Varmits, Varmits, Varmits

*Sigh* why is it that no one is safe from marauding animals? I know its a circle of life thing, but when you put your blood, sweat and tears into it, its so frustrating. My stalks of corn that tipped over are still growing, albeit at a weird angle. They are good and healthy and I think harvest is very soon. However when I was leaving for work this morning The Wife said "Uh oh, what's that on the corn stalk?" So I go running over like a fireman trying to save a child from a burning building, just in time to see the bushy tail of a member of Squirrel Squadron bolt from the stalk. He ripped open an ear and was munching away apparently. The corn looks really good inside as well, prompting me to think that I should do an emergency harvest today. My scouts inform me that there has been another raid while I was out working for The Man. Why God???? ;)

I don't have pics for all the progress, which is VERY significant from the last time, but I will get them up soon. Here is a pic I snapped of a cantaloupe. I didn't realize when I took it, but there is one twice its size hidden behind the leaves directly behind this one. There are many others. Hopefully they will make it.

The only fruits I have at the moment are these cantaloupes and tomatoes. Still waiting for the jalapenos to fruit but they have flowered. Carrots and potatoes are still small. Pumpkins and squash are flowering, same for the beans. Watermelon is still to small yet since I planted that in late June.

All looks promising. Considering a greenhouse for starters or leafy veg early or late in the season.

3 girls in a small room

I think I might have over-done it with the 3 sisters. In each mound - of which there are nine - was planted 4 corn, 4 beans, and 3 squash. Experienced squash growers are now laughing at me. Sooo much squash in such a limited space is presenting a big problem. I can't walk among the plants without trampling on the vines. The gate for the garden is, of course, on the side makes me have to walk though the sisters to get to the tomatoes and peppers (which are flowering nicely.)Need to remember to better lay that out next time with possibly 2 gates depending on where the early leafy veg goes vs. the fruits.

Also, since all 3 were planted at the same time, there is a bit of a fight for dominance. The beans are wrapping all the way up to the tops of the corn, before the ears are set. I've had to unwind them from the tassels a few times. Lower down where I succession planted some corn, the squash totally blocked them from the sun. Can't let that happen. I guess I will have to cull some vines to at least be able to walk without poking my eye out on the tomato cages.

I was doing some research and it turns out that Native Americans gave the corn a month before planting the beans and squash. They also alternated the squash, with one plant every other mound. Essentially meaning that I only can plant 3 squash in the same pattern as I have it now.

As much as this is all kind of an experiment for me, I don't want to re-invent the wheel. I have been reading on the whole set up so much that I feel like an expert, or could at least write a Wikipedia article on it. ;)

Independence Food (Freedom Fries?)

Here is an update on how the garden is doing. I figured out a way to use the pump and the rain barrels to water the Main Bed. I'm very proud of myself, but I forgot to take pictures. :( Basically I submerge the pump in the barrel and connect it to a 15 foot hose with one of those shower-head like attachments. There isn't a lot of pressure, but it is more than enough for me to hold the head over the various crops and water them. Eventually, the solar array will power this so I don't have to use C02 to pump water (I'd prefer to be carbon negative in this whole endeavor, as the reader may well know). Doing some quick calculations on the capacity of the rain drums, I estimate that it takes 10 gallons of water for the main bed in its current configuration. I also use another 3 in Ye Olde Pumpkin patch, bringing that to 13 gallons per day. With 3 barrels to capacity, that's about 2 weeks of water for those two beds. The driveway bed is still watered with house water since the pump can't generate that much pressure. Its scary because this has been a particularity hot and dry summer so far with it raining enough to fill the barrels only once a fortnight. I am replenishing about 6 gallons a day with run-off from the condensers on the air conditioner, so its not all dependent on mother nature. I'm glad I'm not pulling all of it from the reservoir. I see water restrictions in the future. On a positive note, the grass has already gone dormant, and I haven't cut it in 2 weeks.

On to the pics:



This is the Driveway Bed from the street, those are the Mammoth sunflowers, with watermelon and broccoli underneath.




The Driveway Bed from the side. Cantaloupe in the foreground Beans and Evening Sun sunflowers in the back.



The Main Bed from the driveway. Chilies (no flowers yet) and carrots in the foreground. Tomatoes (with flowers but no fruit)in the middle and the 4 Sisters behind them.



The Main Bed from the side, showing the 4 Sisters, broccoli and onions (which you can't see here). Yes the corn is tall. How tall? The tallest one there is about 7 feet, you could say its "Giant" corn. How did it get so big? Fertilize EVERY 2 WEEKS!!!!! Last year the sunflowers were the tallest in the bunch, what a difference a year and copious organic fertilizer makes.



Did you know carrots were 2 season plants? I didn't know that. :) Here is the survivor from last season going to seed. Apparently the flowers attract predatory wasps and lady-bugs which kill things like: slugs. :) Guess what stays in the ground? Also there is evidence to suggest they are good companion plantings with tomatoes. Interesting that I always plant them together but didn't know that. I need to remember to leave some in the ground for next year. Even though the tomatoes will be moving. I harvested one of the orange roots yesterday, it was about thumb length, so they still have a while. Its curing today and I will take a bite tonight.




Just in case you were wondering how the Sisters are getting along, this is a pic of the beans climbing very surely up the corn stalks. Several times I have had to pull the tendrils down lest they completely restrict the tassels on their host's tops.




After repeated efforts to re-plant pumpkins to increase their number (no thanks to the robbing Squirrel Squadron) I am left with only 8 pumpkin vines which I labor over with the diligence of an expectant mother. Here the work pays off as the vines are on the march. I have buried the vines every 3 feet or so that they might develop secondary roots. You can't see it here either, but the longest vine has female flowers on the end. Very exciting!!! Not to be missed, the potatoes in the background are almost ready for harvest!



A male flower just after it opened this morning. I hope some pollen gets transferred. If there is no development in 2 weeks or so, I may have to pollinate by hand, just to be sure.


Good progress all around. I just wish we had more rain.