backyard

The backyard garden is coming along slowly this year. I decided to try cabbage. It should have been ripe a few weeks ago, but is finally coming to heads now. I am hoping it is still tasty!

When I remove the cabbage from the front row of the main bed, I will fill in with a few compact squash plants, which will be kept company by the zinnias that are doing exactly what they were supposed to do, and filling in a I am ready to pull the early crops out. My successive gardening is a long way from perfection, but I am seeing the added benefits of choosing plants that can timeshare on my limited garden space. The squash plants are getting a head start in a large pot by the back door. Hopefully by the time they go in the ground they will be big enough to resist all the pests that so love to munch on baby squash plants!

The butterfly bush had a rough start to the season, as I had a major infection of spider mites. I have blasted my plants with the hose and treated them with insecticidal soap, and everything seems to be recovering. I may give everything another once over with the soap just to make sure they don't come back!

I am not sure if it will turn out successfully, but so far so good with the corn. Still a few days till the 4th of July, and half of the stalks are already higher than my knees. Here's hoping that works in PA like it does in OH and the rest of the Midwest!