Feed Me! and garden updates

A baby robin on the porch railing trying so hard to get the attention of mom or dad. He cheeped out there for a long time. He's hungry!!

The frogs are croaking most of the time in our ponds. They have contests, I think. But I love hearing them out there. We have 5 large ones in the big pond, 4 in the front ponds, and 3 or 4 in the small pond. Plus young ones and tadpoles.

My favorite tomato plant this year - Busharsky Pink from Wintersown. I don't know how I'll like the taste of the tomato; I don't normally like anything but red very well. But the plant is very robust, sturdy short vines, and loaded with young tomatoes. I wish they all grew like this. I wouldn't need a single stake or cage.

This picture shows my tomato jungle, and it is from a week or more ago. The jungle is even more overgrown now. I have vine plants - melons and pumpkins - planted on the trellises behind the tomatoes and I have to keep pruning the tomatoes away from them so they get a little light to grow. They are still much shorter than the tomatoes and on the north side. I think I'll have to rethink the garden plan next year.

My favorite wild plant is starting to bloom - teasel. It is interesting and so photogenic every season of the year. Maybe one day I'll put together and post a seasonal collage of some of my favorite teasel photos.

Another wild favorite - chicory. I love the color and the persistence of this plant. It's not much to look at as far as the plant, leaves, shape, etc. But what a beautiful blue. And it will grow in the absolute worst of places, especially the hard gravel sides of the roads.

The winter wheat crops are ready to harvest. Lots of wheat fields around us this year. I like the wheat or soy fields so much better than the tall corn. I get a bit claustrophobic walking on the paths by the corn fields and can't wait for harvest in the late fall. But the wheat fields are short and beautiful.

I had no idea what to expect with the edible chrysanthemum plant. I got very tall plants - some up to 3 feet, bushy with lots of very pretty flowers. I had to pull a few because I put them in bad places for the size. I don't like the taste of them, but they are nice to have in the garden for color and hopefully to draw bees. I have NEVER seen a year with so few bees around the yard. I wonder if my plants are getting pollinated enough?

A daisy at the local county extension building. They have been so helpful to me this year as a new gardener!

And bee balm, also at the county extension building. It is right down the road and I walk through there often with the dogs and take pictures.

The water lilies are in full bloom now, too. I enjoy them so much!
Happy Gardening, folks!