Diary 7/23/12

The battle against the insects will continue for another month until the day length retreats and the temperatures start to fall.  There will still be hot days, but not long, hot ones.  For now, it looks like I am growing sheets. The cover keeps leaf miners off the spinach and beets,  flea beetles from the lettuce, and moths which become caterpillars off of the cabbage and broccoli. Not aesthetically pleasing, but functional. Planted melons yesterday and at 85 days out, that may be the last of them. I need to plant green beans a couple more times and cucumbers once more, then I will concentrate on the fall garden with a thought on what will over-winter for our use.