But overall, I'm thrilled with this season's early group of little "Carnival Blend" (from Botanical Interests) carrots. I, like many other Austin gardeners, doubted that those seeds I planted the first week of August when the weather was consistently in the upper 90s and dry would actually make it. I had to hand water them three times a day every day for at least a month. I'll plant more seeds in the new bare spots tomorrow and hope for the best.
All my lettuces (leaf, Lolla Rossa, Little Gem, and romaine) are looking good except for some damage from Leopard Moth black woolly caterpillars. The caterpillars and some grasshoppers seem to have moved from my kale to the broccoli and cauliflower. I hope the cooler weather we're supposed to get this weekend slows them down.
My front yard isn't looking so great, but it primarily consists of established drought-tolerant plants, so it ought to bounce back next spring. I prefer to save water for the vegetable garden and practice a little tough love elsewhere.