Mutant Corn and Runaway Runners

The flower bed

Cupcake zinnia

Ball dahlias

Dahlia (the center is a little misshapen, but the colour is gorgeous. The picture doesn't do it justice.

Begonia - what a difference from last year!  (Note to self: begonias prefer dappled light)

A volunteer sunflower and volunteer marigolds in the pea patch.

Lettuce bolting

One of the North Georgia Candy Roasters. I hope they do a lot of growing this month.  Time is running out!  The reviews were right - these are a prolific variety.  I should have planted them in a different location.  I didn't realize they would be so large.  I have four planted in a crowded space at the back of the house. Parts are climbing up the fence, one vine has attached itself to the apple tree, and another is trying to grab onto a container of mint.

Sweet pepper

One of the Gelber Englischer Custard squash plants is finally producing what will eventually be flowers, and hopefully squash.  We were already eating these this time last year!

Parsley and chard bathtub, containers of mint in the front.

Ah, the corn.  *sigh*  I have avoided taking a picture of the corn all summer.  It started out so well, developing into healthy seedlings indoors. They hardened off easily and seemed to transplant well, despite my having to separate their very tangled roots.  We had very cold, wet weather after I planted them and they looked pale and sickly for a few weeks. They started to come back after that, but then began to look like mutants.  Silks were developing out of the stalk with no cobs in site.  It is a short variety (Painted Mountain), but most stopped growing at about 2-3 feet (they are supposed to be 5 feet tall).  There was little pollen on them.  The stalks are skinny.  Now, there are a few cobs, but I'm not sure whether the corn will develop properly on them.  I might try this variety again next year.  If I do, I'll start the kernels in individual little pots so the roots aren't damaged during transplanting, and I will hope that June is much warmer than it was this year!

I thought these Butterscotch beans were supposed to be bush beans, but they turned out to have runners.  I put short stakes in beside them a few weeks ago, and several of the runners have out-grown the stakes.  (This is a little easier to see if you click on the pictures to enlarge them).