Cosmo spring garden 2020

[Cosmo spring garden]

My experience as well. Next to ladybugs, wasps are my most important insect predator. I grow peppers under cages with floating row covers, to get pure seed. Protected by the covers, the aphid population inside can explode. Once enough peppers have set, I open one side of the cage - and within a day, wasps are swarming on the aphids. After a week or so, there is hardly an aphid to be found... and at that point the ladybug & lacewing larvae control the aphids.

Interesting about the fennel, I had no idea it could attract wasps. A lot of it grew wild when I gardened in California, not sure it would survive winters here... might be worth looking into. Okra attracts large numbers of wasps too, not sure if they are there for the plants, or for the aphids present.

Every year I grow either a yardlong bean or a cowpea in each of my gardens, chiefly because they are very effective in attracting wasps & ladybugs. The wasps on those plants are numerous, but far less aggressive than they would be elsewhere - even yellow jackets and hornets. The nectar seems to intoxicate them, they leave me alone as long as I move slowly through the row.

That's what I tell my kids "wasps are good bugs!" Thanks for the information about fennel. I've never grown it before. I wonder if it can be perennial in zone 7?.

 

[baymule]

We are pretty good at hi-jacking threads and going off in different directions. The champion of all was Nyboy He was a much loved and popular member here. He got the flu, had a heart attack and we miss him terribly. Anyway, hope you don't mind hi-jacks, it does make things much more interesting!

Your garden is awesome! Beautiful, healthy plants!

 

[Cosmo spring garden]

Even tho I wasn't a member last year I have been reading TEG posts for 2 years now. I remember Alex and his hilarious posts. He was so kind to all of you and I know how much you all loved him. I was so sad and shocked when he passed away. I miss his posts too.

 

[Cosmo spring garden]

First year growing holy basil (tulsi). I made herbal tea with it and it tastes pretty good. Supposed to have health benefits. Harvested some lettuces, broccoli, bean and squash from the garden. Had a delicious salad with the lettuce for lunch. Watered part of the garden this morning and will finish watering the rest later. Need to pull lots of weeds later. Also need to prep a raised bed for more asparagus seedlings I started from seed.

 

[flowerbug]

That's what I tell my kids "wasps are good bugs!" Thanks for the information about fennel. I've never grown it before. I wonder if it can be perennial in zone 7?.

the right kind is supposedly hardy to zone 4. so yes, if you can find it. i.e. not the bulb kind grown as a cool weather annual, but the perennial herb kind that is grown for seeds and foliage.

 

[Cosmo spring garden]

Spend two hours pruning tomatoes. The first picture is after pruning. I just can seem to get ahead of the yellowing leaves and blossom end rot. Maybe the extra air flow and sunlight will help? I hope so! Will spray the aphids off again this evening. I did have one ripe tomato which I ate and it was so good! Love fresh off the vine tomatoes. A gardeners candy! I still have to prune 1 more row.

 

[digitS']

Cosmo, you might get past that BER, without much delay.

If my tomatoes have that, and it's not a common problem with my neighbor's conscientious watering of both our gardens , it's in the earliest fruit.

Those fruits are so often weirdly shaped, unavailing things. Hey, I think that's the first time I have used that word - unavailing. (Thought about using the word "fruitless" .)

I have some blossoms on 2 tomato plant here at home. Since they are (checks sticker) a Sweet 100 and something where I can't find the sticker because there are mustard greens growing around it - I may have some cherry tomatoes soon. I believe, and should know soon enuf since the mustard greens are ready for the kitchen, that the #2 blooming plant is a Sungold, those should be first . This is such a more-protected environment that the plants have here at home, they have far more healthy growth than those in the big garden. Out there, I just hope that I've knocked down the flea beetles that were making their lives so difficult, besides the winds and low temperatures.

Steve

 

[Ridgerunner]

Blossom End Rot is caused by not enough calcium getting to the developing fruit. It could be a lack of calcium in your soil but usually your soil has plenty of calcium, especially if it has some clay in it. Sand can be more of a problem. Compost made from chicken manure is usually pretty high in calcium.

The typical cause is water. If it dries out too much the plant doesn't carry enough calcium to the developing fruit. Too wet can supposedly cause a problem too but with me that generally causes splitting instead of BER. To help with BER you might want to make sure they aren't drying out.

 

[Cosmo spring garden]

Cosmo, you might get past that BER, without much delay.

If my tomatoes have that, and it's not a common problem with my neighbor's conscientious watering of both our gardens , it's in the earliest fruit.

Those fruits are so often weirdly shaped, unavailing things. Hey, I think that's the first time I have used that word - unavailing. (Thought about using the word "fruitless" .)

I have some blossoms on 2 tomato plant here at home. Since they are (checks sticker) a Sweet 100 and something where I can't find the sticker because there are mustard greens growing around it - I may have some cherry tomatoes soon. I believe, and should know soon enuf since the mustard greens are ready for the kitchen, that the #2 blooming plant is a Sungold, those should be first . This is such a more-protected environment that the plants have here at home, they have far more healthy growth than those in the big garden. Out there, I just hope that I've knocked down the flea beetles that were making their lives so difficult, besides the winds and low temperatures.

Steve

Thank you. I am sure I'll get a harvest, it's just so discouraging sometimes. I have also noticed that the tomato plants in the buckwheat patch is doing wonderful without any pests issues. Next year I'll plant tomatoes among other plants, a polyculture of sort.

 

[Cosmo spring garden]

Blossom End Rot is caused by not enough calcium getting to the developing fruit. It could be a lack of calcium in your soil but usually your soil has plenty of calcium, especially if it has some clay in it. Sand can be more of a problem. Compost made from chicken manure is usually pretty high in calcium.

The typical cause is water. If it dries out too much the plant doesn't carry enough calcium to the developing fruit. Too wet can supposedly cause a problem too but with me that generally causes splitting instead of BER. To help with BER you might want to make sure they aren't drying out.

We do have clay soil and I had the chickens in this part of the garden last winter. I also added calcium nitrate when I planted the seedlings. I have multiple issues with the tomatoes, aphids, yellowing of leaves, BER and some other bugs. I made a lot of mistakes this year with the planting. Planted them too close, didnt prune them soon enough, they were stressed from the frost and wind, and fertilized with too much nitrogen. Lol I can write a book on this. I will make sure to water on time. Thank you!