The garden was visited by a wild boar for the first time since before I planted anything. The stinky holes where it was digging for who-knows-what are almost like steps. Convenient!
Jerusalem artichokes are clogging everything, volunteering from last year’s untended crop. The whole plot was overrun with weeds that I had ignored for a couple of weeks. So I cut down the weeds and most of the Jerusalem artichokes with the kusakariki, then Jo and I carefully cleaned up between rows of potatoes by hand.
And then I saw that the row of ruby potatoes had turned yellow and spotted and stopped growing vigorously. Did some research and asked around about what it might be. Seems like blight, so I pulled them. Not sure how the other rows will do. Did they get infected, too?
Beyond the hatake, we have made progress, too. I tidied the star garden with Jo’s help and planted more herbs. Now we have basil, oregano, rosemary, dill, fennel, various mints, lemon thyme, two chamomiles, tansy, feverfew, and yarrow.
I harvested our first batch of chamomile with Hitomi, and planted flowers around the property with Tod. Jo has been meticulously weeding under the citrus trees which are blooming now.
It is good to have help and company with the garden tasks, even though I hardly ever remember to take photos of my friends lending a hand.