Après le deluge

We've had a week without rain, and most things seem to have come out ok.

To my surprise, the cucumbers didn't give up.

The lemongrass and kohlrabi look good.  I have a feeling I won't be thrilled about the kohlrabi, but I've never eaten it before, so who knows?

After a very shaky start, all the basils appear to have recovered and are flowering.

'African Nunum'

'Mammolo'

'Purple Ruffles'

'Amethyst'

The Charentais melons are staying fairly tidy, but I periodically have to help a runner back into the cage.  Thankfully, they didn't drown.  Last year's hot and humid summer put the kibosh on all my cucurbits - melons, cucumbers, and pumpkins, all.  So I'm a little surprised they all look as good as they do.

Also to my surprise, the rhubarb did not fare well.

The Japanese beetles don't seem to be as bad as some years, but I did fail to look up when scouting for them, and they made lacework of a lot of the grapevine.

Perhaps I was too focused on keeping the birds off the berries.  I hung some shiny streamers that blow in the wind and are advertised to deter birds.  So far, they've left the berries alone, but last year it was closer to ripening time when they ate them all, so it remains to be seen if these things work.

I covered the 'Navajo' blackberries with mosquito netting to keep the birds out, and I've been getting some huge, tasty berries.

Looking forward to the day they produce enough for a pie.

Pumpkin Hill - the compost pile - is doing quite well.  The height of it is what has kept the 'Winter Luxury' pie pumpkins and 'Striped Japonica' ornamental corn plants from getting soggy.

I planted a few carrots on the compost heap, and I imagine they'll be fine, but the ones I planted in the garden proper simply rotted.  The tops looked fine, but a gentle tug pulled them right off.

I transplanted pablano peppers I grew from seeds of a pablano I cooked with a while back.  I don't know if they'll produce edible fruits before frost, but something needed to be planted in that space anyway.

Pablano peppers mulched with grass clippings

The others - chilis, snackers, yellow and red bells, and jalapeños - had a rough start with the extra cool spring and so aren't very large, but they are setting fruit.

a variety of peppers

I've learned over the years that onions don't like a lot of water.  Too bad for this year's crop.  The weeds, on the other hand, are lapping it up.

The tarragon hasn't been well pleased.

But, from a distance - as Bette Middler sang - the garden looks good.