Posted on September 20, 2021September 20, 2021A second cantaloupe and more sad caterpillars/happy wasps Second Madhu Ras melon and there are more on the vine!! The “cleaner” side of one caterpillar. The more parasitized side of the caterpillar. Now two angles on a second cat. Note that the pupae have opened, because of the little can lid looking parts. Last night I sprinkled some more basil behind the cherries on the ground and also in the planter. This saguaro cactus was given to me and had been over watered, so it’s got some rot on top and near bottom. Hopefully it will recover now that I’ve put it in hot sun and just watered it once after transplanted. It should rarely get rain on it on the porch.
Posted on August 14, 2021August 14, 2021A day off for errands Bisbee cowpeas flowering more I liked the contrast on this one. “Stubby” variety of okra. An okra flower with a little sweat bee flying by! This is the first okra flower I’ve seen in person here since they seem to keep banker’s hours. A little green-striped cushaw squash! Leaf of the squash is looking a bit rough. Found another Madhu Ras melon! This one is bigger. Salvia greggii “Diane” purple cultivar has bloomed! Now only waiting on the orange part of rainbow garden to bloom. Whoa. I did not realize this cushaw squash was here! A male Sachem on a Peruvian ground cherry. There is a flower in the background so I hope it’ll start producing soon. Two immature fruits on Amish Paste tomato. I think this is one of my stratification butterfly milkweed that I planted directly! Very excited! A doodlebug (also known as an ant lion) trap waiting for some little critter to walk by! I feel very good about the predators in the garden right now, keeping plant-eaters in check, as I also saw a little brown snake slither away. We had a Dekay’s Brown Snake last year so it was probably that. May it be fat and happy on earwigs! One of the rosemary bushes is blooming!
Posted on August 11, 2021August 11, 2021Signs of life Okra one Okra two A baby Madhu Ras melon! Excited for cantaloupe season. A skipper, to be identified. Three skippers on ironweed! The right two are female (middle) and male (right most) Sachems. Frogfruit is really taking off! There were at least two skippers like this so it might be a different individual than the first picture. Good helper.
Posted on May 25, 2021May 25, 2021Evening things in the Pacific rainforest that is Norman Cowpeas coming up among corn, beets, and peppers. Coreopsis in background. Black coat runner bean flowers. Mini bell pepper flowering. Rouge Vif d’Etampes squash has big leaves! Inca pea bean leaves. Golden jenny melon needs more sun I think. Its seedling seems stuck. Madhu ras melon is in a better spot. This beetle eats solanaceous plants. It is sitting on my Peruvian ground cherry. This beetle is now gone. Presumed beetle eggs. They are gone now. A mysterious giant finger squished them.