Garden stuff

Here are the asiatics and orientals living together in the hillside garden.

While DS was gone, I worked on the herbs, since I was on vacation from most housework and cooking.  The closest I got was making 2 batches of classic basil pesto. No pics of that.

The oregano needed trimming so I cut leaves and bagged up 4 small lunch bags.

I do not have a dehydrator.  I've tried using the oven - do you know how long that takes?  I can't leave the house with the gas oven going.

I've tried hanging the stems upside donw in our basement.  Dust is a problem - it's hard to get dust off fried herbs - yuck!

So, I use the brown paper bags for lunches and fill them about 1/4 full, tape the tops shut, and lay them on their sides with the leaves, hopefully, evenly distributed.  Every few days I turn them over and shake them up.

Here's the mint.  It grows on the south side of the house next to the foundation.

Not much else grows over there.  The oregano did at one time til the mint took over.  Both are quite hardy perennials, handy for erosion control.

I have 2 tomato plants in pots on the deck.  I noticed that one was being eaten by something. Then, while harvesting the basil, also in pots on the deck, I noticed some droppings.

Didn't expect to see droppings, huh?  Yeah, of that I get pics!

Then later I saw some where I had swept ...  hmmmm... the culprit is still here!

HORNWORMS!!  YUCK!!!  AS you can see, this one has had his fill of leaves and has moved on to the fruitt!  Hopefully, DS can help me inspect the plants to see if there are more.  The counts is at 5 so far.