The second half of August in the garden was not so happy a time as the first–pests and diseases began to take their toll, and a promising tomato harvest was interrupted by the ultimately fairly minor impact (garden-wise of Hurricane Irene.
But there are more tomatoes to come… until mid-October, if climate maps can be believed.
"Mister Stripey" is an inquisitive sort. Here two different plants start creeping onto the cage of a Roma one row away. Speaking of Romas…
…this one was in the shadiest, weediest corner of the garden and shot off the heaviest fruit-producing branches the quickest, and staved off the stem rot the longest. What do you make of that?
One thing that can be counted on, though, is those sturdy peppers, just starting to enter their second wave. Here come the Hungarians, Pasillas and Hot Cherries.
Sage!
Tiny mites love eggplant!
These dicks (cross-striped cabbageworms) are all kinds of up on my Brussels sprouts and broccoli…
…diiiickkks…
…but they didn't reckon with Serpentor! (Sadly, Serpentor, after nearly two decades of loyal service, perished shortly after this photo was taken.)
All the sadness in the garden isn't necessarily due to invasive insects, though. Some losses are just seasonal. The final bush of basil to be sacrificed before the nights get too cool…
…and damn near the end of the squashes & cukes.
Several of these have popped up through the fencing and around the perimeter of the garden. I'm still not sure what they are. Butterflies seem to like them, however.
Overview from shortly before nightfall, late August…
…and just before Irene came to town, necessitating the measures of…
…an herbchest…
…and a forced harvest of precious tomatoes…
…not to mention a #$@^#$ post-storm harvest of loose or fallen fruits. The hammer? Don't ask.
Here's hoping our fall plantings will fare better!
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