The tomatoes overgrew their stakes, and it’s only mid-June. I removed the stakes and replaced them with a trellis. The trellis uprights are two 1-inch bamboo poles, and the laterals are the tomato stakes I had been using. Lashed everything together with Boy Scout knots (feeling very proud of my handiwork); it looks quite nice, if I may say so.
How big are these ground cherry plants going to get? They’re 3′ x 3′ now and we have quite a long summer to go. There’s lots of real estate underneath those leaves so if it gets out of hand I will try putting some lettuce underneath.
Planted seeds of ‘Blue Hubbard’ and ‘Waltham Butternut’ squash yesterday, plus more shiso (first seedlings died) and eggplant ‘Listada di Gandia.’ Today I’m getting in ‘Contender’ bush beans, ‘Yellow Pear’ cherry tomatoes, and some ‘Lazy Housewife’ shelling beans.
Working away on trying to get the new garden spaces in the back under control. Transplanted Rosa ‘Darcey Bussell’ to a new spot near the deck, replacing ‘Sophy’s Rose,’ which died. Also moved the massive English lavender to this bed. While it doesn’t get quite the full sun it got on the south side of the house, it is close. It’s sitting high and dry just off the deck stairs, and should get reflected sun from the stairs and the brick patio beyond. Absurd downpours and high humidity the past few days have left it looking quite depressed, but perhaps it will rebound soon. Planted seedlings of nicotiana, transplanted a Nepeta ‘Walker’s Low’ and weeded. Oh, the weeds.
The transplanted Rosa ‘Generous Gardener’ cl. has put on vast amounts of new growth, all of it fresh and healthy looking. I am impressed with what I believe are the results of feedings with nettle compost tea. If the nettles aren’t themselves working, they’re a brilliant placebo.
I need to move the Japanese maple before it gets too big but it doesn’t make sense to do this before fall; it will just be too hot, and who knows what kind of moisture we’ll have this summer. I’ve also got to get rid of a rangy ash tree first; the only place for it to come down is right where I want the maple to go. If only I could find a money tree in a nursery catalog.
