Who's winning, you or the bugs?
I don't know about you, but this see-saw weather is about to do me in. I don't know how to dress in the morning. Do I wear summer clothes and sandals or woolies and mukluks? Some days it feels more like October than late July and early August.
If we're confused, what about the plants and animals? Tomatoes, for example, won't set on fruit if it's too hot and also won't ripen it if the weather gets too cold. Butterflies aren't active on chilly days as they need some heat to be able to fly.
Despite the weather, most plants seem to be doing well. I harvested a bumper crop of raspberries in July. They were large, juicy and full of flavor - yum! To find fruits and vegetables that you don't grow, visit some of our local farmer's markets. The prices are reasonable and the produce is good - at least what I've bought.
Today, Aug. 3, has been designated as National Watermelon Day. So, if you need an excuse to gorge on this yummy melon, this is it. See how far you spit those seeds.
Many of us are seeing damage from "bugs" eating our plants. We often can't see just what is doing the damage as many of them are very tiny or nocturnal. Some of the hardest to kill are leaf miners. Sprays can't reach them because they have tunneled inside the leaf. Some of the best products to kill these and many others is systemic granules. There are several brands on the market. Be sure to read the label before using. Avoid edible plants and don't use near fish ponds.
Have you had the misfortune to come across any giant garden slugs? I've recently found two in my yard. All I can say is ICK ...! They have got to be the grossest critters alive. Needless to say, I dispatched them in a hurry.
These things must be 5 or 6 inches long. They're huge. I can only imagine the amount of plant material they've chomped. Maybe I need some geese. I've heard they love to eat slugs.
When you're slaving away, pulling weeds, have you ever wondered where they came from? I did some research on one of the worst ones and found it has a very interesting history. I'm talking about the Russian thistle, better known as the tumbleweed.
These weeds snuck into our country almost 150 years ago. The strange new plants first appeared on South Dakota farms when contaminated flax seed from Russia was planted on a farm near the town of Scotland, S.D. In less than 20 years, this weed had spread to cover an area of 35,000 square miles. This plant, known as Salsola, quickly spread across the West and reached California by 1885.
After nuclear testing stopped at the Nevada Test Site, Russian thistle was the first thing to grow back. The weed continued to spread and has covered the U.S. By 1959 it had even spread to Hawaii. Individual plants can grow larger than a Volkswagen. At the end of each growing season, the large ball breaks loose and "tumbles" for miles. Along the way, it will spread thousands of seeds. Given it's tenacity, Russian thistle will probably outlive us all.
On a more pleasant note, keep an eye out for the baby hummingbirds. They are so much fun to watch as they learn about their environment. If you stand still, they often fly to within a foot of your face and look you over. It always makes me wonder just what's going on in those little "bird brains."
Elaine Cerny has gardened most of her life, starting in 4-H. Since then, she has always kept a garden of some sort, growing everything from fruits and vegetables to flowers and house plants. She has belonged to garden clubs in three states and is currently secretary for the River City Gardeners Club in Post Falls.