I'm almost done "excavating" the main vegetable garden and the satellite garden in the Piedmont of their cloak of over-summering crabgrass. It was thick, and more abundant than I'd ever experienced before, thanks to the exceptionally high rainfall this summer.Evidence of deer and spotting of woodchucks (one has taken up residence under the garden shed) means that defensive measures need to be...
Saturday, 31 August 2013
Friday, 30 August 2013
Nematodes, marigolds, and crop rotation
Marigolds as a cover crop: they are not only useful, but also beautiful and attract butterflies and bees.This summer, for several reasons, I skipped most of the summer crops and planted a cover crop of marigolds. I'd also planted a lot of marigolds around the tomatoes earlier in the season--about 3...
Thursday, 29 August 2013
Ruby-throated hummingbirds
I just set up the hummingbird feeder late this morning after its summer hiatus.We've had lots of hummers in the mountains over summer, visiting the masses of Lobelia cardinalis, Salvia guaranitica, Lonicera sempervirens, and Impatiens capensis, but didn't have a feeder set up (the one I bought early...
Monday, 26 August 2013
Wamboldtopia
Wamboldtopia is a special private garden in West Asheville.It's a collaboration between two artists, working with different media: stone, ceramic and plants. I first visited a year ago in May, when it was part of the Garden Bloggers Fling.My eclectic garden club group visited a couple of weeks...
Sunday, 25 August 2013
Evening light
The view out the front door was wonderful yesterday evening. We've had so much rain and cloudy weather this summer that it seemed like an exceptional treat, combined with the much cooler drier air that's pushed through. The air feels like fall this morning, in spite of the date at the end...
Monday, 12 August 2013
Fall is coming
It was a lovely evening here in the mountains of Western North Carolina.MORE rain during the day, but the evening was nice -- cool for this time of year and the crescent moon was evident - beautiful (but no Perseid meteors to be seen). An evening to be appreciated, too, as we're back "down the hill" later in the week to start fall semester.Two of the largest raised beds are ready to plant...
Friday, 9 August 2013
A gardening reflection
This has been a pretty difficult year for summer vegetables, except for the beans, even as the Mexican bean beetles (and their larvae) have decimated the leaves.I've harvested (and we've eaten) more beans than I'd like -- OK, I shouldn't be complaining as they're the essence of local veggies, after all. I've harvested some squash, and amazingly, the Black Tula tomatoes have been the backbone...
Thursday, 1 August 2013
Morning glories and Liatris
I know morning glories are "weedy" - but they're also beautiful.I'm enjoying how the volunteers from last year are colonizing the telephone pole outside our deck. It makes for a lovely view as we're eating meals out there - the contrast with the blazing star in full flower is wonderf...