So a new month has come upon us and it’s time to look at the things I need to get done for the first part of the month. Ah, temperatures are so fair now. Bugs are less annoying. And apple pickin’ time is soon, as well as canning season. I’ve already made some hot pepper jelly, and hopefully I will be able to make some salsa. Despite all of the peppers and tomatoes I planted, I’m a little disappointed in the yield quantity. Maybe for several reasons. Not enough water, too many weeds, maybe not enough compost in the soil. I’ll be addressing all of these things this fall. Once everything is harvested I’ll throw down the compost and work it in so it will be ready for spring. Of course, I also said I had planned on building a few raised beds every year, so I’ll have to be careful to not waste my compost where the beds are going.
If I had time to mind the lawn this year, I’d be liming it, especially since the pines nearby surely make it incredibly acidic. I’d also look at overseeding, but it’s been too dry a year, and we have some serious weeding to do. I’m trying my best to contain the fury that boils inside of me at the lack of rain. It can’t be helped, but between a 40 hour job and life needing to go on as need, there is never enough time to water everything. So yeah, that grass seed can wait another year for me. There’s just not enough time to water. Besides! why would I want to get rid of my incredibly diverse lawn that is mostly a non grass lawn?
So in the last week or so, I’ve sown some more seeds for fall harvests. I’ve planted swiss chard, radishes, and carrots and peas, both in the ground, and for fun, in pots. I was going to pull the pattypan squash plant I was growing in the greenhouse, but then discovered my last few weeks of hand pollinating them was successful finally! For those who wonder, I had the greenhouse doors closed to prevent my little gardening squirrel from planting things in my greenhouse, as he was destroying work I was planning to sell. I will also be planting some spinach seeds both inside and outside the greenhouse.
I’ll also be carefully watching the nighttime lows. I have a few tender tropicals outside, particularly my beautiful, giant hibiscus. It will be coming in once those lows consistently drop below 10. When I bring in my tropicals, I always spray them with either insecticidal soap or horticultural oil and allow it to dry before bringing them in. Hibiscus is a notorious aphid and whitefly magnet, but I’ve never had these problems because of my faithful spraydown.
There’s something else I’ve been looking at and thinking about now that September is here. It’s a bit early, but never too early to consider the Halloween season’s plans. I want to haunt up my forest! It does have a set path, and some shrubs have already been planted. But it sure is creepy in there at night. Wouldn’t it be delightful if it was a creepy haunted walk through around Halloween? Yes. Yes it would be. Don’t argue with me. I already have my costume half started from last year, some finishing touches this year should make it a perfect tour guide through. I might even have a big bowl of candy at the exit.
So I may do another edition of “Dawn does Pinterest!” this fall involving halloween crafts and some progress of haunting up the forest. I may also have to offer you all a quick tour through the forest before it goes to sleep for the season.
What are you doing here anyway? It’s labor day! Time to celebrate and relax. Summer is kind of over now, isn’t it? That’s why my post is short this week. I’ve got some …well, I’ve got one day to spend with my families! Can’t let it go to waste.
