With the exception of snipping off an okra pod every day or so, and a few more green beans, it's been pretty quiet in the back yard the past week & a half. I was able to get about 10 more beans from my plants, but I think that will be it for edibility. The rest of the beans are pretty curled (we're talkin' 360* here), are smaller, and lumpy (seeds). I am concerned they'll taste the way they look. Funky.
Here are a few sweet & spicy developments:
My Dwarf Meyer Lemon tree has finally settled into it's new home. I moved it to the west side of the yard where it enjoys spending it's afternoons in the shade of our neighbor's trees. Hopefully we'll be able to enjoy some lemons from this round of growth! I counted 8 buds that are close to opening...
On the east side of the yard, our pear tree is bursting with fruit. Well, the part of the tree that is still alive... I don't know why, but this spring after the fruit started growing, the top of the tree just shriveled up and died! I noticed this occurred where the tree had previously been trimmed (by someone else, not us!), and the new growth is what perished.
The orange tree is finally producing some sour oranges. Here's a cluster of fruit that is much smaller than what we harvested last fall/winter. Hopefully they'll taste as yummy!
My Fresno Chili's are still growing strong!
Look at the red one I discovered at the bottom of the plant. DH and I might be fighting over this one!
My cherry tomato plant is about 4 feet tall, and producing more and more fruits, but none have turned red yet, so I won't take a picture until then... It just looks like any other green plant right now. lol
I've had a visitor hanging around my SFG today... It's a Gray Hairstreak. I love butterflies, and since I haven't seen many around here, this was a welcome visit.
Wait a minute... I did some reading on
gray hairstreaks, and now I think I know what's been helping the grasshoppers put holes in my bean leaves! Looks like
they like my okra too (it's in the hibiscus/mallow family). That's ok... They're a welcome bug in this garden.
On the east side of the yard, our pear tree is bursting with fruit. Well, the part of the tree that is still alive... I don't know why, but this spring after the fruit started growing, the top of the tree just shriveled up and died! I noticed this occurred where the tree had previously been trimmed (by someone else, not us!), and the new growth is what perished.
The orange tree is finally producing some sour oranges. Here's a cluster of fruit that is much smaller than what we harvested last fall/winter. Hopefully they'll taste as yummy!
My Fresno Chili's are still growing strong!
Look at the red one I discovered at the bottom of the plant. DH and I might be fighting over this one!
My cherry tomato plant is about 4 feet tall, and producing more and more fruits, but none have turned red yet, so I won't take a picture until then... It just looks like any other green plant right now. lol
I've had a visitor hanging around my SFG today... It's a Gray Hairstreak. I love butterflies, and since I haven't seen many around here, this was a welcome visit.
Wait a minute... I did some reading on gray hairstreaks, and now I think I know what's been helping the grasshoppers put holes in my bean leaves! Looks like they like my okra too (it's in the hibiscus/mallow family). That's ok... They're a welcome bug in this garden.
so grasshoppers put holes in bean plants? I was wondering what was doing that! Any certain kind or all?
ReplyDeleteOOh ooh, I have a ton of those butterflies. I thought it was a moth. See how much I learn!
ReplyDeleteYour fruit trees are beautiful! That's one thing I wish I had a place for. I bet they add a whole new demension to fruit/vegie gardening.
Hey, I had that visitor this morning! The gray hairstreak. I didn't know what kind it was. He's been hanging out on the lima beans.
ReplyDeleteYour garden is looking so good. That pepper almost looks fake it is so shiny!
Shawn Ann~ I think all grasshoppers will eat anything green... Oh joy... ;-)
ReplyDeleteRibbit~ The trees have been a pleasant addition to living here. I'm not used to it, and have a lot of "oh yeah" moments when I look around the yard, and see fruit on the trees.
Crystabel~ You're right, it does look fake! LOL
Yay! I'm glad I was able to help you ladies identify the butterfly!
Wow. A Meyer lemon. Did I ever tell you I killed three of those before finally giving up? It's pretty bad that I can't even grow a lemon tree in Arizona!
ReplyDelete