So the problem with the pumpkin plants is squash bugs. I had seen them but wasn't sure they were harmful. They don't actually eat the plants but suck them dry. Not that seeing them would do all that much good. From what I've read there are no effective organic controls for them and chemical controls would kill beneficials as well.

One control is to plant late in the season. Up north they have one generation per year. Lucky us in the south have two generations a year. Too late to have anything planted now produce by Halloween, if at all. May be some hope for pie pumpkins for Thanksgiving and I am still hoping for vines for tilling and compost. So I planted more seeds tonight. Figure it won't hurt anything.

They have favorite strains of pumpkin they feed on most. Looks like one of their favorites are Big Max pumpkins. For space and variety, I had alternated Big Max with pie and mini's. So the bugs largely attacked one plant, skipped several and attacked another. So far, they also haven't gone for the Dill's giant plants, which are growing fast.

For next year, a good thing is that one major control is tilling. It's highly likely I had them last year but in much smaller numbers. So tilling the whole yard will be a good way to help prevent big problems with them next year. Hoping no great immigration from neighbors but only one neighbor has a garden and he uses chemical controls.

Since they killed off the only two plants growing in the area by the fence, guess I can till that space without having to avoid those plants. Give me more room for lettuce, spinach and broccoli.

Since I was planting, I got some small red potatoes on sale at the produce market across the street and planted those. Weather is cooling down enough for potatoes. Hope they're not treated with hormones to make them sterile. May have time for a small late crop. Otherwise, at least they'll add to the soil.

Not much going on this weekend with no work and daughter out of town. Just do a lot of house cleaning and studying.

Got the first part of the electrician course. Whole course is 27 sections long. If I can do one section a week I can finish it in about six months. Won't be a licensed electrician but will be far ahead of where I am now. Already did the reading required for the first test and the writing is more clearly written than anything I've read on the subject before. Good sign.