I got Zuked! 🙃 . Hadn’t checked the garden for a few days, & while passing by the zucchini bush I felt a chill & the presence of a large, dark creature lurking in the shadows. . Parted the leaves to discover this Green Beast ready to zuke me back to the stone age. It already had sucked the lifeforce from the little zucchini behind it. . Fortunately I was able to “gift” it to a friend who will now be enjoying zucchini until late November 🤔👍 . #GotZuked #Zuked #GadZukes #ZukularFallout #ZukeEmAll #Zucchini #ズッキーニ #Courgette #Zucchinigeddon #ZucchinisOfInstagram #ZucchiniRhymesWithWeenie #RaisedBedGardening #RaisedGardenBeds #BecauseFUGophers #NorCal #Zone9bGardening #Zone9b #Permaculture #ShareTheBounty https://www.instagram.com/p/ChiUd3LvaaJ/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Came back from a week away from the garden to a poppin’ pepper party 🥳 . L-R: Pope’s Hat, Kalugeritsa, Lemon Drop Hot, Thai Dragon, Buena Mulata, Gyopo Gochu . #PickedAPeckOfPoppinPeppers #DropItLikeItsHot #PepperMeWithHotLove #AHunkAHunkOfBurningLove #PepperParty #HotPeppers #Peppers #唐辛子 #Piment #RaisedBedGardening #RaisedGardenBed #BecauseFUGophers #NorCal #Zone9bGardening #Zone9b #Permaculture https://www.instagram.com/p/CjjgEbHLBYF/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Apparently back in Spring I planted the plastic medical display from “This Is Joe’s Heart” 🤔 . Remember kids: eat healthy & harvest according to the seed packs or you’ll get care-rot 🥸 . #WhatsUpDoc #Scarrot #HealthyEating #BigAssCarrot #CarrotsOverCarats #IAmJoesHeart #Carrots #人参#carotte #RaisedBedGardening #RaisedGardenBeds #BecauseFUGophers #NorCal #FallGardening #Zone9bGardening #Zone9b #Permaculture https://www.instagram.com/p/CkXBP_ZJF0y/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

This rainbow gonna be hot af. . #TasteTheRainbowHeat #SomeLikeItHot #ColorfulCrap #HotHand #LemonDropHotPepper #ThaiDragonPepper #BuenaMulata #PepperParty #Pepper #HotPepper #唐辛子 #Piment #RaisedBedGardening #RaisedGardenBeds #BecauseFUGophers #NorCal #PermacultureGarden #Permaculture https://www.instagram.com/p/CiqySz8pLEC/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Aw rats! After finishing off the first unripe Valencia tomato last night, little dude is back to dig into the second! . Shows off various tearing & nibbling techniques until interrupted by a surprise visitor to the garden!! . Given all the coyote & bobcat presence the past few years, I haven’t seen a Garden Guest like this in a while! Please come back soon! . Spiced up the bite tomato to see if the little rat dude will leave it alone or just order a margarita 🥸 . #AwRats #Rats #NightMoves #MidnightSnack #IPM #Rat #ねずみ #鼠 #Raton #Tomato #Tomatoes #トマト #Tomate #Cat #猫 #Chat #RaisedBedGardening #RaisedGardenBed #BecauseFUGophers #NorCal #Zone9bGardening #Zone9b #Permaculture https://www.instagram.com/p/CiF9YCePApt/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

A large, unrip Valencia tomato at the bottom of the vine was being slowly nibbled out of existence. . Wasn’t sure if rat or ? because usually the rats go for the Japanese cucumbers next to the house. . So figured out how dad’s trail cam worked & set it out for the night—within 10 minutes the little dude came to the raised bed for a look-see 😆 . Appears to have enjoyed a late-night snack & then an early morning breakfast. . Dude’s already started in on the next tomato up the vine 🙄 . Will try some hot pepper spray tonight 🤞 . Music: “Protofunk” by Kevin MacLeod, incompetech.com . #AwRats #Rats #NightMoves #TomatoTime #Tomato #トマト #Tomate #Rat #ねずみ #Raton #IPM #NightVideo #NightPhoto #RaisedGardenBeds #RaisedBedGardening #BecauseFUGophers #NorCal #Zone9bGardening #Zone9b #Permaculture https://www.instagram.com/p/CiDtKmlviUS/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Big Dill Seed Harvest 🥳 . Before removing a single, 8’ tall dill plant that had self-seeded in my raised bed, I clipped off the seed bunches & stripped them into a bag—one plant produced hundreds of seeds! . Will winnow (one job that’s ok if I blow it 🥸) & then store in paper packets. . Looking forward to add dill to all my pollinator party patches all over the garden 🥳 . #BigDill #YouBeDillin #DillCommunication #Dill #デイル #Aneth #SeedSaving #Seeds #Herb #HerbGarden #RaisedGardenBeds #RaisedBedGardening #BecauseFUGophers #NorCal #Zone9bGardening #Zone9b #Permaculture https://www.instagram.com/p/CiAyqBXvqSn/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Aw Shucks 🫤 Aw Rats 😣 An amaizing disappearing act 🫥 RIP(E) corn 😢 . Was just thinking I should check on the @sandiegoseedcompany festivity corn & maybe harvest or bag as they got bigger. Then kids’ mom called me to say don’t bother 🙃 . Most probably rats, as stalks weren’t bent by heavier raccoons or possums. . Next year ✊🏻 . #AwShucks #Rats #RealityBites #CornyJoke #KernelOfTruth #Corn #コーン #Mais #RaisedBedGardening #RaisedGardenBed #BecauseFUGophers #NorCal #Zone9bGardening #Zone9b #Permaculture https://www.instagram.com/p/Ch8ioTWLNW_/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Praying for a Sweet Corn Harvest! 🙏 . Haven’t grown corn since I was a wee lad, so was excited when sweet corn showed up in my @sandiegoseedcompany “Seed o’ the Month” packet. Thanks @girl_who_gets_dirty for the hookup 🤓👍 . Stalks now 8-9 feet / 2.5m tall, with plenty o’ corn showing off their golden tassels 🥳 . Prepare to bug out with all the amaizing corny jokes 🥸👍 . #AwShucks #CornyJokesAreTheMostTastefulJokes #Corn #SweetCorn #コーン #Mais #PrayingMantis #カマキリ #ManteReligieuse #GuardiansOfTheGarden #IPM #Insect #虫 #RaisedBedGardening #RaisedGardenBeds #BecauseFUGophers #NorCal #Zone9bGardening #Zone9b #Permaculture https://www.instagram.com/p/ChioczcvPGA/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Happy Mystery #TomatoTuesday! . This volunteer sprouted in the raised bed waaay before my seedlings got going, & now has these interesting striped green toughies. . Somewhat similar to the @artisan.seeds Green Bees that the rats enjoyed so much last year here, but more elongated than the rounder Green Bees. Very thick stem & leaves, too. . Perhaps this is the lowbrid 🤓 . Tried one today. Mos def not ripe 😆 . #MysteryTomato #ItsNotEasyBeingGreen #ToGreenBeeOrNotToGreenBee #Tomato #Tomatoes #トマト #Tomat #RaisedBedGardening #RaisedGardenBeds #BecauseFUGophers #NorCal #Zone9bGardening #Zone9b #Permaculture https://www.instagram.com/p/Cgf2e4LLCvh/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Thought I had nothing but I got zuked! 😮 . #Sneachini #GotZukes #GadZukes #ClubZuke #Zucchini #ズッキーニ #Courgette #ContainerGardening #RaisedBedGardening #RaisedGardenBeds #BecauseFUGophers #NorCal #Zone9bGardening #Zone9b #Permaculture https://www.instagram.com/p/CgMz0h0r2p8/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Summer’s abuzz! 🐝 . Pollinator hyssop party in the morning, before the day cranked up past 100°F / 38°C 🫠 . Hyssop is a great addition around the raised bed edges—bees & hummers love it, looks like little purple lanterns, smells lovely, & self-reseeds! 