The hummingbirds nest

I decided to get to work on some of my garden chores. While I was clearing an area of dried cheat grass, my husband mentioned for me to look up and see the little humming bird flitting about above my head.
This is the first hummingbird I have seen in quite awhile. I was so used to seeing them all the time when I lived in Arizona, that this was a real treat for me. If that were not enough, upon noticing how she was flying around me as if worried about something, I happened to spot her little nest.
I suspect there are just eggs in it right now, though I cannot be certain. Hummingbird nests are so tiny that it is really something special to spot one. Their little eggs are smaller than a pinky nail.
My maple tree is where her nest resides. I think that was the most protected and beautiful spot she could have chosen. My silver maple looks a lot like if a weeping willow decided to have babies with a maple. I love looking up into the large tree from beneath it. It is much like a hidden waterfall of leafy branches that surround you. Sort of like walking into a hidden world.

I tried to be as respectful to the mamma and her nest as possible, though I still had work to do below it. I shoveled as much of the cheat grass into some semblance of a pile as I could.



I had decided my beets would go in near my tomatoes. With the cheat grass being completely dead, it was much easier to shovel out of the way.
The rows, if you can see them, are marked by two small sticks next to the tomato plant on the right. Total I planted two rows, 35 in each row, so a total of 70 beets. I spaced the rows one foot apart, and the beets in each row are spaced 3 inches apart. I know how well beets come up and will always space them as they will end up. Thinning these are pointless as I have not had a seed not germinate. At least in my past experiences that has been the case. Anyways I am sure by now all of you know I dislike thinning plants anyways.

Speaking of plants, here is an update on some of the others.
I think the squash and pumpkin are doing a lot better, and I suspect they will grow much larger once the sun lets up a bit. The storm we had the other day helped to cool things off.

Acorn squash


Butternut Squash


Sun sugar pumpkin


My sweet corn. The largest one I will probably save seeds from.


Left (Yellow crooked neck squash)    Right (Zucchini) Look how big they are getting!


This was a portion of my sun sugar tomato plant that I had to trim down. I stuck it in a pot just for sheer curiosity as the branch was good, it had just bent and was breaking off the vine. I will probably have to bring this guy indoors, but I love how it is doing so well. No tomatoes off of the parent plant. I will see what happens and if it buds at any point.


My slope portion of my garden. Sweet corn, then squash and pumpkin, then tomatoes, onions, chives, and beets.

You can’t see it in this photo, but the tree is to the right of the tomato rows, and the beans and peas are planted around its base.

I am debating trying something out this year as an experiment. I have some brown potatoes that are beginning to sprout roots that I bought from the store. I have seen posts about growing potatoes in bails of hay. I was thinking to myself “What if I could grow them in a pile of cheat grass instead of hay? I sure have enough of it” So I may toss one in the pile and see what happens after watering it. You never know right? My only fear is that cheat grass will also grow. I really despise that stuff.

Here is the straw idea I would be trying with the cheat grass instead: Tips for growing potatoes in straw

I still have a lot of work left to do on that side, as well as the other side near the ornamental plum when it comes to removing the cheat grass. What seems like hard work now, would have only been a million times harder next year had I done it in Spring instead.