What Did You Do In The Garden?

[Zeedman]

Still wet from yesterday's rain, so "gardening" was just checking the gardens for wind damage (there was none) and checking on the plants in the greenhouse. It's pretty full in there, two 6' tables with (now large) transplants waiting to go into the rural garden, and just barely room to stand between them. Aphids have gotten into the peppers, so I'm spraying them with insecticidal soap every few days.

While I was in there, a fast-moving thunderstorm rolled through. The greenhouse is about 150' from the house, so I stayed in the greenhouse to wait it out. Lots of thunder & lightning, and some really strong wind, made me wonder if that had been a wise decision. I watched a couple large branches come down in my tree line, and had to brace a couple of the greenhouse panels to keep them from being blown in. For all that, though, the storm moved through quickly, didn't dump much rain, and DW came out with an umbrella to bale me out.

 

[Dirtmechanic]

Fertilized some yard plants tonight after dinner. I hope for some obnoxiously large elephant ears just to see them in the yard. I put some calcium nitrate and epsom salts on the tomatoes, peppers and eggplants. Its dry enough to see some stars which is unusual here, but its not officially summer yet. Solstice is close though. Its amazing to see how many stars are out there. I found this video later...really humbling.

https://www.reddit.com/r/spaceporn/comments/h09lyb

 

[flowerbug]

Still wet from yesterday's rain, so "gardening" was just checking the gardens for wind damage (there was none) and checking on the plants in the greenhouse. It's pretty full in there, two 6' tables with (now large) transplants waiting to go into the rural garden, and just barely room to stand between them. Aphids have gotten into the peppers, so I'm spraying them with insecticidal soap every few days.

While I was in there, a fast-moving thunderstorm rolled through. The greenhouse is about 150' from the house, so I stayed in the greenhouse to wait it out. Lots of thunder & lightning, and some really strong wind, made me wonder if that had been a wise decision. I watched a couple large branches come down in my tree line, and had to brace a couple of the greenhouse panels to keep them from being blown in. For all that, though, the storm moved through quickly, didn't dump much rain, and DW came out with an umbrella to bale me out.

that was the same squall line that got us later on. very quick moving but had some strong winds for a while.

 

[flowerbug]

Fertilized some yard plants tonight after dinner. I hope for some obnoxiously large elephant ears just to see them in the yard. I put some calcium nitrate and epsom salts on the tomatoes, peppers and eggplants. Its dry enough to see some stars which is unusual here, but its not officially summer yet. Solstice is close though. Its amazing to see how many stars are out there. I found this video later...really humbling.

https://www.reddit.com/r/spaceporn/comments/h09lyb

it is good to be reminded that there is a wider universe once in a while as it can help put our planet, peoples, lives, problems, etc. in perspective.

 

[digitS']

I was out spraying bugs this morning. Not knowing if/when it might begin to rain made me a little apprehensive about doing that, but it looks like I've lucked out even as the bugs haven't.

What I was after primarily was the flea beetles on the tomatoes, eggplant and potatoes. All leaves on the 3 of them are scarred.

While I circled the plants with the sprayer, I also came across 9 potato bugs. Ack! If I think flea beetles are damaging, I could wait until there are a dozen Colorado beetles on each plant just shredding the things to death. Spinosad has worked just super on both these pests.

Aphids on the roses here at home but a shot of Neem oil about 10 days ago helped lower the aphid population. I haven't seen them in the veggies but it could be because I haven't looked hard enough. Except for the cabbage, I won't be freaking out over just a few. Cabbage, I've gotta make sure that the aphid numbers aren't exploding just as the leaves curl and the pests become happily protected.

Steve

 

[Dirtmechanic]

I was out spraying bugs this morning. Not knowing if/when it might begin to rain made me a little apprehensive about doing that, but it looks like I've lucked out even as the bugs haven't.

What I was after primarily was the flea beetles on the tomatoes, eggplant and potatoes. All leaves on the 3 of them are scarred.

While I circled the plants with the sprayer, I also came across 9 potato bugs. Ack! If I think flea beetles are damaging, I could wait until there are a dozen Colorado beetles on each plant just shredding the things to death. Spinosad has worked just super on both these pests.

Aphids on the roses here at home but a shot of Neem oil about 10 days ago helped lower the aphid population. I haven't seen them in the veggies but it could be because I haven't looked hard enough. Except for the cabbage, I won't be freaking out over just a few. Cabbage, I've gotta make sure that the aphid numbers aren't exploding just as the leaves curl and the pests become happily protected.

Steve

I have been using pheromone traps upwind of the garden in addition to spraying. Traps are amazingly effective, but like someone said they also attract critters to an area. I like to think there are a less beetles than when I started. Time will tell.

 

[Trish Stretton]

....please stop spraying bugs.

