2024 June Musings
Judy’s Garden: Maturing peas. Tomatoes about to be cage
Sequentially planted potatoes.
Greetings fellow gardeners,
Change is in the air! We're past the peak of the heatwave- at least this one! We received a solid half inch of rain to cool the soil and quench some of the thirst both perennials and veggies have endured.
During that heat, I hauled water by hand to individual plants with little relief to most. Veggies drooped by day, while foliage yellowed on daylilies and many shrubs. With little water to spare on this end, this kind of heat both day and night takes its toll. Luckily, however, enough rain has come in the nick of time, and the plants have perked up.
In the veggie gardens, June 10th found me finally finishing up planting all those seedlings that I started months ago- even the overflow found a niche here, there, or with fellow employees. Tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants have been staked and caged. Sequentially planted potatoes are looking good under Gene's watchful eye. Colorado potato beetles and 3 lined potato beetles continue to be problematical. We remove adults and larvae by hand coaxing them into a soapy water demise. When plants are about 6 inches tall, we begin the hilling process- first by fertilizing each side of a row with Espoma Tomato-tone and then snuggling soil against both sides of the row. As plants take off, hilling becomes much more intensive. Peas have podded up nicely and are about ready to start harvesting. Squash, cukes, and annual herbs are cute healthy babies.
Hungarian Magyar Paprika Peppers getting established.
Now it's the third week of June. Some cucumber mosaic virus has shown up on cucumbers. One application of Fung-o-nil has suppressed that. After these few showers, I'll do this again. I need a good crop for our favorite bread and butter pickles. Plus someone else in the family has waited two years for dill pickles. Jeez, I've never made these before; the pressure is on! And, oh, how we can't wait for fresh cukes, just-plucked tomatoes, fresh basil, and jack cheese resting in a bath of seasoned gourmet rice vinegar!
Onions and garlic started to suffer in the heat but are now back on track. We've made our last application of natural nitrogen fertilizer and now keep them weeded and watered. By the way, you've removed all the pigtails on your own garlic, right? We want BIG bulbs!
Garlic Looking Fine with Young Winter Squash. Don’t worry! The squash will have plenty of room once the garlic has been harvested.
We're now on the last leg of the pea harvest. They've been delightful, but I didn't plant enough! I think I'll start some more next week. It's always a bit tricky for late-season maturity with daylight waning, but I'm eager to try. Pole beans are about to be planted. Yes, we are certainly late on that one, but we still have time. Late-planted summer squash and zucchini are now budding up, and winter squash is starting to vine. Please allow me now to repeat advice: stay observant! I see the first Asiatic garden beetles showing up (they love basil). Japanese beetles make their presence known soon (watch out raspberries!). Customers are bringing in damaged leaves from sawflies. Our newest employee, Claire, diagnosed hibiscus weevil ( a difficult one) on that namesake plant- (look for skeletonized leaves). Early blight, leaf spot diseases, and late blight on tomatoes come with heat and humidity and can be devastating to tomatoes. We apply Fung-o-nil at first sign- usually, that's now (June 20ish), but due to recent dry conditions, we've been spared so far. That will change soon. Be sure to water at the base of plants- not overhead!
As far as perennials are concerned, I'm trying to weed and mulch before the pine needles fall in September. Yes, I am way behind. I must confess, though, I am very excited to be adding more native plants to my beds, while at the same time eliminating poor performers. Natives are so important to the entire animal kingdom. We certainly hope you jump on board with providing them in your own gardens. Please check out The Big Little Garden for wonderful information and inspiration.
Before closing, and on an entirely different note, I want to mention that we are blessed with a glorious pair of orioles visiting our feeder constantly. They sop up Birdberry Jelly like there's no tomorrow! We are mesmerized by them and spend way too much time watching! Hummingbirds are scarcer here this year, but we see them hanging with our neighbor. Porch life with a plethora of bird activity all around us is just plain heavenly.
That's it for now. Have a safe and fun 4th!
Judy