The challenges of 2011.

We have been experiencing some great growing conditions and some not so great issues this growing season.  The pea harvest has been fantastic, along with the Saskatoon berries, raspberries and onions.  Disappointed in the bean production, not as plentiful as in past years.  The tomatoes look good so far, but we are experiencing problems with early blight.  It looks like we may lose our entire crop of  Zinnias, due to the blight.  The sunflower leaves are showing signs of it as well, but I think all should be fine with the flowers.  The sweet peas are growing with great vigor along with the Dahlia's. We also have a larger population of aphids this year than any other year previous and a much smaller population of lady bugs.  In fact, I have not seen a lady bug for a least three weeks now.
We will be attending the Saskatoon Farmer's market this weekend with our vegetables, flowers and plants.  The special of the week is a succulent called Large Red Carpet Stonecrop (Crassula radicans) priced at 3.00, regular 5.00 in a 3" pot.  This is a succulent plant similar to the jade family.  Likes the summer sunshine but needs to be brought indoors in the fall before frost.

Large Red Carpet Stonecrop

 The vegetables available this week are, potatoes, beets, green onions, & carrots along with raspberries.  The flowers are plentiful and vibrant.  Sweet peas, lilies, monskhood, calendula, cosmos, sea holly, dahlia, zinnia's and more.