Weekend Gardening: Dead, Dead, Dead

    August arrives with triple digit temperatures leaving everything lackluster. This weekend I will drip and melt my way through garden clean up because it is no secret- a whole lot of it is just dead, dead, dead.

    Cucumbers left us a few weeks ago as our hot temps were followed by a rainy spell. Unfortunately that combination doesn't promote health and wellness for the squash family; the squash and pumpkins have gone as well without even producing anything.

     Tomatoes that were already showing signs of stress have gone crispy. Long stalks of brown stems and leaves have to come out; I can't take looking at them any longer. Forget the leafy greens. Our chard and kale suffered scorch; their grim remains are going to the goats.

    Peppers are still in great shape producing trays of fresh peppers of every shape and color. The eggplant has held out and produces a few nice fruits regularly. Then there are the ornamental gourd vines that seem to be creeping all over the place.

     Despite the droopiness of the herb garden a few butterflies still manage to pay me a visit especially after a morning's watering. Yes, my friends, it is August and it is time to tear it up and clean it out. The heat may drive me bats, but cleaning out the dead mess reminds me cooler days are coming. I don't you, but I can't wait to break soil and get growing again!