The potager is in sad shape. An extremely hot and dry summer, neglect due to summer travel and family needs, not to mention a midnight thief, it has not been a good for the fruits and veggies. Hand watering just keeps the plants alive, but not thriving. The rain barrel has been empty for months. The green beans dried up while we were in D.C. in July. The squash got annihilated by the squash bug. The neighborhood raccoon(s) have taken care of most of the melons.
 |
| Here is one they haven't found yet! |
Finally I have come to the conclusion it isn’t worth the effort and expense to water the tomatoes and peppers (still plenty at Bennett’s farm stand.)
The fall plantings are not much better. The peas and shallots have germinated sparsely and I have replanted the peas already. The lettuce and spinach have not germinated (probably too hot) so will replant them again this weekend. The broccoli is just sitting there. The Chinese cabbage looks pretty good. Rain today gives me some hope.
All this to say there hasn’t been much to write about since the first part of July. There is always another year! I plan to talk with my in-house garden engineer over the winter about upgrading the watering system. Hopefully he will not talk me into running away with him for a week or so during the critical garden season next summer!
After weeding and trimming, I spread a pick-up truck load of compost in the perennial flower beds, along the side of the garden path and along the fence row.(notice the new fence built by my talented husband. It replaces the one damaged in the 2009 Ice Storm.) 
