Weekly Update; Sun Shines, Plants Grow, First Green Bean Harvested (GDD 1155)

Mild temperatures have given the garden a real boost this week. Remarkably, the peas keep on producing. Last week's mini-heatwave really prevented them from setting flowers and fruit. However, with the onset of relatively mild temperatures this week, the pea plant is once again flowering and setting peas, although it is starting to look a little worse for wear.

A few feet to stage right, the bean plant has reached the top of the trellis and provided the first green bean of the season. Tasted like . . . victory.

Like It Is... This Week in the Garden
7/10 - Beets sprout
7/11 - Lettuce sprouts, merit applied to lawn
7/13 - Savlia "Victoria Blue" planted
7/14 - Cleome planted, astilbe blooms
7/15 - First green bean harvested

Clover: An Indicator of Lawn Health?

Trifolium species, originally uploaded by Eric in SF.

Here's an interesting article from the Boston Globe about clover as a socially-accepted component of the suburban lawn way back in the days (like, 1940s way back). However, everything changed when agent orange came along, men landed on the moon and, gosh-darnit, the moon men did not want to set their hoofs upon clover anymore, so, a grateful nation obeyed and clover fell way out of favor.

Actually, it looks like clover is a sign of nitrogen deficiency and an unhealthy lawn. As a nitrogen-fixer - like my beloved peas - clover dwells where no healthy lawn dares tread.