Hippychick's Gardens

well it's that time - central texas july - a.k.a. too freakin' hot and dry for the maters to keep at it without getting whipped by the spider mites - time. which means the fresh matermater train is just about to leave the hippychick station with a hopeful fall return.

i spent a short bit of time this evening topping the plants off to a little over 18" in height. i will keep them in their place in the garden and if all goes well, they might just throw out more shoots for a fall round of maters. there is the chance that they'll die off hot as it's been - we will cross that bridge when we get there. i discarded the trimmings and pulled a good bit of the bamboo mater support system up and out.

i have one last clump of maters still going. looks to me like they might go for another week or two - not quite sure. these are the yellow pear maters - prolific, tre' yumme' and tougher than most. i understand they are pretty darn good at reseeding themselves too so i've not made huge efforts to pick up every little mater i happen to drop when harvesting. it would be nice to see the little sprouts come up their own. fingers crossed.

the hotty hot hot garden growing goods now include

• cow peas - a.k.a. black-eyed peas - white and yellow
• christmas lima beans
• red long beans
• okra
• green peppers - small fruits this year
• eggplant - they are battling critters too but holding on
• sweet potato
• muskmelon - slow to fruit but growing steady
  
• watermelon - slow to fruit but growing steady
• cucumbers - i will be pulling up the early crop in the next few days
  
• chard - struggling a bit but holding on
• malabar spinach - hot weather climbing
  
• amaranth
• basil - four types
• mint
• oregano
• rosemary
• sage
  
• sorrel - rockstar plants grow in all conditions
  
• bunching onions
• cardoon
• artichoke - did not fruit this year
• asparagus - beautiful fronds time - maybe a fall/winter harvest
• lemon - great crop this year
• limes - ditto!
• zucchini - fingers crossed i get a few before the vine borers discover their tasty bits
  
• papaya - growing steady - we'll seeeeeee
  

the peaches and apples are done. the squirrels took the best of the fruit harvest this year - not a single apple for me - they beat me to each and every one. i hope they were yummy. i guess i can assume they were since they left none for me - poo.

hippychick's super-d-lovely organic fed chickeny eggs!
the chickenchicas at hippychick's gardens provide beautiful fresh eggs daily.

*i feed the ladies coyote creek organic feed. they also enjoy organically grown greens, tomatoes and the occasional melon from the garden, along with any goodies they can scratch up with their own two chickeny feets.

-- $3.50 pullet dozen (white, brown, bluegreen)
-- $4.00 large dozen (brown, white)
-- $4.25 extra large dozen (white, brown) -- these babies are big!