Biding time, waiting for melons

My blackberries are suffering from a condition called white druplet (the little individual units are called druplets).

You can eat them, but the more white druplets, the more it tastes like cardboard instead of blackberry.

From a University of Arkansas extension page:

White druplet is associated with a drop in humidity and an increase in temperature. As this happens there is less moisture in the air to deflect solar radiation from directly contacting the berries. This increased solar radiation is blamed on individual or groups of druplets turning first white and then later brown in color. [...] ‘Apache’ is a variety that is more prone to this disorder.

I have 'Navajo', which sounds like it could be a related variety, and we have certainly had decreased humidity and increased temps this year.  Both my blackberries and raspberries (which produced absolutely nothing) would have benefited from watering.

'German Johnson' tomatoes are ripening.  It's suggested that they be picked early when they are just starting to soften and then let them ripen indoors the rest of the way, so that's what I do.  It helps me get them before the raccoons do.  But not always.

Pink celery:

The melons growing up tomato cages aren't producing anything.  They get more shade than the ones on the compost hill, which have several full sized fruits already, so that could be an issue.  However, I haven't grown them sprawling on the ground before, so maybe they just do better that way.  

I have no doubt the raccoons will be after them before they're fully ripe, so I've put several in wire baskets in hopes that will allow me to get some ripe ones.  I've read that, while melons will continue to ripen after being picked, they stop the sugar production process at that point.

I'll wait.

Hot and humid - only moreso

'Razzle Dazzle' rose

I've been eating from my garden for a couple of weeks now.  The cabbages I planted this spring haven't yet started forming heads, but the 'Primo Vantage' plants that overwintered have harvestable heads that have been making good cole slaw.

'Primo Vantage' 

While I was away for a week, the 'Ruby Perfection' (planted this spring) that has grown the largest was ferociously attacked because it got no Bt spray when it needed it.

'Calima' bush beans are producing massive amounts of beans per plant.  

Even tomatoes are producing in this heat, and a few are beginning to ripen.

'German Johnson'

I had bagged a few flowers on the 'German Johnson' plants to prevent cross-polination with the 'Speckled Roman' plants, thinking I'll try to save seed this year, but I removed the bags when all the flowers seemed to be dying from the heat.  

I missed one...

'Supersweet 100' cherry tomatoes are producing well, but I don't think they're as sweet as last year's crop.

I'm going to combine them with the 'Speckled Roman' roma style fruits to make tomato sauce.  This is the first year I've grown sauce tomatoes.

'Speckled Roman'

They're so pretty, but not the right taste for a sandwich or salad tomato.  The foliage is shrivelly and curly - finely lobed - and not very attractive, but I guess it puts all its beauty in the fruit.

The 'Navajo' thornless blackberry plants are finally maturing enough to produce a small bowl full of berries every few days, which is a thrill for me, sprinkled with raw sugar and left to sit for a while before gobbling them down.  

'Calima' beans, 'Supersweet 100' cherry tomatoes, 

and 'Navajo' blackberries

None of my raspberry plants were able to set fruit in the dry heat.

I don't see any fruit forming on the melons I have growing in cages, but they're mostly hidden by the African marigolds I planted all around them to mask the smell of ripening melons hoping to discourage raccoons.

But over on the compost pile, the small Persian cantaloupe plants and one 'Sugar Baby' watermelon are lush and forming fruit.

'Sugar Baby' watermelon

Small Persian cantaloupe

Meanwhile, perennials and roses are showing off, and I'm loving it.

Russian sage (Perovskia)

'Shazam!'

My rose cuttings survived and seem to be thriving.  I caged them to keep raccoons from digging them up while they're small.

'South Africa'

'Mother of Pearl'

I was so happy that the 'Mother of Pearl' cutting took root, because the mother of 'Mother of Pearl' died over winter.  I hope the baby is hardier.

'Passionate Shock' daylily

'Scarlet Marie' double petal daylily

My lilies have not performed well this year.  It could be the lack of rain, the heat, or maybe they're too crowded.  I'll spread them out this fall.  'Casa Blanca' has done the best.  I never noticed before this big of a difference in the size of anthers on the blooms of a single stalk. Interesting.

