Oh it’s not that we’ve been lazy… not exactly…. it’s just that it’s been too hot and humid to do much renovation work. I had such grand plans once July hit. I can’t believe all we’ve done in get the new windows installed. Lack of rain and an explosion in the deer population ruined the garden. I haven’t even finished sewing curtains or installed the bookshelves or finished installing drywall in the kitchen closet… I’ve been very busy with work, though. I was accepted for a special project for a few days, and was paid well for that. A few tourist places want us to visit, and I have a ton of reviews to write including one on pet pheromone diffusers. I’m eager to see how that diffuser thing works. I have to leaves it plugged in for 30 days to see any results. Livvy’s been cranky and jumpy lately — I don’t think she likes all the noise from the fans — so we’ll see if this gadget helps any.

Over all, it’s been a quiet summer so far. I suppose we’ll get going on the renovation projects in August or maybe September when it’s cooler. It’s just too hot and miserable to wrangle with drywall and dust right now.

How has your summer been?

Blight, Fungus and Mildew
A myriad of fungal and bacterial diseases plague the garden pea. Most of these types of diseases appear during seasons of high humidity and excessive rain. Downy mildew is one of the most common pea diseases, causing the plant to curl up into stunted, discolored leaves and stems early in the season. Humid conditions cause the fungus to produce fuzzy fruits. Powdery mildew develops later in the growing season as a white powder that coats leaves and stems. Both of these diseases are spread by wind during dry seasons and turn the plant yellow. Myospaerella blight cause purple streaks or lesions on the entire plant, which eventually turns yellow and dies. Leaf and pod spot, caused by a similar bacterium, appear as sunken purple or black spots. Control the spread of disease by rotating crops and burying or burning infected plants. Never place infected crops in the compost for recycling.

Rot and Viruses
Seed rot and root rots are caused by fungi that lie dormant in the soil and strike the pea plant when environmental conditions are favorable. Most fungi prefer very moist soil conditions with warm temperatures and high humidity, but the common and very destructive Fusarium root rot thrives in warm, dry soil. Ascochyta foot rot and Pea streak causes purple lesions and streaks similar to Myospaerella blight, forcing the plant to mature and die rapidly. Control the spread of disease by treating seeds and maturing plants with anti-fungal solutions, crop rotation and sufficient air circulation between growing plants. Avoid overwatering especially during times of high humidity.

Deficiencies and Disorders
A plant that does not receive its basic needs — water, sunlight, soil nutrients — becomes stressed. A stressed plant is much more susceptible to pest problems and diseases. Most stresses occur over a period of time. While a temporary lack of rainfall or freezing temperatures can certainly damage the plant, these occurrences do not necessarily cause disease. Routine over-watering, poor soil and improper climate conditions invite disease and pests. Peas prefer well-drained soil, a cool growing season and nitrogen fertilizer in soils with low nitrogen content. They benefit greatly from drip irrigation as excessive surface watering encourage rot and the possibility of fungal disease. Therefore, while environment is not a direct disorder, environment greatly influences the common problems that strike pea plants.

Pests
The pea has few parasites that affect production but a stressed plant may be plagued by pests that spread more serious diseases. Aphids feed on the sweet sap and transmit Pea mosaic virus and the virus that causes pea stunt. These diseases are characterized by sudden malformations and blisters that appear on the leaves and pea pods. The Pea leaf weevil, native to Europe, chews on leaves and nodules leaving behind a characteristic scalloped edge. Avoid planting peas near clover plants, a favorite aphid food that encourages the pests to further spread to the peas. Spray plants with insecticidal soaps or foliar insecticides. Purchase virus-resistant pea cultivars.

I hope this helps you with your pea plants. If you liked this post, please share on Facebook, Twitter, or StumbleUpon! Thanks for reading.

Photo courtesy of en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Doperwt_rijserwt_peulen_Pisum_sativum.jpg.

Stuff You Need:
Paver Mold- we used Quikrete’s Walkmaker
Crack-resistant concrete
Flat-bladed spade
Gravel
Hand tamper
Wheelbarrow
Powdered cement coloring
Measuring cup
Bucket
Hoe
Trowel or shovel

Step 1

Determine the amount of concrete material needed for the project. Quikrete recommends one 80-pound bag of concrete for every 2 feet of walkway.

Step 2

Measure the walkway area and remove the sod with the spade. You can lay the pavers directly onto the ground, but for best results Quikrete recommends that you remove 2 to 4 inches of soil and pour gravel into the trench. Tamp the gravel so that it is level and compacted.

Step 3

Pour a bag of concrete into the wheelbarrow. Remove approximately 2 cups of dry mix and set it aside. Add the powdered coloring to the dry concrete mix and stir well with a hoe.

Step 4

Fill the bucket with approximately 3 pints water. Slowly pour half the water into one part of the wheelbarrow. With the hoe, rake the dry concrete into the pool of water, mixing until all the water is absorbed.

