Wildflower Morning

Something pretty to look at:
Arkansas Wild Flower – Wood Sage

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Tiller Down – Garden Growing

I had to take back my new mini tiller to Sears today; it would not start.  I was tilling the other day and the tines became filled with Bermuda grass; all wrapped around.  The tiller died and I cleaned the tines but it would not start.  Started yesterday for 1 min. and died again; to never start again.
Here’s something I learned about the gas you put in your gas-powered equipment.  The gas today has some Ethanol in it, usually 10%, but if it is over 30 days old in your gas container (can) or container on you equipment  DO NOT USE IT.  The gas becomes like varnish according to the man at Sears I spoke with.  He said, “that is the biggest killer of these small engine machines.”  The instruction book specified to not use gas older than 30 days but never said why. I do hope that is not what is wrong with my tiller.  The gas was about 45 days old.  We shall see. Sears is sending it off to have it looked at and will let me know before the end of the month.  We do still have the big (OLD) tiller I can use if I can get it started.

In the mean time the grass in growing in the garden as are the vegetables.  It is almost time to dig up the onions.  The tops are drying out.  I pulled up two today to have for supper and they were small.  I don’t expect to have much of an onion crop this year since it was so dry. 
My Dad is anxious for me to dig up the potatoes.  I pulled one up on Thursday and the potatoes were small.  I am hoping this rain we’ve been getting will help the along.  The plants are still green, but are starting to sag to the ground since the blooms died.
I went out in the light rain around 7 p.m. yesterday to sprinkle 10-20-10 fertilizer on the ends of the corn and green bean rows.  I don’t know why but the back ends of the rows are not doing as well as the front ends of the rows.  The garden does tilt slightly toward the front, perhaps it is getting more water there.  10-20-10 melts when it gets wet and soaks into the ground.  We got another good rain last night. YEAH!  Today was hot again though.  I love to garden but I love cool/cold winter weather just as much.

I recently posted a picture of last years Queen Annes Lace out by our mail box.  This years is bigger and prettier.  It is rounded instead of flat.  I did some research on the internet and couldn’t find any Queen Annes Lace that looked like this. I thought it might be something else but I ran out of surfing/hunting time this morning.  I am keeping an eye on it to see, as it ages, if it will go flat like the others growing 7 ft. away from it.   Here’s two views:
 

Garden Update and Tip

  The garden is all planted and we’re in the “waiting while it grows” stage.  The green beans and corn are getting taller. I expect any day now to see blooms on the green beans. (Wishful thinking)
   I am still having problems with potato bugs even after the hand picking and all.  I dusted the plants with Sevin Dust this morning.  I can’t get over how tall the potato plants are this year; over 2 feet!   I noticed that the dirt was cracking around some of the plants so I mounded the dirt up against them this morning.
   I’ve seen a worm on one of the tomato plants; killed him/her and sprinkled a bit of Sevin Dust on all of them.  I will be getting some marigold plants and setting them around the tomatoes; they are great for keeping worms off your tomatoes.
   My orange bell pepper plants are looking really good.  I’ve never had good luck with bell peppers.  I plan on paying close attention to them this year.  Does any one have a tip or two that has worked for them?

     On another note I love to take pictures with my digital camera.  Since I live out in the country, a mile off the county road, I’ve been taking pictures of wild flowers.  I’ve amassed quite a collection of pictures and I am in the planning stage of putting them in a scrapbook.  I have a book titled Wildflowers of Arkansas by Carl G. Hunter that I use for identification.  I highly recommend this book if you’re into wildflowers.
Here is a picture of White-Flowered Milkweed that I took a few days ago.  I saw this plant up on a incline surrounded by poison ivy, but I just had to trudge up there and take a look; I’m glad I did.