A Gardener's Diary

[Monksdream]

July 23-I stayed on the farm in the afternoon, watching the cumulus clouds build up from the north. It was humid, but an occasional breeze made it tolerable. Then the wind picked up and the clouds darkened and I knew a storm was approaching. I got on the bus moments before the downpour.

I picked 12 cantaloupes. There would have been more. Unfortunately a half dozen Charentais had split. Why do I keep growing them?

I've dumped manure on a portion of the cuke bed I cleared out. Tomorrow I will add a few handfuls Tomato Tone and then till it in to ready for August 1 sowing.

The brassica starts have been hit by the dreaded cabbage moth. I picked off a few green worms. Some of gone far enough for transplanting. In the meantime, I will start more indoors in Jiffy pellets and take them to the farm.

Hopefully a couple of Polish honeydew melons will slip from the vines tomorrow morning. I will grow them next season.

A new butterfly visited the zinnias. It belongs to the sulfur class. My butterfly identification source has been helpful. I've determined it was an Orange Sulfur, which can been seen winter if the weather cooperates.