Yesterday, I ordered 8 yards of triple-ground hardwood mulch and had it dumped in the driveway. Noe and his helper arrived around 6:30 this morning and spread the mulch. I trimmed excess growth in the garden for about an hour and filled in Donald’s new burrow. The mulch was completely spread by 10:00, which was good, as we have a predicted high of 95° for this afternoon.

I spent part of the day watering and applying repellent around the beds that the groundhog attacks most frequently. The rain last week and hot weather this week encouraged rapid growth of everything in the garden. I trimmed grapevines and blackberry canes going wild.

Last week, wearing an N95 mask and safety glasses, I used the leaf blower to blow several cups of Cayenne under the barn on either side of the front door. Then I did the same around the front bushes where I believe the Groundhog burrow is. I had hoped that I would encourage him to move on. He did and dug out a new hoome much closer to the garden plants that he likes.

I went out to pick shishito peppers around 5:00, and found out that Donald, the Groundhog (I have named him after the president, since he destroys anything he gets near) had dug a new burrow around the old pear tree stump next to the barn! I covered it in Cayenne pepper. He had done more trimming on the pole beans and kale and a little on the Japanese eggplant.

We will be under a “heat dome” this week with temperatures in the 90s. I am hoping that this gives me ripe tomatoes by the first of July. The first of the bush cherry tomatoes ripened yesterday, which is a good sign. I have some tennis ball-sized Champion tomatoes, but no signs of ripening yet.

I finished up planting today to replace the Romaine and Bok Choi and the broccoli and Kale that the Groundhog ate. I planted more white onions, bush beans in place of the broccoli, kale, and pole beans in the second bed with the trellises. The first batch of pole beans is very slow to grow.

I picked the first zucchini today; they are regrowing well after the Groundhog damage. The gypsy peppers are exploding. I sautéed the Malabar spinach in sesame oil and garlic to accompany the halibut I made for dinner, as I do with regular spinach. The taste is almost identical, but the Malabar Spinach holds its structure a little better after cooking.

I am likely to spend a lot of time watering this week because of the heat. I cleaned out some old blackberry canes today and hope to finish that up tomorrow.

I went out between raindrops and picked the first Shishitos this afternoon. It has been a cool week with rain every few days, and the garden seems to be loving it. I also picked some of the Red Romaine for Natalie’s sandwich.

Yesterday, I picked the first Jalapeno and Juliet Hybrid cherry tomato. I cut the tomato in half and wrapped each half in a basil leaf, and we shared a nice appetizer.

I pulled up the radishes that were ready and it was only the single row of Burpee Cherry Giants. The remaining four rows of other varieties have spindly roots and are nowhere near ready. I picked the remaining Bok Choi because it is bolting, and I will use it next week in a stir-fry.

I cooked all the spinach I picked a week ago to have with our salmon. I used a lot of Bok Choi in the Asian coleslaw that I have made a couple of times. I picked and washed all of the romaine, and we have been using that in sandwiches and salads. I’ve also been picking some green onions. The rain brought the chives back and they are looking very good. I picked out all of the remaining flowers.

The Jalapenos are ready to pick,, and I think we’ll have a few other peppers ready soon.

There are a bunch of large Champion tomatoes and I am hoping I’ll have the first one before the end of the month.

The row of Burpee Cherry Giant radishes is ready to harvest. The other four varieties are spindly and not even close.

I planted three more rows of Crimson Giant Radishes.

I planted a new pot of Genovese Basil and a second pot of slow bolting cilantro.

I applied the Repels-All granules and used a whole 3-pound container.

I sprayed the Canadian thistle again. I think I finally might be winning

I purchased five pounds of Cayenne pepper. That’s right, five POUNDS, not OUNCES. I also purchased two containers of repellent granules and two bottles of repellent spray. I’ll set up a barrier around the garden with repellents and put cayenne on and around the crops. I am praying that this sends Mr. Groundhog packing.

The cayenne that I put out a couple of days ago seems to have mitigated the damage. I also sprinkled a liberal amount around his burrows. The zucchini, beans, and cucumbers are already sprouting new leaves.

I put out another round of cayenne around his favorite plants (or what is left of them) and then I used the spray on the sides of all the steel beds. I’ll put out the granules tomorrow.

You can find lots of info online about how planting mint can keep rabbits out of your garden. I call total BS. I have a whole mint garden and the rabbits love hiding in the different plantings of mint.

I had been working in the garden all morning, and then we drove to South Elgin to see Jeff, Amie, and Lily. When I returned home a few hours later, I found that my garden had been decimated while I was gone. I discovered two things. First, a groundhog has absolutely no trouble climbing up a 24-inch metal raised bed. Second, the holes and mound in our front yard plantings are NOT a fox den, as the “expert” from EcoShield, our pest control service, identified them; they were really a Groundhog homestead. The battle is on…

I always plant a bed of Roma tomatoes to dry and freeze for the winter. Roma tomatoes are determinate, meaning the plant grows to a specific height and stops, and all tomatoes ripen around the same time. Because of this, I plant them close together and just stake them as they only grow to about 30 inches, max.

I bought San Marzano tomatoes this year, assuming that they were just a different variety of Roma, but still determinate. WRONG! They are indeterminate and spread like wildfire. I planted 12, and they were way too close. I transplanted one to replace a Boxcar Willy tomato that wasn’t doing well, and pitched 5 more as I couldn’t find any takers for large tomato plants. I now have 6 caged plants in the bed, which is more manageable.

I was accosted in the garden the past couple of days by little black fireflies as if they were trying to get my attention and say, “Hey, we’re back! Watch for us tonight!”

And sure enough, as it was getting dark and the garden lights came on, I was seeing random flashes here and there and finally enough of them to be certain I wasn’t hallucinating. They hung out until about 9:30, and then were gone while there was still some light in the western sky.

I picked some bok choi and a few green onions a few days ago. We had Caesar salad with a head of Romaine last night, and I sauteed almost half of my bolting spinach in sesame oil to serve with the salmon.