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August!

Pumpkins and tomatoes - wow!

Okay, so I'm a little late for the August post - what a crazy month! I figure that Labor Day is maybe the 'real' end of August - ha!

So, I travelled to Haiti and Brazil at the end of July - great experiences. But that's not what this blog is for. Life just got in the way during August, but I never stopped watering the garden and eating tomatoes!

The most important update is that I did finally grow a pumpkin ... a small one - photos attached. I totally planted my pumpkins too early! It's not even close to Halloween. Either way, this is the first pumpkin that I've ever actually grown. I got the seeds harvested and will use them another year to try again.

With pumpkins, each time I try, they always get infested with the 'squash borer'. It's a flying, wasp-like insect that lays larvae into the pumpkin vine. These larvae then bore through the vine, eating the material. Soon, the vine becomes week and begins to die. I have this now. Remember all those healthy vines I had? Gone!  Just a few vines remain, holding on to life. I've found many squach borer larvae.....it's too late. They got me again! Oh well. A friend suggested that I us 'diatomaceous earth' - a salt-like substance made by some kind of algae that can dry out insect. I've read that some people can successfully fight the 'squash borers' with this, but only preventatively. Next time....next time. Anway, I got a pumpkin!

So, now about the tire pot! The big pumpkin vines are gone but I had planted flowers and some bell peppers. Now the flowers are developing well, so the tire pot still looks great. The bell peppers are coming up too, I hope I get more - they are so good last year, so fresh.

I included only one tomato photo. I've been getting many more - heirloom tomatoes and cherry tomatoes. I can't get photos of them because I keep eating them....they're so good. I just go for a run, stop by the garden, and throw some cherry tomatoes in my mouth - they explore when I bite them.

Strawberries are invading the lawn - but they are out of season now, so no fruit.

Corn project was another failure, the plants are pretty much dead. Some day I'll learn. I think this time I didn't dig their planting space deep enough. Next time...next time.

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John Hetzler (Editor) September 4, 2012 at 07:41 pm
The garden sounds great, Erik!
Erik Brown September 8, 2012 at 08:16 pm
Thanks, man!
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Carla O'Neill June 19, 2013 at 03:39 pm
Wasn't a major portion of the deficit a result of the failure of students to repay $$$millions inRead More student loans? There is a rumor that HFCC wants to forgive those loans and pass on the debt to Dearborn taxpayers. Was there due diligence regarding the awarding of these loans?
Tom B June 18, 2013 at 07:42 pm
Way too much for a college having financial problems.
Daniel Lai (Editor) June 12, 2013 at 03:09 pm
Here is a copy of the terms of service. http://dearborn.patch.com/terms We will not tolerateRead More readers posting with curse words or attacking other readers. Thank you for your comments. Have a nice week. If you require further clarification, you are welcome to email me.
Gary Woronchak June 12, 2013 at 10:32 am
Hasn't even worked one day? Not one day in 15 years? Really? Not even credit for one day? When IRead More worked at the Press & Guide (which eliminated my position in a budget restructuring that has continued under various corporate owners at the P&G for a decade and a half, resulting in them moving their offices to Southgate and more recently just out-and-out eliminating their editor, sports editor and photographer) we had a policy of no anonymous letters to the editor. This was done because, while everyone has the right to express their opinion, putting a real name with an opinion meant people displayed more decorum and, well, less cowardice than is allowed in online comments from the shadows. Joseph, the benefit of post-employment health care after just eight years of service may have, in the early 1990s, been more acceptable in some way I can't figure (retention of key department heads has been cited as a reason, as was that it apparently mirrored a benefit for state officials), but it clearly was part of the excesses of Wayne County that was unjustifiable and unsustainable in the 2000s. This practice was ended two years ago by a resolution I introduced.
Daniel Lai (Editor) June 12, 2013 at 11:22 am
The original comment has been deleted because it violates our terms of service.
Joseph Borrajo June 13, 2013 at 10:08 am
Thank you Gary Woroncahk for the response.
laplateau June 11, 2013 at 11:28 am
Yeah, unless the drinking trough is filled with taxpayer water.