Nasties in the Garden

Had to cut back the beans to the ground today. During the last round of rainy days there was an attack of powdery mildew and bacterial blight. They quit growing and blooming so I just removed them today. Good news is there is two small seedlings coming up where one of the beans was in the square foot.

More worms they have discovered the radish seedlings. I will have to spray tonight. Also more worms on the brussel sprouts.

Half of one of the pots of radishes has been taken out by damping off. 

On the Kohlrabi, I am noticing the bases beginning to swell. 

Tomato Experiment

The tomatoes I tried planting in the gym on top of the heat mat have failed. I think this is largely to do with not enough sunlight. Ironically the okra that I thought was going to fail had a one hundred percent sprout rate.

Decided to try and sprout tomatoes outside. I have planted five tomatoes and the purple tomatios in small ceramic pots on the ledge. I am trying to keep them moist enough to sprout.

Bolting spinach

The picture above is my boradleaf longstanding spinach that went to seed today or yesterday without me getting one single lead off them.




Two more okra have sprouted today.




The French breakfast and watermelon radishes have sprouted.





I wonder what makes my cauliflower grow elongated small flower heads.

Sprouting Seeds

The following seeds have sprouted:
1. Easter Radishes
2. Maybe Strawberry Seeds?
3. 1 French Breakfast

Seeding radishes

Seeded three more sections of radishes today. They were plants in the squash adjacent square feet. Experiment to see if I can squeeze out a radish or two before the squash explode.

Sprouting and planting

Noticed today four sprouts in the lemongrass container. They have taken forever may have been lack of watering on my part as they have been exposed to three days of good rain.

Seeded three radishes today in second boxes for squash and two pots on the patio:
1. Watermelon Mantang Hong Radish 50-70
2. Easter Egg Blend Radish 30
3. French Breakfast Radish 30

Released Beneficial Insects

I released or more like placed a strip of tricgogamma wasp eggs today in the middle if the broccolis to combat the imported cabbage worms today. Also I placed two praying mantis egg sacks out to help with pests.

Noticed leaf damage on the potato plants today need to research pest for potatoes.

Noticed quite a few of the onions and scallions are sprouting.

Noticed Roma tomatoes are setting fruit, I need to do research on how to help others set fruit. I also need to plan for protecting fruits from birds.

I am considering experimenting with columnar apples, cherries, and apricots.

Okra Seeds

Potted up Okra seeds today in peet moss starters on a heat pad. Also planted one group of three seeds that were floaters when I soaked them overnight, as I wanted to test and see if floaters were in fact not viable seed. With all this rain hopefuly some of my other okra will sprout in the plants.

I have fallen in love with Cordon and Minarette Apple trees. Now all I have to do is convince Bob of the importance of two apple trees and maybe a cherry tree in out garden.

Damping off of peas

Looks like definitely one maybe two of my Lincoln pea seedlings now has damping off. Research is showing most likely I was keeping them too wet in the beginning. Is frustrating since these were directly seeded into the ground unlike the others which were transplants.

Things to do next time:
1. Less water
2. Thin layer of sand
3. Do not keep seedlings in humidity as long after sprouting
4. Do not water at night.

Potato Instructions

Just in case they might disappear in the future here is the instructions I used for the potatoes:

credit: http://www.gardeners.com/Instructions-for-the-Potato-Bin/7099,default,pg.html

Instructions for the Potato Bin

The Potato Bin in our display gardens in Burlington, VT, just a few weeks before harvest.

We grew potatoes in a number of different fabric pots, and this one came out the winner, producing a big, 13 pound harvest. The porous fabric of the Potato Bag aerates roots, prevents heat build-up and allows excess water to drain away. Its compact size lets you grow your own potatoes in just about any sunny spot.

Potato Basics

1. Use certified seed potatoes
You’ll get best results if you use certified seed potatoes, such as our Flowering Potatoes. There are hundreds of varieties of potatoes available, varying greatly in fl avor, shape and length of growing season.

Most potato plants require 65 to 100 days to grow, mature and develop full size spuds. Early varieties that thrive in cool weather can be planted in the spring about two weeks before the last hard frost.

2. Cutting seed pieces
Some potato growers cut seed potatoes into chunks as they plant and others cut them a few days before planting and let the cut surfaces callous over. Either method works well. Each piece should weigh approximately 1-1/2 to 2 ounces with no less than 2 to 3 eyes (sprouts) per piece. Small seed potatoes may be planted whole.

3. Preparing the Soil
Potatoes prefer a rich loam soil with a pH of about 6.0. If you’re not sure of your soil’s fertility, take a soil test to measure the N-P-K levels. If your soil needs fertilizer, we recommend our All-Purpose Fertilizer. Follow the application instructions provided. At mid-season, if the leaves are slightly yellow or the plants are not growing well, add more fertilizer.

