Weak Spots

Fencing Weak Spots...

When I was out in the garden yesterday I shuffled through the raised bed with melons in it because I wanted to see if we had any signs of watermelon growth and we did. Sadly, they had been bitten into so I decided to find the weak spots in the fence allowing something small in to bite them. I think I found it. It was the start of the fence where I used a insertion poll rather than staples and the wooden polls Mr. S installed. That was the weak spot I found and seems like the only weak spot. When I came out today none of the tomatoes close to the ground had bites taken out of them nor did anything else. Either the animals weren't out last night, not likely because the items on the ground have had bites everyday since ripening started, or the weak spot I chose to reinforce was the "weak spot." I hope by picking the bad melons the plant will put energy into growing new ones and do it soon because watermelons need long hot days and we only have 6 weeks left of summer. 

Harvesting...

I harvested a couple of onions, yellow tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, tomato-berries, and a cantaloupe. The cantaloupe wasn't so much a harvest as a picked from the ground. The larger of the two container cantaloupes finally made its plunge to the ground. I haven't cut it open to see what it looks like yet but my guess is it fell because it was too big and/or as big as it was going to get. I transferred the container melon into the Patch raised bed. Transferred both trellises as well. I forgot to get a picture but ill get one after the rain. Things were wilting and since it was going to rain or was supposed to rain, and did, I didn't want to water or over water. So glad to get some rain, funny how things change. I'm hoping the extra space keeps e container loupe alive. It may not produce but it was so pretty and all of the sudden it wasn't. I'd like to keep it pretty at least for another 6 weeks. 

Today's harvest. B-E-A-utiful!

Hot in Herre

Wilting Plants...

This morning I got up and put everything outside because it was going to be 79 degrees out. I left and went back inside to get things together for the day and came back out about 2 hours later to find that the inside of the greenhouses were sweltering. I immediately removed the iceberg lettuce cups because all of the old and new growth was completely wilted. I thought I might have killed them to be honest but when I brought them inside they perked up. 

Although, some of the things online and in books is over the top and plants are stronger than they've been made out to be it seems like the "seasonal" suggestions are no joke. The temperature outside was about 75 and inside the greenhouse was about 90. Lettuce does best at about 65 degrees. It didn't like the 90 degree heat it was in at all. It took a little while inside for them to perk back up and they still aren't looking as nice as they were this morning. I had planned on transplanting them into the raised bed in Patch today but technically the consistent cool weather isn't guaranteed until next week. Considering that it was hotter then it should be for lettuce out today and is going to be for the rest of the week it seems silly to say but I'm keeping them inside. Not because it isn't "cool" because it's past cool out it's warm to hot out. I figure waiting until Friday when the weather drops back down to the mid-60's is best. 

My strawberries a warm/hot fruit wilted as well.  I think it was a bit of a shock for them. It hasn't been that hot out and all of the sudden it was 90 degrees in the greenhouse. They wilted to find shade and a bit of breeze, I think. Once I took the top off of the greenhouse even though it was hot and sunny they perked back up. They like the heat but not in a flash like that. I need to remember that boiling my crops probably isn't the best way to go. I've been so careful about cold temperatures I forgot that I needed to cool things down when it got to hot. Thank god they perked back up. Some of the most beautiful plants (the taller ones) were the ones that wilted. 

Pre-germ Carrots and Primed Lemon Balm...

I decided to transfer the pre-germinated carrot seeds into a cup with organic soil, today. The pre-germs. weren't very good looking but I wanted to complete the experiment. A lot of the seeds had grown into the wet paper towel and some of the roots had shriveled up but I picked the best looking ones and dropped them into the cup and covered them lightly with soil and water. I might not get anything and I might get some really nice looking sprouts but either way I can wait to see the results. Considering that they were pre-germinated if they're going to sprout at all it'll be in the next 4-5 days. I'll let you know. 

I planted my primed Lemon Balm seeds right before the pre-germ. carrots but that was so much more of a hassle than it was worth. The seeds were so tiny and slick I don't know if I have a cup of dirt sitting in my greenhouse or if I have soon to be Lemon Balm seedlings sitting in there. I couldn't see them go in to save my life. If I flicked them in the cup or over the cup I have no clue. It was just a mess. I think I definitely should have just bought a Lemon Balm plant. Those seeds are either not meant to be primed or not meant to be handled but it was much tougher than seed taping the tiny carrot seeds. I really truly don't know how many I got in if any. They are the same color as soil and the tiniest slickest things. I guess this is a "we'll see" and "both be surprised" if there ever was one. 

Containers...

Lastly, I painted my containers today. I planned on using the old yellow recycling bin for the watermelon plants if they germinate but I didn't want to use it as is.... so I painted it a nice white with green tea trim. It looks pretty and will hold 1 fair sized plant. I also painted a 5 gallon bucket I found green tea with white trim. I am not sure what I'll put in there just yet, maybe the lemon balm, but I know I'll end up using it for something. Maybe one of the tests that goes really well but wasn't planned for in Patch Market.