And for good reason: the larvae can’t fly away, like ladybugs, and they’re voracious aphid eaters. They remind me of little alligators! Some adults are brown and others green with golden eyes. There’s also a Mantispid, Mantis Fly, which looks like the Goldeneye Lacewing, only with praying mantis-type claws.
2 Likes
Maitake, a.k.a. Hen of the Woods, Grifola frondosa, harvested from a White Oak nearby. We’re just out from a multiple-day flood watch. I’m hoping to search for more wild mushrooms. We’ve had over 12 1/2 inches (32 cm) of rain this past six days. what a switch from drought. I hope the sweet potatoes don’t rot!
5 Likes
Very weird climate change weather here in southern Ontario.
I’m still picking green beans. My basil is still truckin’ .
Lettuce leaf basil
Lettuce I planted in August
I planted some fava beans in August which are now in blossom. Some radishes are coming slowly. I planted more kale but I think a chipmunks ate the kale as it went from 2 leaf stage to little kale plant. I had plastic chicken wire on top but that didn’t protect it.
The slugs have been going after some peppers, but not others.
A desperate deer ate my okra plants last weekend after leaving them alone until now. The leaves are gone but the okra I was watching grow to a better size was still there. I have this problem eating okra or beans when the deer ate all the leaves and stems around the surviving fruit or vegetable.
Same deer decided to eat my impatiens after ignoring them for 4 months.
4 Likes
In what way? Is it usually getting cold? Fava’s in August! 
I usually sow fava’s in November -December.
2 Likes
Really long growing season this year. We usually have some cold snaps by now.
I was eager, so I started planting in March instead of waiting until May. So I basically got a double length growing season this year.
My basil usually flowers in June or July. It’s only flowering now.
2 Likes
2 Likes
That paste looks beautiful! That color. Plus, minimal freezer space.
After 9 days of rain and flooding, I wondered if the sweet potatoes are rotting, so dug one out. At least one was OK. Harvest time is quickly approaching. With luck, it’ll be a decent amount in various colors.
2 Likes
Thanks again!
From hurricane Helene? We are on about day six of triple digits.
Fingers crossed for your sweet potatoes. How long have they been in the ground?
1 Like
My garden is mostly done; we just had like 12 days of on-and-off rain, and everything has given up. I still have some lettuce in pots on the deck, though, and my lemon verbena is exploding. I’ve already made a big jar of verbena simple syrup that I use to lightly sweeten homemade shrubs of various flavors, and I also drink a tisane of lemon verbena many evenings before bed, but there’s so much… but I’m going to have to do something else with it.
3 Likes
Our fall carrots - harvested today - didn’t do much. In part due to environmental conditions, in part due to immature soil in the particular raised bed in which they were planted - too rough in texture, there were many stunted and split carrots. My challenge is rust fly - we have to rotate carrot beds through a five year cycle, and not all are beds are old enough to provide a happy place for carrots.
We have a few peas left on the vine (will pick and eat fresh), a couple of zuccs (zucchini scrambles … sigh…), a bed of scallions (which I will pick at over the course of fall), Asian pears (any day now!), raspberries (picking and eating), winter squash and pumpkins (slowly harvesting), some peppers for which there is little hope (but since you never know, we let them live), AND THAT’S IT!!! Time off until January, when it all starts again.
5 Likes
Nice plan!
1 Like
We received a 6+ inch rain, followed by a 1.5 inch quick downpour, which blew out driveways and paths before Helene. Then, Helene’s rain bands added to the problem.
The sweet potatoes were received as “slips”, which were potted up until they looked strong enough to put in the garden. Most went in the ground the third week of May, but a later shipment of slips went in the ground around the second week of June. Sweet potatoes need to be harvested before the soil temperature drops to around 45°F (7°C), and before any frost.
1 Like
these look v pretty 
1 Like
Gardeners: can I dry and store herbs I grow without a dehydrator? I have small pots of oregano, thyme and rosemary. TIA
I don’t know about rosemary (it’s pretty hefty relative to some of the other herbs), but for oregano, thyme, chives, and parsley I never use the food dryer. I just spread them out on a sheet pan or plate, place out of direct sunlight, and let them air-dry for a few days until crumbly.
2 Likes
I could make rosemary salt maybe .
1 Like
You might try hanging the sprigs.
3 Likes
I think it would depend on your climate. In our current climate you could dry a dead body!
Not that I’m trying it.
It’s been above 100 for at least a week, and it’s a dry heat. We can definitely dry rosemary here. I mean outside.
2 Likes
For oregano and thyme, do you remove the leaves from the stems before drying?
I know you weren’t asking me, but I dry on it the stem.
You have probably said before, but do you mind describing your climate?
1 Like
