Summer in the garden

It is that time of year when my garden starts looking like a jungle, with plants crowding each other and spilling into the pathways. I have this compulsion to cram as many plants as I possible can into my garden. I plant things much closer than recommended and my paths are narrow. Then of course, I've got to cram lettuce, herbs, beets, and other greens in between the bigger plants that are already too close together. I have basil, kale, and collards in between the tomatoes, buttercrunch lettuce and dill between the cucumbers, chiogia beets, spinach, and and a oriental greens mix between the broccoli. The good thing about cramming everything in close is that the weeds don't have any space to grow.

This has been the best growing season we've had here since I've lived in Michigan. Lots of rain, not too hot, and very few bugs. The flea beetles that normally destroy my early crop of kale and mustard were no where to be found. I haven't seen a cucumber beetle or squash bug. And there are only a few Japanese beetles. The only thing I quite quite figure out is why half the cucumbers are wilting and my yellow nugget wax beans have some kind of disease that is causing most of the leaves to turn brown and fall off. I'm debating whether or not I should pull these out and replant with with something else, or leave them and see if I get a crop.

Yesterday I pulled out the snap peas and spent this morning digging up the beds and working in several buckets of rabbit manure. This weekend I will plant lettuce, spinach, and green beans for the fall.

I let my chickens out to play in the garden while I am working in it. They are such great gardening companions. This morning I unearthed an ant hill and they went crazy pecking up the ants. They stay withing the confines of the garden, even though it isn't fenced in. Most likely it is because the larger plants offer shelter and make them feel protected. They will follow me around the yard, though when I leave the garden. They are still staying in their little wire cage and I bring them into the house at night. However, they are starting to wear out their welcome. Every morning I start my day by sweeping up all the chicken feed and dropping that somehow managed to get out of the cage. For all their cuteness, chickens are very messy birds! Then off course, there are all the tiny down feathers that they are shedding and filling the house with. This weekend my main project will be building them a coop.