Step 5

Add another 2 to 3 pints of water to the bucket, and pour the water into the concrete mix. Rake and chop the concrete into the water until the water is absorbed. The mixture should have the consistency of mud. When you chop the mixture with the hoe, the mixture should stay in place. If the mixture is too crumbly or stiff, add more water. If the mixture is too soupy, add some of the dry concrete mix you have set aside, and mix well.

Step 6

Place the Walkmaker form at one end of the walkway. Shovel or trowel the concrete into the form, patting down the mix to ensure that it fills the corners and cavities of the mold.

Step 7

Lift the form straight up so it does not snag on and damage the wet concrete pavers. Hose off the form immediately to prevent the concrete mix from hardening.

Step 8

Repeat the process of mixing concrete, laying the form in the walkway and adding the mix to the form until the walkway is complete. Allow the pavers to dry for at least 24 hours.

Step 9

Sprinkle cupfuls of Portland cement sand mix or jointing sand over the pavers. Spread the sand mix between the paver form lines with a broom so the mix completely fills the form lines.

Step 10

Mist the pavers with a garden hose, wetting the sand mix but not washing it out of the form lines. Allow to dry completely.

Notes and Tips

To make a curved walkway, reposition the Walkmaker form onto the wet concrete mix in the direction of the curve. Press the form down to form new paver lines. Smooth out the previous paver lines with the trowel.

To prevent the Walkmaker form from sticking to the wet concrete, lightly spray the form with water or very lightly with cooking oil.

To create a nonslip surface, lightly brush over the wet pavers with a stiff broom. The broom will create small ridges on the paver surface.

To allow the concrete to properly cure, choose an overcast day when the temperature will not drop before 50 degrees and no rain is expected within 24 hours. If it does rain, cover unstained concrete pavers with plastic sheeting. In an area with sun, cover the concrete pavers with plastic sheeting or burlap to prevent the concrete from drying too quickly. Lightly moisten the burlap periodically when the material becomes too dry.

Do not cover stained concrete with plastic sheeting or burlap, as they may cause discoloration. Apply Quikrete Concrete Sealer to the surface of the concrete instead.

Concrete is caustic. Do not breathe in concrete dust. If you have sensitive skin, wear gloves while handling concrete.

Crafting weblog Aunt Peaches shares how to make inexpensive and attractive garden markers using a bit of aluminum duct tape and a box of plastic dinner knives. Cut out a piece of aluminum tape and sandwich it around the handle of the plastic knife. Then write the plant name in reverse on the tape with a ballpoint pen – this will press out the letters on the other side and you’ll have an embossed metallic garden marker.

The key is using aluminum foil duct tape, the kind used for taping heating and cooling ducts together. I tried it using aluminum foil. It didn’t work out very well.

The duct tape markers should last a while. And they look kinda quirky and cute.

The husband tilled one bed and the boys did the other. The girls hacked at weeds on the garden paths.

I’d read somwehere that laying a cover of mulch helps keeps weeds down. The weeds have been mighty ferocious this year already, so I tried newspapers.

Hm. Looks awful and I am not even sure it will be effective. The papers were actually too wide to fit between the rows. So we only laid a few, then quit. We’ll see how this develops. I will eventually spread a layer of peat moss over the beds, as mulch. I have done it for a few years and it’s worked very well. I just gotta go get the stuff.

Both beds planted! I’m very pleased with it so far, despite the rather shabby appearance. It’s so GREEN and lush.

Oh the work has only just begun. I have to mend the fences and replace the mangled chicken wire. The ground hogs, rabbits, and deer love my garden too much, and they don’t like to share. We also have a grapevine on one side of the fence and raspberries on the other side. It’s quite the work to keep these guys from entangling their octopus-arms into everything.

This year, I’m trying red peppers again. This will be my third attempt. In all the years of gardening, I have only got ONE pepper. Ever. If nothing grows this year, no more peppers. I can’t grow corn here, either, because the crows are profuse and because it’s so wet here.

I also am trying broccoli again. My previous crop was a dismal failure. Here’s hoping this does better. We planted LOTS of lettuce, yellow beans, yellow and zucchini squash, rutabagas, onions and basil. I have yet to plant potatoes.

Now we wait.

I love the little saucer-shaped flowers. The tree had more of them a few weeks ago. It was quite pretty.

I’d sure like to know what kind of tree it is. If I recall correctly, it’s an ornamental that will grow about 15 to 25 feet tall. That’s all i know! Oh, and the flowers bloomed in mid-April.

The yard has gone bonkers with the incessant rain. The husband tried mowing in the rain, to keep the grass down, but it was futile. Ten days later, here we are.

Unfortunately, the lawn tractor is broken, so the boys are doing to have to hack into the meadow with the push mower.

The kids have been keeping up with the vegetable garden pathways. You should have seen the mountains of weeds here! The beds need a thorough cleaning out (this week, if the sun stays consistent) and we have to till yet. Food prices have gone up so much that this year we MUST have a garden.

