Steamy Windows

You know it is a bad sign when the windows fog up from the steamy conditions outside. When it is before dawn.

My petunias are actually thriving in semi-neglect on the deck. I really need to get them in the ground this weekend.

Hydrangea definitely needs more acid fertilizer this year. I need to make sure to do that. The Christmas tree needles was not enough on its own.

June Buds

I think people who report a lack of bees in their yards should plant more clover in their lawns. That's where I see all the bees. And then I went and cut it all down last night. Ah, well.

Milkweed is in bud. So, is the beebalm. Evening primrose is just about done, but the black-eyed susans that are intersperced with the primrose is about to bloom. The hostas have their shoots up. Buds have not yet put in an appearance, but it is only a matter of time with the flower stalks up.

Sluggo seems to be working. The petunias that were eaten down to the nubs are showing signs of leaf growth.

The Wasteland

I am finding myself doing a lot of watering this summer. Not that it is overly dry outside. I tend to let the garden fare for itself. Everything is hardy enough to weather a little drought. Not to mention the fact that it is wetlands makes it a little moister than most areas, even if it is sunbaked.

No, I'm referring to the sunbaked wasteland which is my deck. More specifically, my container plants on said deck. After all, several of them are cursed with original potting soil from the store. Eww. And they get full sun. I baked my sunflower seedlings out there and now only the strongest are left.

I need to put out something to catch the rain, so I don't have to water from the spigot. Every week for the indoor plants is fine, but every day for the deck containers is too much. And if I use it regularly, there won't be the mosquito larva issue. Maybe another cheap bucket so I can poor it into my watering can...

Seasonably Unusual

Our unseasonably cool temperatures have given way to unseasonably warm temperatures. Which really only means that I go from saving electricity to running the AC, including the ever popular forgetting to set it to day time temperatures when I leave for work in the morning.

The hydrangea is budding out. There should be some blue there this afternoon. And the milkweed is following in suit. Still no nibble holes in it though. The one plant in the garden that I'm disappointed that it isn't being eaten.

Speaking of being eaten, I really hope the Sluggo produces results.

Stay of Sluggo

So, the slugs have earned a reprieve. The Sluggo has arrived, but the past two evenings have been the definition of bad weather. While the hail and tornado watches haven't hit the slice of DC Metro I call home, the ferocious thunderstorms have. Not the sort of weather that one goes out to kill slugs in. No need to tempt the lightning gods. There have been enough house fires caused by lightning strikes in the past two days.

In other news, the lightning bugs are out. The weird thing is that I don't see them at twilight. Okay, so not much is out at twilight with these storms. But I'm seeing them when I get up for work at 4:30 in the morning. That is odd.

Trundling Along

I've come down with a cold, so I've been taking it easy. No reason to come down with mucus-fest in this beautiful weather.

Zeppe helped out in the yard Saturday morning while I was weeding. He ate a slug. Too bad it was one out in the grass, but still one less slug. I wish he had been more inclined to eat slugs, but I had to squish the others I found myself.

I've gotten fed up with the mollusks and ordered some Sluggo. It should arrive later this week. The only things they don't eat are the evening primroses and the peonies. Small blessings. But my poor petunias. Enough is enough.

I also did a little bit of pruning out front. I removed some of the frost kill on the hydrangea. And I tried to tame the holly bush. I'd really rather let it take over, but it keeps trying to block the mailbox. I can't have that happen.

Lawn Again

So, I mowed the lawn again last night. I probably would have gotten away without doing it, but some of the grass was sending up seedheads. It might have been the wonderful weather (dry mid-70s) or the fact that I've been getting more exercise (canoeing), but I managed to get all of the front and all but a tiny sliver of the back mowed before I had to call it quits. Yea me!

Some of my milkweed sprouted. Law of the perverse dictated that it the seeds planted closest to the peonies. No sign of Monarch caterpillers yet...

Lawn Delay

Last night I got a "Get out of mowing free card with bonus gift" in the form of pop up showers that drenched my area. Always good. Even if the weedy grass sent up seed stalks last week that needs cut down. We need the rain. I could stand to put up with it again tonight. And Wednesday it will actually be cool enough to mow!

Also on the to do list is pruning the rhodadendrons. I want flowers next year, not new growth.

Bye Bye Barry

The remnants of Tropical Storm Barry moved through the area yesterday, dropping less than an inch of rain. Much needed rain. It was the fourth driest May on record.

I bought my own canoe Friday night and spent the weekend learning that I have lost any and all upper body muscles. At the lake we also spotted beavers, a bald eagle, and a tiny fawn. It was so young it didn't move when we approached it.

I would have mowed my lawn, but between the heat and Barry, I didn't get around to it. We'll see if it is try enough tonight, when it is actually cool.