Hot Times in the Garden

The Bay Area is currently having a bit of a heat wave -- fortunately, James and I got both of our gardens planted on Saturday. They're looking pretty good.

I mowed the front and back lawn but the lawnmower is a mulching mower -- it doesn't leave more than a handful of grass clippings. The front yard is all foxtails -- I don't want that on my garden. I have to find someone who has actual lawn so I can go get some mulch -- I don't want to go with bark.

Anyone need to get rid of some grass clippings?

Meanwhile... aphids are overtaking the yard. They love this hot weather. The plum tree is covered with little aphids and white flies, the ants seem to especially like the corner of the garden where my chard seeds are starting to come up. And, of course, the aphids have dripped off the plum tree onto my remaining tomato seedlings and strawberry plant.

Today I bought a mantis egg pouch and some more ladybugs, they'll go out tonight.

James reports that his lettuces and other seedlings are drooping in the heat but his tomatoes are fine.

My cats are drooping in the heat. Little furballs were battling and insisted on going outside today - I opened both doors and the hot wind from the east blew through my back door and raised the temp inside my home from 70 degrees to 80 degrees. The cats are all melted and keep moving around to different areas on the floor after their body heat makes it intolerably warm. ha!