End of Summer

It might be wishful thinking that end of summer thing, but the garden will soon be turned in preparation for Fall planting

For now, it looks like this.

Bees

Just weeks ago in Elmwood, Canada, local beekeeper Dave Schuit lost 600 hives, or a total of 37 million bees. Another Canadian farmer lost eight of his 10 hives.

The bees started dying in droves just after corn in the area was planted, an alarming red flag since corn seeds are often treated with neonicotinoid pesticides, which are known to kill insects by attacking their nervous systems.  Read more.

Homemade weed killer

Homemade Weed Killer

1 gallon of white vinegar
1/2 cup salt
Liquid dish soap (any brand)

Empty spray bottle. Put salt in the empty spray bottle and fill it the rest of the way up with white vinegar. Add a squirt of liquid dish soap. This solution works best if you use it on a hot day. Spray it on the weeds in the morning, and as it heats up it will do its work.

Sun scald in the low desert

PLANTS MOST SUSCEPTIBLE: Wide variety of sun sensitive plants including citrus, mimosa, mulberry, etc.

SYMPTOMS:

The bark on the South or West sides of the trunk becomes discolored and may split or crack exposing the wood beneath to disease and insect predators.


CAUSE:

• Newly planted trees may lack sufficient canopy to shade the bark
• Pruning in the Spring or Summer which exposes previously shaded trunk area to intense sunlight.
• 
  
MANAGEMENT:
Prevention

• Avoid pruning sun sensitive trees during the spring or summer. If pruning is necessary, try not to open up areas of shaded bark.
• Protect exposed areas by painting with a white, water-based paint, shading with a cloth or paper wrapping.
• 
  
Treatment
• Shade the effected area
• Monitor for bacterial or fungal infection and apply fungicide or 10% bleach solution if necessary

Pretty in July

Take a look at what grows in the garden in July.

In the heat of the summer

In the heat of the summer you can still find the gardeners tinkering around and repairing things.

 

Stay cool/

Grapes

If you want to learn how prune grapevines click here.

Name the vegetable

 

 

What is this?

 

Mosaic Stepping Stones

 

 

Thinking ahead and in preparation for the next garden sale, we are busy making stepping stones and decorating pots.

 

It is a lot of fun and the results are amazing.  See Kurt's coy above.

Growing Squash

Types of  Squash

            Grow the short maturity varieties

            Look for varieties resistant to powdery mildew

 

            Summer squash ( zucchini, crook or straight neck, patty pan)

                        Soft skins (not good for storage)

                        Bushy plants
                        Shorter harvest time
                        Plant in the spring (Feb-Mar.) Try replanting in Aug. and squash bugs may                                     be less      of a problem

            Winter squash (hubbard, butternut, acorn, pumpkins)

                        Hard skins (good for long term storage)

                        Mostly long, vining plants
                        Plant in Aug. for harvest in Nov.

 

Fruit set     

            ŸNot getting fruit:  May need to pollinate by hand.  Male has stem only below the flower   

                        Female has a bulb before the flower
                        Can take a small brush and brush pollen from one flower to the next

            ŸAiding pollination:

                        Plant pollinating flowers among your squash plants

                        Sunflowers are great pollinator attractors and make a hedge of shade.

Watering

            Mulch 4-6” around plants for moisture retention but not up against the stems

            Long and slow deep watering 1-2x’s a week for deep penetration
            Increase the number of days as temperatures heat up

            Mid day wilt is natural with squash.  If the plants refresh in the early evening or                   morning, do not water more.  If it stays wilted, increase the duration and possibly add another day.

            Squash needs shade at the hottest part of the day (3-7 PM) 

 

Pests and Diseases                           

            ŸDealing with powdery mildew (a white powdery residue on the leaves): 

             Causes :  over watering, crowded plants
         
            ŸSquash Bugs: Stages: egg, nymph, adult

            Check the tops and undersides of the leaves for the eggs which are reddish brown                         in a cluster.  Remove the leaves infested immediately, squash them, put them in a           plastic grocery bag tied up tightly and throw them in the trash can.  Do not compost any infected leaves.  (See Bug chart on bulletin board in the shed.)

            Neem oil will kill the nymphs but not the adults.

 

Prepared by Pam Smyth 4/23/13

A Desert Star

 

 

 

Short lived but rich enough to fill the heart for a long time.

 

 

Poppies

So beautiful and colorful. 

 

Get some here.

Ladybugs

Eaters of aphids.  More info here.

 

We say Potatoe

Potatoes are growing in many place in the garden.  Here are two.