Late August Update

Almost the end of August here in North Texas.  After a typically hot mid August, the temps have been a lot more pleasant lately and we've had some rain, so everything is green.  

Okra

The okra plants are pretty big now, almost 5 feet tall.   I see flower heads starting to form now too.

The problem is that some of the plants have gotten hit pretty hard by aphids. There are thousand and thousands of aphids on some of the newer leaves and forming flower heads. I've started spraying with some soapy water to try and knock their population down a bit.  I am really hoping the beneficial bugs get established soon too.  Unfortunately I have not seen any ladybugs around.

Aphids attacking the okra

The aphid infestation happens almost every time I've grown okra.  They don't kill the plants but limit the prodiction, and slows them down.  Usually with some spraying of water, or some soapy water I can bring down their population.

Squash/Pumpkins

The round zucchini has been a disappointment so far.  The vines have been very dense with leaves,and they have toppled over, and many of the older leaves have gotten damaged, and have died.  So parts of the plants look ugly.  I've had to set out rat traps to kill the rats that have been eating my female flowers.  I've killed 4 so far!  Since my last update I have hand pollinated 2 flowers, but they both have shriveled and died.  Many others have withered while still small.  On top of all that, powdery mildew has tried to rear its ugly head, but I've beaten it back with some potassium bicarbonate that I've sprayed on it.
I've picked off a few squash vine borer eggs, but actually haven't seen that many.  The plant is so thick with leaf stalks that I don't think its feasible to find and pick all the eggs.  So my plan is to inject with BT at the first signs of frass, and hopefully I get some fruit to set before the SVBs start killing the plant.

round zucchini has grown very dense

round zucchini sprawling on ground.

My pumpkins are coming along pretty well.  I still have them all covered with netting so I don't have to worry about bugs, especially the borers (SVB).
Here are the jack-o-lanterns.  They are starting to vine out now, and growing pretty quickly.  The one tiny female flower has died, but some of the first male flower are about to open. Hopefully I can keep these covered for a few more weeks and then remove the covers, and start burying vines.

Jack-o-lanterns under netting

My Jumbo Pink Banana squash came up too.  All 4 seeds did, and I put the cover that was formerly on the jack-o-lanterns on these plants.

Jumbo Pink Banana Squash 

Here are my sugar pie pumpkins.  I didn't get around to thinning them out. I hate doing that, but I know I should.  So there are probably 7 or 8 plants there, with 4 seeming to be going very strong.  I still have them under cover, but have debated taking off the covers.  I just feel lazy and dont want to spend the effort checking them for eggs and covering the vines with dirt.  But they are about to overgrow the netting so I will have to soon.

sugar pie pumpkins.

I still don't see any flowers about to open on these.  They seem to be just focused on vining out.

Some other stuff growing

Here is my trellis/arbor from last year.  The volunteer birdhouse gourd, and the volunteer morning glories are doing very well and starting to grow up on it.

 Most of the gourd vines are actually on the ground.  They are growing very fast, and rooting along the ground too. I've picked some young immature gourds, because they are edible.  They actually taste very good, almost a nutty type taste. I made an Indian-style curry with them last week and it was very good! I think they are called "lauki" in India.  Google it, and you'll see many recipes and drinks and other stuff people make with these.

The calabash, bottle gourd, or white-flowered gourd.  This variety produces gourds that can be used for bird-houses and other decorations

Here are my sweet bell pepper plants.  They seem to be doing pretty well.  I see some flower heads forming.  Some are starting to lean over so I had to put a few small stakes to hold them up

sweet bell pepper plants

And here are my young Kentucky wonder pole beans.  They are looking good.  I have that fence to keep out small dog out, since I sprinkled some slug/snail bait close to them.  Slugs really like the seedlings. These are growing by the trellis I had made for the cucumbers earlier this year.