This is my poor baby willow tree that was stripped by deer over the winter. I don’t know if it will live, honestly. I’d wrapped it with tree wrap, but had to take it off for the good weather. The bark fell off in long strips . This is my 10th attempt at growing trees in the back yard. So far, only 1 other has survived (a blue spruce).

I am very proud of my apple trees. I have blossoms this year! I was nearly dancing with delight.

So I’ve got a lot of gardening to do this year. I didn’t even mention the flower beds riddled with weeds from the flooding, nor the raspberry and grape vines that need attention. Whew!

How is your spring gardening coming along?

That’s the first time EVER my Jonathan Apple Tree has blossom, ever. I’ve only had it in the ground for about 8 years! It’s suffered badly from the deer. I’ve tried everything to repel those nasty creatures but they are mighty hardy critters, I tell you what. They shredded my poor little weeping willow tree over the winter. They ripped off almost all the bark on the stripling– OOO I was blazing upset. I wrapped it in tree wrap and I see leaves on it this spring but I’m too scared to take off the wrap and see the horrible condition of the trunk. We’ll see if the willow survives. I really need willows, to slurp up all the water around here. I’ve tried growing several, but they are either destroyed by my neighbors or the deer. Gardening here is more of a battle than a pleasant pastime.

Anyway, my little apple tree is only about 12 feet tall now, and scrawny as anything. But it looks like, Lord willing, I just might get some fruit this year. We’ve already had 2 hard frosts that threatened the blossoms, but they’ve held their own. Here in Upstate New York, we really can’t be guaranteed against frost at any time of the year. We are so close to Canada that a slightly gusty wind blowing south can ruin our plants. So the blossoms here are extra special.

To start off this year’s festivities, I present to you a marvelous short film, Bambi Meets Godzilla.

I first saw this video more than 30 years ago! I was flabbergasted to see it on YouTube. We kids were around the television set when this little film came on sometime in the late 70s? I think it was done by a university student, as a school project? Can’t remember. It was on TV one fine Saturday afternoon. My brothers and I and my very little sister were watching it. Oh the sweet, lilting music! The adorable and soft sylvan setting! The innocent little fawn munching on my future hostas forest foliage!

All of sudden, HERE COMES GODZILLA! Impending doom.

The boys and I (quite the tomboy) rolled on the floor, laughing. My young sister, however, was aghast and shouted out in distress. For some reason, we all thought her angst was hilarious, too, and laughed even harder. It was tough being a girl in our family.

I never forgot that video. I even told my kids about it. Imagine my surprise to find it on YouTube!! I gathered them around the computer like a mother hen with her chicks, pressed the “Full Screen” key and turned up the volume. With swelling anticipation, I awaited their hilarious laughter.

The video ended.

Silence.

“Oh Mom’s so sadistic,” a daughter rolled her eyes. The other kids were quiet.

WHAT?!?! I think it’s cool.

Deer eat my gardens, they eat my trees, they poop in my lawn, they wreck all my hard work!!! Cheers to Godzilla. Muahahahhaaha.

So who are you rooting for?

My daffodils are blooming and the lilacs are budding, but it’s the weeds that are really thriving. After all the years of flooding we’ve had, my yard is filled with weeds. I used to have such a nice lawn, nice gardens. There’s no way I can manage all these weeds. So if you can’t beat them, join them, right? Weeds can be very decorative…. well, kinda. I think there’s no redeeming burdock, except that the roots are edible.

Anyway, the heat was climbing into the 80s so I unpacked my summer clothes and wore shorts for a time. I even unpacked the box fan to run in the window! But then, all of a sudden– WHAM. Winter is making a comeback! It’s freezing today, with the thermometer barely getting above freezing. And looks like a bit of snow is on the way, too. No worries, though. Even though I unpacked my shorts, I didn’t pack up my warm winter clothes. This IS the Northeast, after all.

So the weather gurus are in their glory. They don’t usually get this excited about weather except when there’s a huge lake effect snowstorm on the way. And as if we just CAN’T get enough of the weather, they bring up the “drought” index.

Seriously?! Drought in New York State?! It appears that the word “drought” has different meanings across the country. I always through a drought was a long time (years) with very little or no rainfall– you know, The Dust Bowl and Grapes of Wrath and all. But here in NYS, “drought” means more like “a few weeks without our usual deluges of rain.” So we haven’t had our usual 5 inches of rain this month— who’s worried about a drought?

Yes, yes, I know local farmers rely on rain. But if there’s one thing New York State does not lack, it’s rainfall. How I wish we could import it, we’d be rich! I remember a few years ago we had a very dry summer with very little rainfall (for about 2 whopping months). Our garden and lawn thrived, though. We’d redirected our sump pump pipes to the gardens, and poked holes in the pipes. Drought or not, that sump pump runs ALL THE TIME. So we had plenty of water and the plants grew enormously. I’m never worried about drought. I welcome it, actually. But that’s just my own little world so I still hope for rain for the farmers’ sakes.

How is your weather in your area? Is it another crazy year of unpredictable events and weird patterns?