Two weeks off weeding to enjoy time with guests has put me far behind the curve of growth. We had a big rain that kept me indoors yesterday so I ventured out this morning to have a look at the situation around the property. Mist was rising out of the valley and it was beautifully damp.
I had kept up with weeds around the patio, but the hatake hasn’t seen my face for at least ten days, so I marched back there and found a lot of work waiting for me.
The potatoes are being nibbled by beetles. The Jerusalem artichokes have launched an offensive to gain potato territory, assisted by thin shoots of bamboo spearing up in the middle of it all. My herb garden has been nibbled by someone – probably a kyon – and there are more unwanted plants than planned ones.
On the up side, the citruses are all flowering (so I must go pick the natsumikan), and so is the sweet-smelling cheesewood. Mulberries are pinking up.
So I am behind the curve, but do I even need to be ahead of it? I will give the garden some attention though this week and see what happens. Can I catch up or will I have a huge harvest of Jerusalem artichokes again this year?
