It’s the dog days of summer and we’re in full gardening swing. After the one of the rainiest Julys in recorded history, our plants are battling fungus and bacterial spot diseases like crazy. It’s been so wet and consistently so that I haven’t been able to even get fungicide on the poor things. The Hollyhocks look terrible after succumbing to Hollyhock rust, the zinnias are battling black spot at the moment and it’s frankly a miracle there’s no powdery mildew on anything yet. I think thinning the leaves out for improved airflow has made all the difference. Let’s take a peek at the garden because August in the garden is shaping up to be magical.
I love growing vegetables but the flowers this year have my heart. I only planted two thirds of one of our 8′ beds with flowers, reserving the end of that bed for climbing melon but I’ve so enjoyed fresh flowers that I’m already scheming up ways to increase the bounty next year.
LATE JULY BLOOMS
These pictures were taken the last few days in July. Now that we’re a week in to August, it feels like the garden has gotten a second wind. My white Bachelor’s Buttons are blooming again in the pots by the garden house, all my China Aster’s have started to bloom and the Phlox is still going strong. Next year I think I’ll nix Calendula from my plantings. It was definitely the earliest to bloom and prolific at that but the blooms themselves don’t last long and they look a bit messy in the bed. It’s too much work to deadhead them all and I’m not using what is coming. I have loved the Phlox though. I planted the “creme brulee” and “whipped cream” variety and they are stunning.
My green heirloom pumpkin finally has some fruit and my zucchini is finally churning out the goods. I think the wet and cold July slowed things down drastically. I love this variety of zucchini, it’s called Costata Romanesco Squash. Our tomatoes are finally starting to ripen and it’s mid August!
But what a joy to see the garden blooming!
PEST CONTROL AND FERTILIZERS
Last year we had a horrific battle with squash bugs, cucumber beetles and the dreaded vine borer moths. They decimated my garden and broke my heart. Here’s what I’ve done to help this year and I have seen a HUGE improvement, nothing about this post is sponsored either. I bought everything, researched everything and am just passing the tips along. I’m a newbie organic gardener trying my best by researching and trying products. I ordered these Moth Egg Parasites which I’ve been putting out consistently every couple of weeks and I’ve sprayed Beneficial Nematodes twice, specifically the NemaSeek and NemAttack combo. This is pricey but it means I don’t have to use pesticides and I’ve seen a dramatic difference between last year’s pests and this years. I’ve also sprayed Thuricide BT twice to control caterpillar issues on the kale and my roses. I don’t like spraying my salad greens but, when they started disappearing even after I spent hours hand picking off caterpillars, I got the spray out. I’ve been fertilizing my flowers and vegetables with this Fish and Kelp fertilizer.
August in the Garden has been a joy and we’re still only halfway through. I can’t wait to continue bringing the bounty inside, arranging the pretty blooms and making memories with my littles. This late July day was captured beautifully by Madison Rae Photography.
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