Enjoy the heat.  It's only going to get hotter.

'Luna' hibiscus

Still roasting, no rain

I went away for 10 days, watering the vegetable garden to almost an inch of water by sprinkler before I went.  Everything there looked fine when I returned.

Not so lucky in other areas.  I didn't realize there was a raccoon trap propped open.  I know there was no bait in it, but during the wild tear they went on, one got itself trapped anyway.  I feel badly because I assume it starved to death in the hell heat we had while I was gone.

On the other hand, I'm really pissed at them for digging up and killing five potted saplings and for what they did to my new roses:

Also, before I left, there were beautiful white flowers on the 'Navajo' blackberry.

It looks like the raccoons took out their aggression on it while I was gone, breaking down large branches.  Maybe they were retaliating for their trapped comrade.

And, of course, that was the week the Japanese beetles showed up.

They hit the roses, which were looking really good before I left:

But, the vegetables were unharmed.  There was a load of 'Calima' green beans ready for harvest.

And some volunteer 'Cardinal' basil, which I was happy to see, because I didn't get any seeded this year.

All the tomatoes look great.  And there were three little ripe 'Supersweet 100' cherry tomatoes.  

'German Johnson' tomato

Before I left, I netted the 'Golden Muscat' grapes in case they got ripe enough to attract raccoons and crossed my fingers, thinking they'd probably just tear the whole thing down, trellis and all.  Fortunately, they were unscathed.  But I'm not holding my breath they'll remain that way.

The perennial bed, which didn't get any water, looks lovely.

drumstick allium

If anyone knows a rain dance, please do it.

Leaps and bounds

I didn't get anything written up while the peonies were blooming, and sadly, the last of them, including those cut and brought in, are now a memory. 

'Bowl of Beauty' peony

'Sorbet' (dark  pink) and 'Sarah Bernhardt' peonies

However, the vegetable garden is finally taking hold.

onions and tomatoes

The peas that I had to replant because of late spring cold and wet weather, are finally producing.

I put out my little cabbage seedlings, setting them amongst carrots and lettuce and dispersed in a tulip bed whose bulbs are long past.  I read an article last year that suggested putting up images of cabbage white butterflies would deter the actual pests because they're territorial, and if one appears in the vicinity, the others will go elsewhere.  I figured it was worth a try.  If nothing else, they won't all be in a nice open row where it's a walk in the park to be located and destroyed.  Of course, this will do nothing for the presence of cabbage loopers and cross-striped cabbageworm moths.

Little cantaloupe plants are settled in, and I expect them to start running rampant any day now.  I'll need to cage them at that point.  I planted a perimeter of marigolds around them to see if the strong aroma of the flowers will confuse or discourage raccoon feeding on the melons when they ripen.  I know it's a long shot, but you can't blame a person for trying, especially when the raccoons have been getting over half the melon crop.

The little tomato plants are growing rapidly and had to get their cages on before it became too late to do it without breaking the plants.

Something I'm trying for the first time: ground cherries.  This variety is called 'Aunt Molly's'.  I wanted to see if they make a good jelly.  They're just starting to blossom and fruit.  I planted them atop my large compost pile so I don't have to stand on my head to harvest them.

The 'Red Swan' bush beans I planted in the row that was supposed to have climbing peas (three times attempting to plant them and only got about three plants!) are fast growers.  They'll have maroon colored beans.  Little pink and white flower buds are just forming.  I'm eager to see what they look like when they are in full bloom.

I put out three little pumpkin plants just for something different: 'Jarrahdale' in the catalog pictures is a gray-skinned one.  It has a typical beautiful yellow squash blossom, which are eaten both cooked and raw in Mexico.  I'm not growing enough plants to spare any blossoms.

Blackberries are blooming and forming fruit.  (As are the grapes, which I'll try to remember to capture and post next time.)  Blackberry blossoms are so beautiful.  What pollinator wouldn't be attracted?

This year I'm starting a wildflower bed with a variety of species.  The huge wildflower bed it borders has, over the years, reduced itself to the three or four varieties that were obviously most suited to the site.  And grass!

Stay well, stay safe, and be kind.