Slugging Percentage

Wow, 10:30 Friday morning and its pouring . . . again. The mushrooms have mushrooms growing out of their fraking ears. It turns our that one of the biggest problems I've been having (as well as many others) is slugs. The cool wet weather obviously contributed to their numbers in a serious way, and they have been using the straw mulch I normally put down around the plants and in between the rows as a staging area to launch attacks on the garden. I have pulled up most of the eight bales I put down and will finish the rest if I can ever get a few dry hours to work. I easily picked up and destroyed over 150 of the buggers.

I did a little research and it seems that by far, iron phospate-based bait is the most efficient means of control, and even better, is an organic solution. I will pick some up today. I also noticed this morning that blight has returned to some of the tomato plants and has even started to appear on some of the potato plants as well. It;s been over a month since I hit them with the serenade, so not bad. I will re-apply as soon as weather permits.

Finally Eating!

Things still aren't normal, but I've finally been able to eat two small string bean salads. I was also able to pick about a dozen pea pods and two small summer squash (the vines are loaded and I want to spur growth). One small jalapeno has appeared, and about 1/3 of the corn stalks have ears developing.

Water water everywhere..

We're at 3.7 inches of rain for the week. If this keeps up, I'll be able to start planting rice. I picked my first string bean, and should soon have enough for my first salad. Keep dry folks, and Happy Fourth of July!