🥳 . #HyssopYaDontStop #AintNoPartyLikeAPollinatorParty #PurplePower #GettinBuzzed #Buzz #Bee #Bees #蜂 #Abeille #Pollinator #PollinatorGarden #PollinatorParty #Hyssop #ヒソップ #Hysope #RaisedBedGardening #RaisedGardenBed #BecauseFUGophers #NorCal #Zone9bGardening #Zone9b #Permaculture https://www.instagram.com/p/CgGFkcHL83u/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Aw rats! At least when they start to make a ro-dent into the carrots then I know they are ready to harvest 🐭👍 . At least the gophers didn’t get them ✊🏻 . #GardenGnawledge #ShareTheBounty #RabbitHillStyle #BiteMe #CareRot #CarrotsOverCarats #Carrots #人参 #Carotte #RaisedGardenBeds #RaisedBedGardening #BecauseFUGophers #NorCal #Zone9bGardening #Zone9b #Permaculture https://www.instagram.com/p/Cf0CG1GLe5R/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Asian pear espalier / fuzzy kiwi trellis completed & planted! 🥳 . For decades, this top-of-the-slope area sported 4 hella bushy “privacy” bushes with berries not even the birds wanted. (See penultimate frame of vid of butterfly trying to figure out the point of the old bushes) . Replaced with 3 slotted posts for 2 cattle panels for 2 asian pears (Hōsui, Shinseiki) I grafted back in Feb. 2020 after the @california_rare_fruit_growers scion expo. Asian pears are currently being espaliered with green tape & lots of patience. . A recent @girl_who_gets_dirty -inspired trip to @planting.justice scored 3 fuzzy kiwis—one for each post: saanichton & forest fuzzies on each end with a fuzzy male in the middle. Hoping they run up the posts & along the tops to frame the asian pears. . Lots of nasturtiums, calendula, & other pollinator / ground cover around the base. Not sure that spindly, lonely blueberry will stay at the base of the retaining wall 🤔 . Let the fancy fruit fountain begin to flow! 🥳 . #PostPost #Espalier #FancyFruit #AsianPear #梨 #PoireAsiatique #FuzzyKiwi #Kiwi #キウイ #CattlePanelTrellis #Nasturtium #Calendula #Fruit #GopherBasket #BecauseFUGophers #NorCal #Zone9bGardening #Zone9b #Permaculture https://www.instagram.com/p/CfutIUfvSHG/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Tik Toch Garlic Harvest Time! 🥳 . @girl_who_gets_dirty put out a fab “how to know when & how harvest garlic” video at exactly the right time for my crop. 3-4 weeks ago 😬 . Finally caught up & pulled the plugs & discovered a fab harvest of Red Toch bulbs! 🥳 Currently drying on a table under the deck, which should happen quickly with the 100°F / 38°C heatwave starting tomorrow & lasting all week 😓 . Can’t wait to enjoy these cloves soon! And save some in the fridge for planting in October 🤓👍 . #TikToch #LickMyGar #RedToch #Garlic #ニンニク #Ail #GarlicBulb #RaisedBedGardening #RaisedGardenBeds #BecauseFUGophers #NorCal #Zone9bGardening #Zone9b #Permaculture https://www.instagram.com/p/CfDEwzvpYko/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Hangin’ with the Herb . Anyone know what kind of butterfly going to pop out of this cocoon that’s halfway up an 8’ dill stalk? Anise Swallowtail? 🤔 . Love dill fireworks flowers 🎆 . #DillChill #YouBeDillin #DillCommunication #HangingByAThread #Dill #デイル #Aneth #Cocoon #Butterfly #蝶々 #Papillon #RaisedBedGardening #RaisedGardenBed #BecauseFUGophers #NorCal #Zone9bGardening #Zone9b #Permaculture https://www.instagram.com/p/Ce1OV31Fqn1/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=