Blessings Darlings!
Lately lots of folks have been blogging about their plans for their upcoming gardens, and sighing about he bug-based problems they encountered last year. I know that my neighbors and I had LOTS of problems with our squash from bugs, both from them simply sucking the life out of the leaves and from them turning the vines to mush.
Now, unlike my neighbors, I DID get a really good crop before the bugs toasted the squash plants. But my squash season ended earlier than it had to. I don't want a repeat of that.
This year I plan on dealing with the insect problems better than I did last year. Which is why I've been researching the problems and solutions NOW.
VINES TURNED TO MUSH
The biggest problem, which killed the plants totally, was that the vine turned mushy not far from the roots. So mushy that the vine literally detached from the roots!
Cause:
I knew that this was a result of squash vine borers in the stem mucking about first, and now know that the mucking about allowed the vine to get infected and turn to goo.
This year's approach:
First, I'm going to plant the vines farther apart - I had them too close last year so I had a hard time finding and treating ANY problems, as well as a hard time harvesting!
The vine borers like the first foot or so of the vine, I will check it often for signs of rot. If there IS rot I'm going to cut into the vine and squish the borers, then work on re-rooting the vine farther along it's length. Like about a foot farther down it's length. To do this I'll anoint the vine with rooting hormone and mound earth over that part of the vine, topped with some compost or plastic to help keep it moist. Once new roots form I'll cut off the vine on the 'old root' side of the new roots, to try to keep the rot away.
University of Illinois - where I was an agriculture major - says that the ONLY pesticide that squash borers are not immune to is carbaryl (I have NO clue what that is), and to try applying it once a week. I'm not trying that myself.
SUCKING BUGS ATTACKING LEAVES
We had a really nasty infestation of these, but while they reduced harvest they didn't kill the entire plant.
Cause:
We had two different insects at work here in the Mid Atlantic: regular old squash bugs as well as stink bugs. They act the same, they are treated the same, they even look pretty much the same - both 'shield bugs' type. They have different colored eggs, but they are the same size, both lay 'em under leaves, and both lay them in the same pattern.
This year's approach:
First, since I've already determined to have the plants farther apart, I'll be able to check the leaves for egg masses better. Once found, I'll squish those egg masses! I may put boards down for the bugs to gather under and squish them there, too. Yes, both types of insects CAN smell bad when squished.
I might also try diatomaceous earth on these buggers and see if that helps. Pyrethrins are my back-up plan, if needed.
BACTERIAL WILT
This wilt can kill a plant in 6 weeks, sometimes even before it fruits at all. It's not a problem I've had ... yet. But I'm preparing.
Cause:
A bacteria - but it's carried/spread by cucumber beetles. Smalllish, striped beetles. If you don't have the beetles you won't have the problem.
This year's approach:
Keeping alert for the beetles will be the first thing. If I see them I'll probably do the diatomaceous earth, or if needed go for rotenone.
These are the main threats to your garden's squash supply. With out them, two hills of zucchini will feed a small army. With them, you may not get any zucs, let alone any more nutritious hard squashes.
Frondly, Fern.
Showing posts with label survival gardening. Show all posts
Showing posts with label survival gardening. Show all posts
Friday, February 24, 2012
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Preps This Week
Blessings, Darlings!
We're having a heat wave, and moderate drought, here. So I've been only working on the yard and garden in 15 minute spurts, then coming in and trying to cool off. As a result, I'm behind in the garden, and most of my carrots died.
But the beans are well up, the tomatoes are doing great, the peppers have some issues, the garlic and onions are ready to harvest. I need to sprinkle urine around the beans every other day to keep the rodents (?bunnies?, ?squirrels?, ?chipmunks?) at bay.
Started cabbage seeds, celery seeds, and rutabagas.
Missing are the honey bees. Granted, last year we had more than I've ever seen, but this year I saw ONE early on, and that was it. We have bumble bees (not lots), and tons of wasps of all sizes pollinating their little wings off. Of course, the oregano and peppermint aren't blooming as impressively this year, either. Still, zero is not a good sign.
I've starting the spring stored water rotation a bit late, but at least I've started it. I'm beginning to fill the freezer with ice (bottles and cubes) to prep for inevitable summer power outages due to storms. I will probably defrost the dang freezer, as I have been threatening to do, next week when the temperature and humidity drop.
