Some New Dahlia Blooms

 

Cherokee Beauty

Chloe Janae

Bee's Choice from last year

Belstar Broccoli

 I had every intention of pulling out the Broccoli plants today.

But they were just full of useable broccoli.  And more little ones coming.

There is also one nice cabbage left.  It was a tiny transplant and lagged behind all summer.  It is just a little late to the party.  I'm in the mood for some cole slaw!

I Can't Believe it is September

Early September vegetable garden update.

Sweet Corn was amazing.  I shouldn't have even bothered to fill in the ones that didn't come up.  The later stalks produced very small ears but we had more than enough corn from the early survivors.  The ears were large.  The pollination was wonderful.  The corn was super sweet.  The stalks are hanging out waiting to become autumn decor.

 

I've had more than enough Broccoli.  I am letting it flower.  I just need to get in there and clean it out for the season.

The Sunflowers were beautiful.  The Cantaloupes were a bust.

I still have two zucchini plants producing their heads off.  I've eaten a lot of Zucchini.  I have grilled zucchini for breakfast... time to make some Zucchini cake.

They just keep going and going and going....

Here are some late planted pickling Cucumbers.   They don't look like they will amount to much.

The Blackberries and Black Raspberries are growing spectacularly.  I have formulated a plan for supports for next year involving posts and hog panels.  But that can wait.

There are some to nibble on almost every day.

The Grape Vines look terrific.  I am looking forward to next year.

The Pole Beans are beaning.  They don't seem super productive to me but there are more than plenty beans.

Sweet Potatoes.

The Tomato Jungle is starting to look messy.

Nothing short of pruners and a wheelbarrow will make a difference here.  I'll wait until the ugly can be seen from a distance before I try to restore order.

Bell Peppers:  more than plenty

Hot Peppers:  more than plenty

The fall Pea experiment is interesting.  When I plant in April it takes two months for flowers to form.  These took one month.

We'll see what develops.  Enough for snacking maybe?

The Dahlias are coming into their own.

This is the first really successful year for the 4 in 1 Pear tree.  I've watered it a lot.  This is year six and I have been getting at least a few pears each year since the second year.  We are enjoying a couple of nice, sweet, large Bartlett pears a day now.  There are a few Bosc pears to be picked.  I have never gotten a Seckel or Summercrisp pear from it.  Those branches are still alive but do not thrive like the Bartlett does.  There are dozens of pears this year.  Dozens.  The tree is finally beginning to repay me for pruning, spraying, watering and defending it from the deer 365 days a year.

Ice Tea Dahlia

Bloomquist Pleasing Dahlia

I Am Going to Have to Replace This Shrub

 This Lemony Lace Elderberry is one of my favorite shrubs, but it is not happy here.  It is dying a long slow death. This is the second year that it has begun to languish, in late summer.  I suspect it may be as simple as the fact that the Maple tree is getting bigger and more dense, and when you combine that with the vigor of the grass directly to its east, it just isn't getting enough direct sun, especially later in the summer when the grass takes over.

This is what it looks like in its prime.  This photo was taken in June of last year.

Something that it began to do right after that, was wilt at the growth tips.

I've zoomed in so you can see the darkness of the new tips.  In 2025, it defoliated quite a bit in the late summer.  My other elderberry bushes displayed the same symptoms to a lesser extent.  In fact, a large Black Lace died completely last winter and I yanked that out in early May.  It appears to be some sort of verticillium wilt.  This spring, when it began to do it again, I mixed up some copper spray and sprayed it twice the first week, and then once a week for a few weeks after that.  This tip actually recovered and kept growing, and no other tips were affected.  I also preventatively sprayed the Instant Karma nearby and that one has done very well.  I thought I had it beat, but a few weeks ago it began to look stressed and then drop leaves.  It looks too dry, but this was during a cloudy, rainy period.  It also lost its beautiful bright color which is what makes me think it is not enough sun

Because I really like this shrub, I am going to try to save it.  I have a spot picked out for it and in the spring, while it is still dormant, I will prune it back and transplant it.  Now I am on the lookout for something to replace it.  I would like to keep the bright chartreuse color and there are a few shrubs that might work, but because I need something shorter and more shade tolerant I may go with a Carex or Hakonechloa.  There are several Sedges and Forest Grasses that come in bright gold.

Just another thing for next spring's Do Over List.

Un Neglecting Old Irises

I thought that maybe, since I am buying new Irises... I should un-neglect some of the old Irises I still have.  One variety was in a spot that I could not dig (wedged between a wagon wheel and a rock) but two other varieties were accessible.

I dug them out with a fork.

...took them to the potting bench... and trimmed them up.  Then I planted them among the newer Irises.

Random flower of the day,   Beets Me Dahlia

And my largest pumpkin.

That massive stem makes it look small in the picture, but it is ample, two arms to hold it Jack o' Lantern size.  Our neighbor has decided that we need a pumpkin carving party in their barn with chili and cider.  That's fine.   We'll wait until Halloween is imminent.  You make the chili, I'll bring the pumpkins.

ETA:  Rebloomer Daylilies

Late Summer Odds n' Ends

 I have been enjoying making plans for the Iris flower bed and looking forward to flowers next year.

I have been checking on the rhizomes, taking the cloches off and giving them a little tug and they are rooting in very well.   I can see that some of the leaves are beginning to grow again.  

The internet has been bombarding me with photos of beautiful irises.  I had a little room left and no red toned bi-colors, so I ordered a few more for the center of the bed.

I took Coleus cuttings today.  I plan to take another round when these root and are transplanted.  I can keep cutting until frost and fill a tray.  I elected to use water tubes instead of the potting medium because I can easily monitor the root growth.

I also have some fall lettuce seeded.

I have both "protected" with trays that give them a little filtering of the direct sun.

A little over a month ago, when I was drying and packeting pea seeds, I planted out some of the extras.  Just 50 seeds as an experiment.  Boy they grow differently in warm weather.  I already have blooms.

Some beautiful, bright Celosia.

Inspiring Late Summer Tablescape

Today on my favorite YouTube channel, Laura constructed the most beautiful summer harvest tablescape.  You guys should see this.  This is what you do with too many tomatoes!