Leaf Miners

My sunflowers started getting these weird spots on the leaves that had little larvae in them. The larvae were making little loops and trails from the inside of the leaves, and I had no idea what was going on. Then I realized it was happening to some of my beets too. Turns out they are leaf miners, which can be fly, moth, or beetle larvae that live and feed on leaves until they pupate. I love the word pupate. So, I went to the ever-reliable internet to see what I should do. One site said use pesticides, or pull the plants and burn them. I was not going to do either of these drastic things. Further research led me to find out that once the bugs pupate they leave, and the damage to the plants is purely cosmetic. I can't believe some crazy person tried to get me to poison or burn my plants for a little cosmetic damage.

Pea Harvest

First pea harvest of the season. I don't know how many more we will get because it is getting pretty hot here, but there are still a lot on the vines. The ones I planted alongside of the house don't seem to be doing as well as the others and I think it is because the soil wasn't dug very deep there. It is very exciting though, because I've never planted them before, and Jo-Jo really likes them. This first batch we are just eating raw as a snack, and they are perfect that way. They are so much sweeter than peas I've had before. Next year I'm going to plant lots more.

Beet Harvest

Well, harvest seems a little too large of a word, but I couldn't wait to pick these. There are more that are almost ready, and I picked these now because I read if you let them get too big they get woody. Anyway, that's my excuse. We also ate a sugar snap pea last night and it was the sweetest, most delicious pea I've ever had. Yummmm.

Peas, peas, peas

My peas are growing great, and I cannot wait to eat them. I guess I should actually wait till the peas get pea-sized, though. Everything else in the garden is doing well too. Some of the beets should be ready soon...mmmmm....my favorite. I had to replant some sunflowers and lima beans yesterday because the dogs trampled them all. It is really hard to plant stuff along our back fence where cars drive. The dogs prefer a clear view to bark their heads off at the one neighbor that drives back there. I want to make it work, though, because if the lima beans climbed the fence it would mean a little more privacy and it would save the rest of the garden from the intense setting sun from the west. I have been warned it is a killer when it gets really hot. I also gave a second try to cantaloupe and lavender, the former which got trampled and the latter I think I planted too early.

Are mushrooms god?

So, I just started typing "a little bit of everything," and that is the title the computer suggested. Anyway I am posting a bunch of pictures of everything, because it is changing quick.

Today's Harvest

I have never eaten so much salad in my life.

Garden Greens

I meant to take pictures of the delicious salad we had last night, but I ate it too fast! We have been eating greens from that garden nearly every day for the last couple of weeks. It is beet thinning time, so the greens are a mix of Bloomberg spinach, butter leaf lettuce, and golden, bull's blood, and early wonder beets. They are so much tastier than what you get from the store and once properly washed they are good in the fridge for more than a week. That is the longest they've gone without getting eaten, so I don't know if they keep longer.

Oklahoma Redbud & The Front Yard

In our front yard we have some nice little trees and a bush. There is also a couple of cacti, I planted some sunflowers and coneflowers under the window, and there are two window boxes with basil, feverfew, and echinacea. It is pretty nice, but much of it is mulched with walnut shells. I liked it that way, but now there are weeds everywhere. I also like having green around, so I haven't been completely pulling them. I guess I need to make a decision: green on the ground, or no. I guess I'll try pulling them and see how I like it. They are weeds after all; I'm sure they'll come back. Quick note on weeds -- I am okay with dandelions and crabgrass, but there is one particularly aggressive weed in our yard that I hate. I don't know what it is, but when it gets tall and you cut it, the stems are like knives.

Mystery Tree

I don't know what this is either, but it is doing good.

Mystery Bush

I don't know what this is, but it is a good desert substitute for forsythia.