Physical Therapy on my knee continues. It is finally improving! Not that I've started aerobic anything again yet, but now most of the time that I have to stoop to do something the knee doesn't hurt at all.
I need to rebuild food stores, but without money that's hard to do. Yeah, duh. I did buy one can of interesting veggies, one package of crackers, 4 cans of mushrooms, a bag of sugar, and a jar of salsa this week. I need to restock tomato sauce (Bob's been making a lot of BBQ sauce), paprika, catsup, mustard, etc.
Cherries are on sale, I'm probably going to start to dry them tomorrow. Bob wants some canned, too - he LOVED the previous batch. But these don't seem to have a nice a flavor, so I'm thinking that drying them will concentrate what flavor they have. And I want to get a lot of dried fruit in place by the middle of July, in case the astrological shit DOES hit the fan.
What have you done to prepare this week?
Frondly, Fern
We're having a heat wave, and moderate drought, here. So I've been only working on the yard and garden in 15 minute spurts, then coming in and trying to cool off. As a result, I'm behind in the garden, and most of my carrots died.
But the beans are well up, the tomatoes are doing great, the peppers have some issues, the garlic and onions are ready to harvest. I need to sprinkle urine around the beans every other day to keep the rodents (?bunnies?, ?squirrels?, ?chipmunks?) at bay.
Started cabbage seeds, celery seeds, and rutabagas.
Missing are the honey bees. Granted, last year we had more than I've ever seen, but this year I saw ONE early on, and that was it. We have bumble bees (not lots), and tons of wasps of all sizes pollinating their little wings off. Of course, the oregano and peppermint aren't blooming as impressively this year, either. Still, zero is not a good sign.
I've starting the spring stored water rotation a bit late, but at least I've started it. I'm beginning to fill the freezer with ice (bottles and cubes) to prep for inevitable summer power outages due to storms. I will probably defrost the dang freezer, as I have been threatening to do, next week when the temperature and humidity drop.
Physical Therapy on my knee continues. It is finally improving! Not that I've started aerobic anything again yet, but now most of the time that I have to stoop to do something the knee doesn't hurt at all.
I need to rebuild food stores, but without money that's hard to do. Yeah, duh. I did buy one can of interesting veggies, one package of crackers, 4 cans of mushrooms, a bag of sugar, and a jar of salsa this week. I need to restock tomato sauce (Bob's been making a lot of BBQ sauce), paprika, catsup, mustard, etc.
Cherries are on sale, I'm probably going to start to dry them tomorrow. Bob wants some canned, too - he LOVED the previous batch. But these don't seem to have a nice a flavor, so I'm thinking that drying them will concentrate what flavor they have. And I want to get a lot of dried fruit in place by the middle of July, in case the astrological shit DOES hit the fan.
What have you done to prepare this week?
Frondly, Fern
Friday, June 4, 2010
Most Food Costs WAY Up!
Blessings, Darlings!
Have you noticed what is happening with food costs? They have jumped incredibly over the past year or so for some items. Fruits and veggies have taken the largest jump - according to the government. But let me tell you, meat prices have soared ... but the govt doesn't acknowledge that, their food price formulas assume that you'll switch from filets to burgers so they don't really figure it in.
Last weekend we did a rare trip to a large-ish Oriental food store. The chain has some superstores, but this wasn't one of them (alas, I LOVE their superstores). We needed a few speciality items, and we looked at prices on items that are usually at great prices there.
Oh, the trauma!
The frozen sliced beef, traditionally $2.99/ lb, was $5.99/ lb. The galbi (thin sliced beef flanken short ribs) was also at $5.99/ pound. The whole beef tenderlois, which was $5.99/ pound last year, is $6.99/ lb now.
I was in shock. I left disappointed. And without the soy sauce I was after, for they were out of the brand I like.
Meanwhile, the price of grains has dropped. I've not been to the feed store to get any 50 pound sacks of wheat or corn lately, but two years ago wheat was way up near $20 for that sack. Since then the price of wheat on the Kansas Board of Trade has dropped by more than half.
So it looks like I'll be increasing my stores of grains this summer (I don't know what's up in beans yet), and seeing what happens with all other prices. Possibly meat prices will drop next year, following the drop in grain prices, but since I get most of my beef from private sales that won't affect me much. I AM glad I put in an extra 6 tomato plants, but I'll really have to start more green beans than I had planned.
