I haven’t had a lot to report with our flowers and veggies so far year as it’s been pretty slow going. I ordered most of our plants through a mail-order company thinking it would be better. It did not work out that way. However. things are finally growing and blooming!
We have flowers in a couple of planters and also in a few areas in the back yard that are finally coming in.




My shade garden is all doing OK and starting to fill in a little bit

Our tomatoes and cucumbers are starting to do pretty well


However, not all areas are doing as well. Behold my very sad pepper plants and the box where there was supposed to be broccoli and brussels sprouts.


I’m relatively sure that the rabbits got the broccoli and brussels. Not sure what is going on with the peppers. Oh well – some things to figure out for next year! Another thing that has been doing well is the garlic and onions we planted around the edges of most of the boxes. I read that deer and rabbits don’t like strong smelling plants like that, so I thought I would give it a try. I didn’t do any in the box that got devoured, so I’m a believer now. Knock wood, it seems to be working!
If you garden, how are your summer agricultural efforts going?
I’m getting mixed results this year, like you. Cucumbers are doing well. Tomatoes are coming on. The peppers stopped growing. Bizarre!
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Some kind of mysterious pepper blight!
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I see some tomato blossoms! That’s a good sign.
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There’s a good bunch of green ones in amongst the leaves! Pretty excited for some good tomatoes 🙂
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I miss them! Nothing like fresh picked.
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Yes indeed! One of the best things about summer. That and swimming in pools.
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I have experimented with garlic fences. My first try certainly excluded the nibbling pests, but the fenced-off vegetables didn’t thrive. Maybe the garlic were too greedy.
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That is good to know! Thank you for sharing your experience!
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If I were to try again, I would make the garlic fence longer and deeper – more than 3 ft. square. And I would plant a shallow rooted crop , such as lettuce. I may try using ornamentals inside the fence, instead of veg.
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Good advice!
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It all looks great! (Well, except the box the bunnies got to. Interesting that they would avoid the boxes with garlic planted around the edges!) I hope you figure out the pepper problem.
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Thank you! I thought it was interesting too! I guess the garlic smells strong enough to repel them?
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I suppose so, though I wouldn’t have expected it from young garlic plants!
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I was a little surprised too, but it seems to have worked!
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Nice Ag Report! Sorry the rabbits were naughty :-(. I battle with squirrels.
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Thank you! I can’t grudge it to them – they are so cute 🙂 But all the same, next year we will be more consistent with the garlic barrier.
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