The battle has begun

I've been a bit delerious so far this year when it comes to the garden. I haven't had any issues really, other than a few things not sprouting and other things taking far to long to grow. I have a bushel of tomatoes fattening on three plants. I've already harvested enough lettuce for a salad and some herbs that I dried for tea.

It is such an amazing feeling to bring in even the most meager harvest. I heartily suggest going out and getting something to grow that will give back to you.

If you haven't seen it, I added a little tally chart to the left side to show what I've brought in so far in my 70sq ft of city garden. Hopefully, it will inspire some with little resources to garden to give it a whirl.

Yesterday, I pulled a zucchini out of the front yard. I have tried to grow zucchini before with horrifying results. This is the first time I ever got one to etable size. There are a few more rapidly growing, still.

It was 98.2 for the high yesterday which accounts for the droopies the plants have. I'm hoping they perk up this morning but the weather will probably hold true. We're getting into our Florida summertime now. Which will also last until a week before Christmas. It will be a fight to keep them hydrated and not burn out in the sun.

At the USF plant sale I went to three weeks ago, I picked up some banana pepper plants. We like them pickled on sandwiches. Leeloo knocked over half of one plant, two smaller stems remain but I'm not thinking anything will come of them this year. The other plant, however...

I found some shield beetles mating on my cherry tomatoes. A quick spray of bio-pesticide and a covering of insect barrier and I'm hoping we'll see the last of them. There are so many tomatoes ripening right now. So many teeny pings of hearache if those bastard bugs have their way. I'm a little smarter now, a little quicker on my toes but they've drawn the line in the bunny manuered dirt.

The battle has begun.