Water, Hot weather, and helping things grow

It has been an amazing week!  The weather has been very hot and very humid, which turns out to be just what the garden has been wanting.  Squash, tomatoes, and beans are all producing a bounty of fruit.  In the coming weeks we will need to watch the amount of rain coming through and provide supplemental watering when necessary.

Yellow Beans

 The beans were in full flower last Monday.  The yellow beans had these lovely white flowers.  The green beans had a profusion of purplish blue flowers.  We staggered planting our beans so we should be harvesting fresh beans for quite some time.  As a side note: if you have a little open space, don't hesitate to plant a few bean seeds.  They're low maintenance and add nitrogen to the soil.

Green Beans

 We have several different types of Summer and winter squash.  Our summer squash include pattipans and Papaya squash.  Both of these varieties have a delicate flavor and are favorites with the kids.  The pattipans look like yellow flying saucers.  Papaya squash has a slightly sweet flavor and is a tasty addition to stir fries. 


Papaya squash

So much of the country is suffering from drought.  Although where we are located we have not had the usual rains, we count our blessings that it is not as bad as it is in other places.  One of the first things we noticed comparing last year to this, was our cucumbers. 

Given normal circumstances, the cucumber vines should be around four feet long by now. 

Supplimental watering has helped however the extreme heat (day and night) had dried the soil and stressed the plants.  They are currently stunted at about a foot tall.  The plants are still producing however our crop may not be as abundant as in previous years.

The tomatoes are thriving in the heat.  The extra water we provide will keep the plants from taking water from the fruits, hopefully leading to good harvests in another few weeks.  We'll see.



Big Boy tomatoes



The good news is that the weatherman is predicting rain for the next week.  Temperatures have already come down to far more comfortable readings.  Storm clouds are gathering on the horizon.  Pray for soft, slow, and steady rains to replenish the parched earth and restore the water table.

Dragonflies and Damselflies

Once again I find myself amazed at the number of Species found in our area.  Dragonflies and their cousin the Damselfly thrive where clean water is available to complete their lifecycle and food sources are plentiful.

Eastern Pondhawk dragonfly

According to the League of  Naturalists, at Bear Mountain State park, there are over 400 species of dragonfly and damselfly found in the US, of which about 180 are found in New York!  When many dragonflies hunt, they create a basket with their legs.  As they fly and dart about, they are capturing flying insects which get caught on the barbs of the dragonfly's legs, ensnaring them, for an inflight lunch.  Gnats, mosquitos, moths, and other pests are favorites however will consume a bumblebee or two if the opportunity arises.

When looking out over the western pastures in the early evening, one can see the silvery flash as the last bits of sunlight sparkle off their wings.  The buzzing rattle created during their flight makes it easy to imagine an enchanted world of fairies.

For more information go to:
http://piplon.org/pdf files/DAMSELFLIES AND DRAGONFLIES OF SOUTHERN NEW YORK.pdf
http://www.dec.ny.gov/pubs/74692.html

Bees and pollinators

Sorry about letting you know after the fact, but this last week was National Pollinator week!  So what you say?? Pollinators are so much more than honey bees.  Birds, bats, butterflies, flies, and bees are all pollinators.  Bees are the best known with the European Honey Bee as the poster child.  But did you know that there are over twenty varieties of American Bumblebee on the East coast alone?

Common Eastern Bumblebee

Most pollinators are not aggressive except with their hives are threatened.  They build their homes in trees, holes in the ground, or, such as in the case of the carpenter bee, will chew holes in untreated wood to create a cavity in which to lay its egg.

Carpenter Bumblebee

This can be annoying although not as much as the subsequent attraction by woodpeckers to the site looking for bee larva.  To deter bee activity from undesirable places such as one's shed, garage, or house, paint untreated wood and keep it in good condition.  The bees will seek out other locations to lay their eggs.

Worker Honeybee died while gathering pollen & necter

A bee's life is short however the pollinators activity helps provide all the foods on our tables and health to our gardens, trees, and flowers.   So celebrate Pollinator week every week.


http://pollinator.org/pollinator_week_2012.htm