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[Beekissed]

That Bermuda is something else! And, you're right, it LOVES this wood chip mulch. I'm so glad I don't have any of that in my own garden, as I don't know how I'd keep it out on all sides. My son's garden is tiny, but the battle is still ON with that stuff. I've put some landscaping fabric along the bad side and will do more in the fall.

Today I'm going to burn the perimeter of his garden, burning all the grasses that live outside those landscaping timbers...Bermuda and also a fine crop of bindweed he's got growing over there. I'll keep at that all season, while using my handy Rogue hoe on the interior of the garden, with the hopes I can keep it at bay until I can put the fabric down all along that side come fall. With his garden I feel I can keep on top of it, but with mine it would be nigh impossible.

The most I have creeping into mine is creeping Charlie and a few pieces of crab grass and both are really easy to keep pulled or cut off around the edges.

 

[Beekissed]

A few pics of the flowers in the front BTE...getting quite a few species of butterflies out there now, what with the butterfly bush getting ready to bloom and all these other flowers. I tried to get pics of a few of them but could never get close enough for a good pic without them flying away.

This bed of wildflowers is just starting to show good color but will not be in full blaze until July, most likely. I'm loving the delicate pink flowers that are blooming right now, but the Bachelor's Buttons, Zinnias and Calendula are starting to put out the first blooms as well and soon they will steal the show.

Some of the sugar snap peas we've been harvesting now....stupid me planted them all at once instead of in succession, so now we've got PEAS, instead of just peas.

 

[ninnymary]

I love sugar snap peas and those look beautiful! Definitely a POW picture. Have you noticed any difference in them with your BTE?

Mary

 

[Beekissed]

I love sugar snap peas and those look beautiful! Definitely a POW picture. Have you noticed any difference in them with your BTE?

Mary

Oh, yeah. It could be because it's the third year and the chips have composted a new layer of topsoil or it could just be a really stellar garden year, but I've never been able to grow peas like this before. Never got over a foot or two high and never really got any crop off them, but these topped out around 7 ft, with thick stalks and are so loaded with peas that they broke over my trellising efforts and are all leaned over on one another.

Everything in the garden is growing well this year and I hope to see good crops, finally, from this BTE.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Bee, that butterfly in your top photo reminds me of an Eastern Black Swallowtail. They lay eggs on my parsley and dill. The caterpillars are really pretty, multicolored rings all along them. I just let them go, I'd rather have them than the parsley or dill they eat.

https://www.google.com/search?q=eas...YmQBg#imgrc=N2HAIJ62IWRJkM:&spf=1497107182768

 

[Beekissed]

Bee, that butterfly in your top photo reminds me of an Eastern Black Swallowtail. They lay eggs on my parsley and dill. The caterpillars are really pretty, multicolored rings all along them. I just let them go, I'd rather have them than the parsley or dill they eat.

I'll remember that! I'll keep an eye out for them and try to leave them alone, though I don't have any parsley or dill growing right now, they will likely hit the broccoli when it goes out in the general garden area. It's under the tunnel right now.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I've never seen them on broccoli, the only worms I see on broccoli is those darn cabbage worms. I don't know what all those swallowtail caterpillars eat but I'd imagine there are several "weeds" out there in their food chain.

 

[thistlebloom]

Bee, my Rogue hoe came this week. What a nice tool! I got the smaller head size, so I think I'm going to order the large 8"size too. I used it in the blueberry garden and I like that I can get close to the plants but not disturb their roots. Took it to work and it did a fine job there too, but the wide one will be much better for those large areas in the beds.

 

[Beekissed]

Bee, my Rogue hoe came this week. What a nice tool! I got the smaller head size, so I think I'm going to order the large 8"size too. I used it in the blueberry garden and I like that I can get close to the plants but not disturb their roots. Took it to work and it did a fine job there too, but the wide one will be much better for those large areas in the beds.

View attachment 20193

I was just showing off mine to company today! Isn't it cool???

 

[Beekissed]

Planted two rows of tomatoes, started here from seed kept from last year's crop, and was pleased to find the crumbly, dark soil/compost from the chips made digging a hole for each easy. The delight I feel in that change in the soils cannot be expressed and I thank God for it! Just underneath that is the yellow/red clay that's hard to dig into, though less hard to penetrate than when I wasn't doing BTE.

I need to put up another trellis in order to plant the remaining tomatoes and I'll definitely transplant my big, healthy volunteer tomato that sneaked under the tunnel to grow....I may just bend him OUT from under the tunnel and stake him right there without transplanting.

I was pleased to note also that the onions I've set out previously seem to be thriving, unlike in previous years of planting them...I think I planted them too deep last year but this year I barely put them into the chips.