I realise this sounds totally contrary to everything but, nature needs these.
Some of the bugs you are spraying are the good guys, some are fantastic food for birds/lizards... even some of the bad guys do good-wasps eat the white butterfly catepillars for example, even if they do try to invade my hives, I leave them in peace.

I have found that the bad bugs dont eat all that much and what they do seem to eat, are the plants that arent actually doing that great in the first place.

Nature is so out of balance right now and we dont help when we apply artificial chems/ferts at the drop of the hat or just because its that time of year.

I havent used anything in so long I cant remember the last time I did.
I do get occasionally get wrecked plants- so I plant a few more than I need and try to make sure the ones I do plant are very healthy from the get go and are planted in a timely manner so their roots grow right..and at the right depth.

What I have been working on for some time now, is to get as wide a range of different plants,insects,birds, soil microbes as I possibly can.

I believe God gave us Guardianship of this Earth, not Dominion of it.

 

[Dirtmechanic]

....please stop spraying bugs.

I realise this sounds totally contrary to everything but, nature needs these.
Some of the bugs you are spraying are the good guys, some are fantastic food for birds/lizards... even some of the bad guys do good-wasps eat the white butterfly catepillars for example, even if they do try to invade my hives, I leave them in peace.

I have found that the bad bugs dont eat all that much and what they do seem to eat, are the plants that arent actually doing that great in the first place.

Nature is so out of balance right now and we dont help when we apply artificial chems/ferts at the drop of the hat or just because its that time of year.

I havent used anything in so long I cant remember the last time I did.
I do get occasionally get wrecked plants- so I plant a few more than I need and try to make sure the ones I do plant are very healthy from the get go and are planted in a timely manner so their roots grow right..and at the right depth.

What I have been working on for some time now, is to get as wide a range of different plants,insects,birds, soil microbes as I possibly can.

I believe God gave us Guardianship of this Earth, not Dominion of it.

It is the most interesting and frankly hardest thing to do. I have found my best path is to replace one chemical at a time with a softer alternative, so that I can focus on understanding the problems and how it all works together. Trying to change everything at once is overwhelming and misses are disheartening, plus not much really sticks for repetition.

 

[Zeedman]

....please stop spraying bugs.

I realise this sounds totally contrary to everything but, nature needs these.
Some of the bugs you are spraying are the good guys, some are fantastic food for birds/lizards... even some of the bad guys do good-wasps eat the white butterfly catepillars for example, even if they do try to invade my hives, I leave them in peace.

I have found that the bad bugs dont eat all that much and what they do seem to eat, are the plants that arent actually doing that great in the first place.

Nature is so out of balance right now and we dont help when we apply artificial chems/ferts at the drop of the hat or just because its that time of year.

I havent used anything in so long I cant remember the last time I did.
I do get occasionally get wrecked plants- so I plant a few more than I need and try to make sure the ones I do plant are very healthy from the get go and are planted in a timely manner so their roots grow right..and at the right depth.

What I have been working on for some time now, is to get as wide a range of different plants,insects,birds, soil microbes as I possibly can. @Trish Stretton , organic pest management would be a great topic

I believe God gave us Guardianship of this Earth, not Dominion of it.

I agree wholeheartedly with your sentiment, and your intentions. Unfortunately, many of the bad bugs here kill plants, or carry diseases which do. Leaving an infestation untreated is often not an option. There are organic methods of control for many pests (I use several of them) but those options are not always easily accessible, or convenient for those who have limited time. I don't fault gardeners for using poisons when immediate action is necessary, and other options are not available.

Organic pest control starts with building up sufficient populations of beneficial insects, and discouraging conditions which promote harmful insects. That takes research, patience, and a little luck. There are also many organic treatments (such as BT, nematodes, and milky spore) but many gardeners may be unaware of those options. That would be a good topic for a thread, @Trish Stretton ; should you choose to start one, I would welcome your experiences & suggestions.

A busy day today. DW, DD, and I completely weeded both of the home gardens (1650 square feet). I erected all of the trellis poles, and put up the rebar top supports. DW mowed grass with the bagger, then used it on the garden to mulch the double row of water spinach. I put up the isolation cages over the peppers, but the ground was still too wet to bury the edges of the cover, so that will have to wait a couple days for drier soil. Put up tall tomato cages around the grape tomatoes, which will be tied together between fence poles to stabilize them. Thinned out all of the beans, yardlongs, and cowpeas to their proper spacing.

Nothing left to do on those gardens except to string the trellises (which takes awhile) and lay down hay for mulch. Weather permitting (the forecast looks favorable) we will be concentrating on getting the rural garden fenced & planted for the next several days.

 

[Trish Stretton]

That really sad. What it says to me, is your land is dying and everything is hungry......whats the answer? Feed them