Sanctuary Gardener Update ~ 8/17/15

Good afternoon, everyone! I apologize for the late post today. (I know, you’re going to have to read this with your afternoon tea rather than your morning coffee.) Ever have one of those weekends where time got away from you and you realized, albeit too late, that you just tried to cram too much into too little time? Well, that was my weekend. In addition, I somehow hurt my thumb…of my right hand…which I write with, and I’m having difficulty typing and using a mouse. Regardless, I’m posting a few pictures for you so you won’t think I forgot my cyber garden buddies!

IN THE GARDEN:

The summer garden is winding down, and the summer heat has taken its toll. I have lots of weeding and pulling to do, which I started yesterday. However, it’s just too much to get done in one 90+ degree weekend. (You’ll see that in my August installment of “How My Garden Grows” later this week.) However, it’s a start. Make a pile, put it in the bucket…

Weeding begins

I have to pull my dried corn stalks, too. Every do that? It’s pretty hard to pull them out of the ground! Sometimes, I have to have my Garden Wilson help me.

Corn stalks to pull

Everything in my garden is so dry! We haven’t had any rain in close to two weeks. After a week without being in the garden, I saw that it’s definitely time to water. My key lime trees are finally growing back, but they need some water, for sure.

Key limes trees – needing water!

My okra plants may be spindly, but they’re growing quite tall.

Star of David okra plants

I found this flower cluster on one of my Pink Brandywine tomato plants. I think these are the only flowers in my tomato beds at the moment.

Pink Brandywine tomato flowers

My Filius Blue peppers are in various stages of ripeness. This is the only variety of chili pepper I know of that gets milder as it matures and turns red. Even red, they’re still quite hot!

Filius Blue peppers

While in the garden yesterday, I caught this dragonfly on one of my pepper stakes. I had to be quick to photograph him before he flew away, so the photo isn’t as clear as I would like. But I still wanted to share it. He’s a big one.

Brown dragonfly

GARDEN BOUNTY:

I finally started harvesting my lima beans and butter peas. I didn’t start until after supper, when it was a bit cooler. I worked over two hours – until sunset. I finished the butter peas, but got through only about a third of the lima beans. I’ll have to finish them this week. In all, I harvested almost 2 1/2 pounds of beans – shelled weight! Some of them were “fresh” and others were sun-dried. I can use the sun-dried ones for seed or for storing for winter eating.