But just one. It was hiding in the plant (they do tend to do that) and I got it at just the right time. But nothing else, and still not a light of signs of male flowers---although there had to have been one.
Also picked the first summer squash, and it looks like some zucchinis are starting to grow. There are tomatoes, but just starting, and still green.
Alas, the birds finally discovered the blueberries.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
A cucumber question
Why isn't my best cucumber plant producing any male flowers? The tiny cucumbers behind the female flowers are dropping off for lack of interaction with their opposites.
Raspberries and Rabbits
Can I start with some good news? I didn't cut down all the raspberry canes last year, and I've been rewarded with major raspberry action. I got almost a pound two days ago, and another 10 ounces today.
This may complicate things in the fall. Since they obviously bear on year-old canes, I will have to decide which ones are too old, rather than just get rid of all of them (which is what I was doing). But I have lots of raspberries.
Meanwhile, the war with the rabbits continues. I discovered that they were getting in under the side fence! So last Sunday morning I got up early, to get going before it got hot, and dug a 92 inch long trench next to the fence, then cut hardware cloth to fit and stapled it on. No rabbits can get in that way.
So I came out to the garden in the afternoon, and, yes, there it was...a large rabbit in the middle of things. Grr. I chased it to try to figure out where it was coming in, but we did the around the garden thing until I lost track of it. So I went to pick the raspberries. When I finished I walked toward the garden gate---and there it was, trapped in the cul-de-sac next to the gate. And breathing heavily. All I had was a bowl of raspberries, which are not, by any means, a useful anti-rabbit tool. I tried to open the gate and the rabbit jumped past me and back into the garden.
At this point I lost it. How did it get in? At first I thought maybe it was trapped, but I haven't been able to rouse it in a couple of days of trying. So I assume it found a way out. Maybe under the other gate? I will have to try to seal that off, too.
This may complicate things in the fall. Since they obviously bear on year-old canes, I will have to decide which ones are too old, rather than just get rid of all of them (which is what I was doing). But I have lots of raspberries.
Meanwhile, the war with the rabbits continues. I discovered that they were getting in under the side fence! So last Sunday morning I got up early, to get going before it got hot, and dug a 92 inch long trench next to the fence, then cut hardware cloth to fit and stapled it on. No rabbits can get in that way.
So I came out to the garden in the afternoon, and, yes, there it was...a large rabbit in the middle of things. Grr. I chased it to try to figure out where it was coming in, but we did the around the garden thing until I lost track of it. So I went to pick the raspberries. When I finished I walked toward the garden gate---and there it was, trapped in the cul-de-sac next to the gate. And breathing heavily. All I had was a bowl of raspberries, which are not, by any means, a useful anti-rabbit tool. I tried to open the gate and the rabbit jumped past me and back into the garden.
At this point I lost it. How did it get in? At first I thought maybe it was trapped, but I haven't been able to rouse it in a couple of days of trying. So I assume it found a way out. Maybe under the other gate? I will have to try to seal that off, too.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
&^%*# Rabbits
I keep meaning to post about the rabbits...and more keeps happening. I wondered why I saw a rabbit in the garden a little while ago. What happened to my rabbit-proof fence? (You have to bury it far enough in the ground to keep the little so-and-sos from digging a hole underneath. Which I did, all along the bottom of the porch.)
Once the kale and kholrabi (K&K) were gone the rabbit didn't seem to be doing much damage, but I knew that I wouldn't be able to plant beans, peas, and more K&K until I got rid of it.
A week or so ago I saw it again, and chased it...and found the hole it had dug. Under the steps, it found a weak spot in the rabbit-proof fence. I dropped a concrete block over the hole and thought, OK, that'll hold it for a while.
Then I saw it again. I chased it and found...that the entire south fence is probably a weak spot. The rabbits can dig in from the next-door neighbors' driveway. Looks like I will have to extend the rabbit-proof fence all the way along this area if I want to keep them out. So frustrating!
I don't have time for this right now...and it looks like I've lost the two weakest tomato plants. Plus some onions. Who knew that rabbits like onions? (Or tomato plants, for that matter). I've tried some anti-rabbit juice that didn't work very well before. It sure stinks to me.
A shotgun would be too good for them.
Once the kale and kholrabi (K&K) were gone the rabbit didn't seem to be doing much damage, but I knew that I wouldn't be able to plant beans, peas, and more K&K until I got rid of it.
A week or so ago I saw it again, and chased it...and found the hole it had dug. Under the steps, it found a weak spot in the rabbit-proof fence. I dropped a concrete block over the hole and thought, OK, that'll hold it for a while.
Then I saw it again. I chased it and found...that the entire south fence is probably a weak spot. The rabbits can dig in from the next-door neighbors' driveway. Looks like I will have to extend the rabbit-proof fence all the way along this area if I want to keep them out. So frustrating!
I don't have time for this right now...and it looks like I've lost the two weakest tomato plants. Plus some onions. Who knew that rabbits like onions? (Or tomato plants, for that matter). I've tried some anti-rabbit juice that didn't work very well before. It sure stinks to me.
A shotgun would be too good for them.
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