Garden Report

The zinnias and moon flowers are triumphant. The cucumber plants are starting to show signs of blight brought on by the squash beetle but I won't be sorry to see them go because three plants is two too many. The beans might make it; I planted them late and they're only three inches tall now but stressed by the resident rodent and some kind of wilt on a few of the leaves. The rodent has done a job on the carrots and beets; I'm trying a chicken wire barrier around the carrots and that seems to be helping. Kale is crazy good; so are the zucchini and sorrel and borage and asparagus and lemon thyme and marigolds. The brussel sprout plants are great but the sprouts are slow in development. No rush - I want them for Thanksgiving. I planted the tomatoes late and should have them in September. I'm digging up all the strawberries. The voracious Japanese beetles are doing a number on the new mallow plant. The nasturium got covered by the squash leaves, as did the basil -- what, me plant things too closely? Actually, I goofed when planting, thinking that the zuke seedlings were the cukes. Ah, they worked anyway.