And the deep snow over the winter seems to have reduced the bunny and chipmunk populations to the point that no one is eating my blueberry bushes, and the birds haven't hit them yet. We might actually get some blueberries this year!
How does your garden grow?
Frondly, Fern
Have you noticed what is happening with food costs? They have jumped incredibly over the past year or so for some items. Fruits and veggies have taken the largest jump - according to the government. But let me tell you, meat prices have soared ... but the govt doesn't acknowledge that, their food price formulas assume that you'll switch from filets to burgers so they don't really figure it in.
Last weekend we did a rare trip to a large-ish Oriental food store. The chain has some superstores, but this wasn't one of them (alas, I LOVE their superstores). We needed a few speciality items, and we looked at prices on items that are usually at great prices there.
Oh, the trauma!
The frozen sliced beef, traditionally $2.99/ lb, was $5.99/ lb. The galbi (thin sliced beef flanken short ribs) was also at $5.99/ pound. The whole beef tenderlois, which was $5.99/ pound last year, is $6.99/ lb now.
I was in shock. I left disappointed. And without the soy sauce I was after, for they were out of the brand I like.
Meanwhile, the price of grains has dropped. I've not been to the feed store to get any 50 pound sacks of wheat or corn lately, but two years ago wheat was way up near $20 for that sack. Since then the price of wheat on the Kansas Board of Trade has dropped by more than half.
So it looks like I'll be increasing my stores of grains this summer (I don't know what's up in beans yet), and seeing what happens with all other prices. Possibly meat prices will drop next year, following the drop in grain prices, but since I get most of my beef from private sales that won't affect me much. I AM glad I put in an extra 6 tomato plants, but I'll really have to start more green beans than I had planned.
And the deep snow over the winter seems to have reduced the bunny and chipmunk populations to the point that no one is eating my blueberry bushes, and the birds haven't hit them yet. We might actually get some blueberries this year!
How does your garden grow?
Frondly, Fern
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Going-ons and On-Goings
Blessings, Fronds!
Sorry about the lack of posts - I may have to accept that over the summer I'll just be posting particularly sporatically. But let me tell you why ...
IN THE GARDEN
The spawn sort of hoed and weeded the older beds. I got the sweet peppers in (late) and started the first planting of beans (on time). The beans have not sprouted. At all. The exceptionally cute baby bunnies, who have worked hard at eating my parsley and salvia to the ground insist that they are NOT to blame for this (they say that they prefer them with the first tender real leaves before they eat them). So I should be planting more beans today. This planting was planned as the second bed. Oh well. The onions there are thriving, as are 4 of the 5 sweet peppers. I think my son mowed the 5th pepper, but I've not pressed him on that point.
The flowers by the front door are still not totally planted. Mostly because it has been too wet to plant them. We have had incredible rain this month! Oh - I have a new rain barrel, but haven't set it up with the downspouts yet.
Out in the back yard's new veggie bed I finally staked the tomatoes. They are coming along very nicely, especially the Roma's. The parsley is SLOWLY coming back - I have staked the 'body' of a milk jug around each of them to deter baby bunnies. I worry that I'm not harvesting the basil fast enough to stop it from bolting. Onions are lagging there.
I've harvested lambsquarters two times to serve as dinner veggies. The husband finds it a bit bitter, but LOVED it when I steamed it and added a cream sauce. Even if the 'cream sauce' was just a can of cream of mushroom soup!
FAMILY BUSINESS
Huband still working on getting new web site up. Main customer still down, no replacement. Should e-mail distributor today to see how month's product sales are going. Will eventually put a link to the NEW web site up here, but our current web site is so miserable I don't want to link it. I'm sure all of you want to buy USB HID and TCP programming products, but you'll just have to wait. Okay, if you insist on buying them, let me know. Or if you need Windows programming, or USB HID peripheral programming.
I'M STARTING A BUSINESS!!!!
I've been training to become a Mastermind group leader (Dr. Ben Mack's Carnegie Mastermind group construct). The first group starts tomorrow night, one hour weekly, by phone or computer. I'm looking to start groups on a whole variety of topics, including but probably not limited to: survival gardening, food storage, food storage cooking, divination/scrying, Wizard Tag, Intimacy with the Divine, Thaumaturgical magic, creating sacred space, and Business Skills for Pagans. All of this will be explained in more detail here and on .....
