Farm Blog, Summer 2013
June 21 - September 20
September 17
Bees - The one beehive is still very strong. There are 16 topbars with brood and honey. Not enough honey for me to remove, but I did collect some comb that I will melt into wax.
Lavender - The plants are all growing well. The additional monsoon rains have really made them grow.
Vegetables - Collards, kale and brocolli doing great. Lots of leaves to collect and small brocolli buds for stir fry. None of the fall seeds came up, so I will wait until next spring to plant the seeds for next year's garden. The three fig plants in the sunroom have really grown this year. I have gathered figs from the Brown Turkey and Negronne. The Penasco one is outgrowing the others and I should have figs on it next year.
Fruit trees - The fruit trees are preparing for winter. The leaves have been pretty well beaten by the wind, but they have all put on buds. I am hoping for a good crop next year if the flowers don't freeze.
Flowers - The late season flowering plants are all getting to the end. Most are putting on seeds. Many will be cut down to the ground to await next year's growing season. The chamisa, purple asters and Maximillian sunflowers are at their peak. They will be the last to bloom in the fall.
August 6 &7
Bees - The one beehive that is left is really strong. There are 18 bars of brood and honey. they are beginning to cap the honey and seem to be building up the brood. I was able to remove some of the honey.
Lavender - the lavender plants are really growing from all the monsoon rain that we have been having. All 25 plants are looking good and strong. They should grow well for the next month while the temps. are still in the low 80s.
Vegetables - The collards, kale are doing well. The broccoli is beginning to head and we are eating it as it does. The first tomatoes are beginning to turn red and we are picking lots of zucchini. Some of the peppers that were eaten to the ground by mice are beginning to grow. Several of the Negronne figs in the plant room are ripening. There are several more on the Turkey fig, but none on the large fig from Penasco. It is growing very large though.
Planted white egg turnip, touchstone golden beet, early wonder tall top beet and donkey spinach for the fall garden.
July 21
Bees - Only one strong hive left. They have 14 topbars full of comb and mostly brood. Not much honey stored. They are all enjoying the abundance of Russian sage and salvias around the house. In the Eldorado area they are attracted to the white sweet clover, large globemallow and Rocky mountain beeweed.
Lavender - Most of my lavender has been replanted. I have 25 plants in the lavender garden. The older ones left are Twickle Purple, Grosso, Provence, Royal Velvet, Provence, Super and Munsted. The new ones are all Provence, Potpourri Ellagance Purple, Buena Vista and Munsted.
Vegetables - The vegetables that are left are doing well with the rains that we have had this month. We are currently collecting collards, broccoli and kale. The garlic has all been pulled up and is being dried.
Flowers - Many of the perennials are still at their peak in the garden. I am drying many herbs (thyme, oregano, marjoram and tarragon) for use during the year. The various salvias are still blooming and the Russian sage at its peak. I have enlarged the cactus garden to go all around the five pinion trees and have been planting more cactus for the dry years to come.
Fruit trees - The fruit trees are looking better since the monsoon rains. The peach trees are still doing the best and I am hopeful the others will put on more growth before winter.
June 29
Bees - Still one really strong hive and one very weak one left. I don't know how the weak one has made it so far, but the strong one should do well. Neither are putting in much honey.
Lavender - I am considering this year one for my lavender since so many of the older plants have died. It has been an extremely hot and dry spring and summer. This was the second winter in a row that the temperatures were cold much of the spring.
Vegetables - Most of the veggies that were planted in the garden are doing well. The garlic should be ready to harvest in about 2 weeks. The collards, broccoli and the kale are doing fine. We ate all of the Pac choy except a couple of plants that I am allowing to bolt and go to seed to collect for next year.
Flowers - Many of the perennials are at their peak in the garden. I am drying many herbs (thyme, oregano, marjoram and tarragon) for use during the year. The various salvias are still blooming and the Russian sage is beginning to show color. I am planting more cactus for the dry years to come.
Fruit Trees - Most of the fruit trees are looking bad from the winds and lack of rain. None have died, but the only ones that look ok are the peaches and the old ones by the side of the house. We will see if monsoon changes things for them!