Late Bloomer – Summer Garden Wrap-up covers the resolution of Kaye’s big mildew on cucurbits (squash, pumpkin, melons, cucumber) after a visit to friend Dorothy’s squash patch in the 20 degree hotter San Fernando Valley, plus seeding and planting her third winter garden. When the goldfinches have had their fill of the amaranth, the area of […]
In Late Bloomer – Summer Garden Update – Part 3, Kaye harvests late season tomatoes, okra and zucchini and deals with blight, mildew and aphids on milkweed. She vows to conquer some of these issues in next summer’s garden! Southern Fried Okra recipe below. She’s mystified by the long, scarlet radishes. Get a glimpse of […]
Late Bloomer – Summer Garden Update – Part 1 covers what you can grow in 300 square feet in a front yard, in this case, amaranth, corn, cucumbers, zucchini, beans, tomatoes, California native plants and more. The Nanday Conure wild parrot flock return to destroy Kaye’s sunflowers, and amaranth shoots survive transplant. Kaye tries flytraps […]
My purple amaranth was very beautiful a month ago. Though it never reached eight feet as the seed packet promised (like two to four), it was a nice addition to the garden. I don’t know if it was soil (mine is adobe brick) and poor drainage, or irregular watering, but the tall shoots of blooms would […]
Speaking of parrots, my neighbor across the street, C.L., has been reporting quite a show with the wild parrots passing through and making hay of my wilted sunflowers. I had been lopping off the deadheads, but when he told me that it was food for the parrots I left them on. I hadn’t seen them, […]
Nasty Aphids Attack Corn! What else is new? Aphids attack everything! As I was out shaking the tassels to promote pollination, I discovered my second corn plant has been attacked. Everyone passing by my garden has told me they had trouble growing corn here, and I am no exception! Though, I naively thought I might […]
Please watch me struggle to grow flowers on the 6.5′ x 14′ strip of parkway between the street and the sidewalk in “My Flower Island – Episode 12” of “Late Bloomer.” Buckwheat saved the day. For anyone curious about how we are making “Late Bloomer,” this episode was shot over the course of two months. […]
What’s Eating My Amaranth? Something’s eating the tender shoots. When this much of the shoot gets eaten, there’s not enough energy in the plant to recover. I confess I planted Amaranth because the description on the seed packet sounded so enticing. “Elegant burgundy plumes add rich color to the back of a border. Striking maroon leaves […]
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