Garden Notes

In early August removed radish plants; Planted carrot seeds with little Ralph in what had been Ralph’s radish patch. Took out the pole beans as they seem to have finished producing for the year. Will replace them with the red beans (kidney beans?) seedlings. Have removed all but one zucchini plant, and most of the squash plants as they were destroyed by squash bugs in July. The small pepper plants we bought as 8-10″ potted plants have now grown to be 2.5 feet or so. Have harvested 2 jalapeno peppers, and there is a nice bell pepper growing on one of the plants right now. Cherry tomatoes continue to produce steadily. The larger tomato plant may be overgrown. Is not producing many tomatoes currently. Continued to have regular thundershowers, temperatures in the upper 80s and 90s.

  • August 8 Seeds have sprouted up and they are all thriving little seedlings.
  • Aug 12-13 planted Zucchini and Pumpkin seedlings
  • Aug 14 planted Bok Choy
  • Aug 15 planted Bok Choy, Pumpkins and Zuchinni
  • August 16 planted nine collard plants
  • August 19 planted four sunflower plants each about 8″ high, 2 peas seedlings and 3 cucumber seedlings. Nice soaking rains.Temperatures consistently dropping to upper 60’s at night.
  • August 24 applied two organic treatments to new plants as follows : plants on left side insecticidal soap and on right side 3 in one fungicide/insecticide.
  • August 26 applied Miracle Grow vegetable food to garden areas. Am hoping this will replenish the soil which is now supporting it’s second growing season. By next spring the compost pile should be large enough to replenish the entire set of garden areas.

Nature Journal

  • August 16, an Eastern Box Turtle showed up in our front yard under the bushes. The kids watched him for a while and then turned him loose near our garden. According to the Audobon Guide, this turtle is fond of slugs and wild strawberries. If this turtle can help keep the slugs in check, then he’s more than welcome to live in the garden.
  • August 19 refilled the bird feeder.
  • August 21 Nuthatches, bluejays, titmice, chickadees, cardinals seen at feeders. Hummingbirds still visiting regularly. Little wren sleeping in our porch eaves again.
  • Night sounds – katydids, crickets
Eastern Box Turtle
Imperial Moth, Durham NC August
Easter Fence Lizard seen at University Lake, Chapel Hill, NC
Five Lined Skink on a wall

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