again.

 

[chickengr]

mostly watering. picking some tomatoes, zucchini and green beans. cucumber plants got stunted due to heat. planted them late.

 

[Sally PB]

So it’s safe to say your not a bug person?

I'm not a fan of destructive bugs. I have two hives of honeybees, and they are given the utmost respect.

 

[5.3acredream]

I've barely been in my garden. I admit that I hate the heat.

Looks like I'm taking heavy losses on the pumpkins- stupid squash borers. I picked a ton of raspberries yesterday and barely dented what's coming. I put them straight into the freezer. One of my grape varieties is ready and delicious. My pepper plants are producing bells like crazy. Looks like my guajillo plant is pretty finicky regarding blossom end rot. I'm hoping it stops getting sassy about our rain since I'd really like to dry them and use them. Tomatoes have been so-so this year. I tried a bunch of varieties but kind of accidentally majored in sauce type tomatoes. Striped Roma is a clear winner in this trial (flavor is great) but I do miss all my brandywines and such. I also tried sweet 100s and frankly, I strongly prefer the highly disease resistant Mountain Magic. I think the flavor was exceptional especially considering that it is bred for its disease resistance. So I won't be straying next year, I'll go back to the MM. I've tried sungolds (always splits) and striped bumblebee (good, not great) as well.

The ornamental scarlet runner beans are looking beautiful and have climbed my strings up the gas lamp and beyond. Lots and lots of butterfly activity and dragonflies.

 

[Sally PB]

One of my grape varieties is ready and delicious.

I know my grapes are nowhere near ready, but as a science experiment, I decided to taste one. The texture was like a hard, crisp apple, and the taste was as tart as a lemon.