Rise of the Pumpkins!

My garden is now officially a pumpkin patch! I figured that it might happen, heck, I even welcomed it but now there's no turning back. The hot sun we've been having, coupled with the general neglect I've given my garden's other inhabitants, has allowed the pumpkin vines to dominate my planters. Unfortunately, it would seem that only one of the many yellow pumpkin flowers was pollinated and hence, there's only one actual pumpkin going right now. According to my gardening friend and pumpkin aficionado Jacob, I needn't worry. Apparently, the vines without fruit should throw out plenty of extra flowers in the next few weeks of hot sun. He says that the vines are already established enough that growing a full sized pumpkin by late fall should be no trouble, even with a late start. Well, for the sake of; pumpkin pie, jack-o-lanterns, and potentially a brown sugar pumpkin stout (I have quite a collection of friends who home brew beer), my fingers are crossed for the bees to reach my female flowers. I may even play honeybee and use a q-tip to do the job myself.

A quick note on some of my other garden players:

-The catnip is done with its mad growth and since being cut back is pretty lackluster.

-The orange mint is developing flowers, last year they were white, this year it appears the blooms will be purple. (Why is that?)

-I'm not sure but I think I had a clover plant cross pollinate (or hybridize) with a blackberry. It's the weirdest thing, it's like a clover but instead of white puffy flowers, it makes slender blackberries. I've never seen anything like it.

-My strawberries are in their second fruiting right now, much better berries than the June Harvest, bigger, sweeter, juicier, yummers.

-The English Lavender I transplanted from my lower planter to the upper is now firmly established, the plump purple flowers are very nice to look at.

Pictures are coming people but don't let that keep you from being the very first person to comment on my blog. C'mon I know you want to! I may also be starting another blog of more everyday (non-garden) related material including my new found quest(s) to become an established Seattle musician and kung-fu martial artist respectively. Stay tuned.