MY NEW WEB SITE
Far be it from me to let my husband have all the new web site fun. Yes, I'm finally building a full web site. I just installed Joomla on Sunday, and have been working on adding one article a day. I need to figure out buttons today, as well as adding a new article and getting a clue on how to do squeeze/registration pages.
THE REST OF LIFE
On top of all that, clothes still need to be washed, meals cooked and cleaned up after, the house needs cleaning, and the Solstice was this last weekend. Not that I made it to the ritual - the car died AGAIN, after $1K work of work on it. I spent the afternoon in a parking lot about 5 miles from the park we were meeting at, waiting for my husband's help.
So, that's what's up here. I'm not commenting on Iran, or the train crash here in DC yesterday, or any deep philosophical stuff at this point. But maybe someday I'll explain that in terms of Celtic Reconstructionism - in an odd way it makes sense.
Frondly, Fern
Sorry about the lack of posts - I may have to accept that over the summer I'll just be posting particularly sporatically. But let me tell you why ...
IN THE GARDEN
The spawn sort of hoed and weeded the older beds. I got the sweet peppers in (late) and started the first planting of beans (on time). The beans have not sprouted. At all. The exceptionally cute baby bunnies, who have worked hard at eating my parsley and salvia to the ground insist that they are NOT to blame for this (they say that they prefer them with the first tender real leaves before they eat them). So I should be planting more beans today. This planting was planned as the second bed. Oh well. The onions there are thriving, as are 4 of the 5 sweet peppers. I think my son mowed the 5th pepper, but I've not pressed him on that point.
The flowers by the front door are still not totally planted. Mostly because it has been too wet to plant them. We have had incredible rain this month! Oh - I have a new rain barrel, but haven't set it up with the downspouts yet.
Out in the back yard's new veggie bed I finally staked the tomatoes. They are coming along very nicely, especially the Roma's. The parsley is SLOWLY coming back - I have staked the 'body' of a milk jug around each of them to deter baby bunnies. I worry that I'm not harvesting the basil fast enough to stop it from bolting. Onions are lagging there.
I've harvested lambsquarters two times to serve as dinner veggies. The husband finds it a bit bitter, but LOVED it when I steamed it and added a cream sauce. Even if the 'cream sauce' was just a can of cream of mushroom soup!
FAMILY BUSINESS
Huband still working on getting new web site up. Main customer still down, no replacement. Should e-mail distributor today to see how month's product sales are going. Will eventually put a link to the NEW web site up here, but our current web site is so miserable I don't want to link it. I'm sure all of you want to buy USB HID and TCP programming products, but you'll just have to wait. Okay, if you insist on buying them, let me know. Or if you need Windows programming, or USB HID peripheral programming.
I'M STARTING A BUSINESS!!!!
I've been training to become a Mastermind group leader (Dr. Ben Mack's Carnegie Mastermind group construct). The first group starts tomorrow night, one hour weekly, by phone or computer. I'm looking to start groups on a whole variety of topics, including but probably not limited to: survival gardening, food storage, food storage cooking, divination/scrying, Wizard Tag, Intimacy with the Divine, Thaumaturgical magic, creating sacred space, and Business Skills for Pagans. All of this will be explained in more detail here and on .....
MY NEW WEB SITE
Far be it from me to let my husband have all the new web site fun. Yes, I'm finally building a full web site. I just installed Joomla on Sunday, and have been working on adding one article a day. I need to figure out buttons today, as well as adding a new article and getting a clue on how to do squeeze/registration pages.
THE REST OF LIFE
On top of all that, clothes still need to be washed, meals cooked and cleaned up after, the house needs cleaning, and the Solstice was this last weekend. Not that I made it to the ritual - the car died AGAIN, after $1K work of work on it. I spent the afternoon in a parking lot about 5 miles from the park we were meeting at, waiting for my husband's help.
So, that's what's up here. I'm not commenting on Iran, or the train crash here in DC yesterday, or any deep philosophical stuff at this point. But maybe someday I'll explain that in terms of Celtic Reconstructionism - in an odd way it makes sense.
Frondly, Fern
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