SHADE CLOTH

Property Overview

Garden Overview

Today we finally pulled last year's chard.  It was doing great and we've been enjoying and sharing it but with the heat it started bolting.  Also, we couldn't figure out what was eating it....Till we saw the finches going to town tearing out mouthfuls of it.  They were turning the swiss chard leaves into swiss cheese!  Also, it was crowding the egg plant so today we yanked it all.  I couldn't believe the roots on these plants.  This must be a very close relative to beets.

Eggplant  w/ Chard Removed (and Xena Relaxing)

I also yanked the Napa Cabbage plants.  Those just didn't work out. They were growing beautifully but never formed heads.  This past few days they finally bolted and flowered so it was time for them to go.

Shadecloth

Shade Cloth Sugar Snap Peas in background and Root Bed in Foreground

I also put the shade cloth over the bed of mixed greens and radishes.  It looks much happier. Harvested a big basket of lettuce, sugar snap peas and radishes for salad tonight.

Jim put in irrigation in the last bed today.  Bed number 6 is ready for planting.  Not sure what to put in this one... maybe bush beans and/or melons?  Asparagus has also been suggested.  There is already one volunteer zucchini/marrow plant starting in this bed.

Orchard 

We also sprayed the orchard and property line trees with water to help with bug eradication today.

Hollyhocks

Putting Up Shade Cloth

Orchard Overview

Tying up Grape Vines