4. Planting seed potatoes 
Avoid planting potatoes too early in cold, wet soil. Let the soil warm to above 45 degrees F.

5. Watering and Irrigation
Growing tubers need regular and consistent watering. Keep the soil damp, but not soggy. The amount of rainfall you receive will affect how often you need to water. Typically, 1 inch of rainfall per week is sufficient. You can use a rain gauge to keep close watch. It’s important you don’t over-water the Potato Bag. This could result in rotting tubers. However, not watering enough will reduce your potato yield. If you live in a region with very hot summer weather, you may need to provide partial shade or position your Potato Bag where it will be shielded from intense heat.

6. Pests and diseases
Most pests and diseases can be prevented with healthy soil and consistent watering. If your plants do become infected with a disease, replace the soil in the bag before planting the following year. Add a humus-rich compost to discourage the disease from returning. Identify the insects in your garden. Become familiar with insects that are beneficial and those that are pests. Common potato pests such as Colorado potato beetle and potato leafhopper can be removed by hand or controlled with repeated use of an insecticidal soap.

Don’t forget to check the undersides of leaves! Persistent observation and removal is the key to pest control.

Planting Instructions

Step 1. Two days prior to planting, cut seed potatoes into pieces with at least two or three eyes each and allow them to callous over.

Step 2. Combine 1/2 garden soil with 1/2 compost and fill the Potato Bag about 1/3 full.

Step 3. Plant five seed potatoes in the soil and compost mixture, evenly spaced.

Step 4. Water the soil until it is consistently moist throughout, not soggy.

Step 5. As the potato seeds grow stems, mound more soil/compost mixture on top of them, making sure not to cover too many leaves—the leaves need exposure to air and sun to make the plant’s food.

Step 6. As potato stems and leaves continue to grow, keep adding the soil/compost mixture until eventually reaching the top of the bag.

This Potato Bin is ready for harvest.

Step 7. The potato leaves and stems will start to turn yellow toward the end of the summer and into the fall. (Exact timing depends on the potato variety and what zone you are growing in.) When cooler weather settles in and the foliage has died back, stop watering completely about two weeks prior to harvest. When the potato plant leaves turn almost completely yellow, the potatoes are ready for harvesting.

Step 8. To harvest, pull out all of the stems and leaves. To prevent cutting the potato flesh, use your hand instead of a trowel to carefully dig around in the soil to find the hidden potatoes.

Step 9. Spread the potatoes out in a single layer to dry for a day or so. Then you can easily brush the soil off and the potatoes will be ready for storage. Store the potatoes a cool, dry place, with good ventilation.

Step 10. Empty the Potato Bag and allow it to dry. Brush away any dried soil, fold, and store the bag in a dry location until next spring.

Aphids attack

Discovered aphids today on the broccoli and small greens specifically the spinach so far. Have also been fighting imported cabbageworm butterflies. I have been combing the plants for the eggs they lay will treat with BT tomorrow. Bought lady bugs to release tonight.

Set up potato bags today. I mixed
• one bag Hu Max
• One bag compost
• 1/4 bag expanded shale
• 3 scoops green sand
• 1/2 scoop molasses
• 1 tsp per potato north haven garden fertilizer

Planted 7 potatoes per bag French fingerling and blue

Planted 5 potatoes per bag Yukon
Worried about Yukon since did not get 2-3 eyes per potato

Planted following seeds
1. Squash straightneck
2. Vegetable spaghetti
3. New england sugar pie
4. Zucchini rampicante
5. Butternut Waltham
6. Watermelon sugar baby
7. Honey rock melon (last seeds did not sprout)
8. Sweet corn country gentleman
9. Boston pickling
10. Lemon cucumber
11. Okra
12. Yellow wonder strawberries

I think I had problems with damping off on many of the seedlings that fell over and had weak stems especially cukes, watermelon, and some squash.

Tomatoes are having problems with the leaves turning yellow and drying out. I need to research this problem.

Broccoli bolting cucumber mass suicide

The broccoli I bought that already had a head on it bolted when warm spring weather got here this week. Need to remember not to pick cold crops with head already. Also need to remenber to pick ones that the stem is short and close to the earth. The tall stemmed ones I bought seem to be struggling with the wind.





Picture of bolted broccoli

Discovered both the cucumber plants dead Saturday morning the stems had fallen over in half not too suprisimg since they had lost all their leaves. When I pulled them up found baby slugs on the roots will reapply sluggo tomorrow. Squash plants seem to be struggling with too long a stem and losing their leaves since the wind has been merciless lately. I plan to remove them tomorrow. I will reseed both the cucumbers and squash tomorrow morning. I am switching the location of the cucumbers, so the okra is in between them to try and prevent cross polination. Next year I do not need to start squash or cucumbers for transplant instead seed them directly.

I sprayed liquid tea and sea fertilizer tonight.

Todays Notes

Planted successive seeds today:
Beet mix (all three)
Country Gentlemen Corn (2 square feet)
Amarillo Yellow Carrots
Lunar White Carrots
Cosmic Purple Carrots
Kohlrabi
New seeds were planted into north haven garden fertilizer enriched soil at rate of 1 tsp per plant.

Thinned greens down to three seedlings each

Found more cabbage loopers on greens treated with BT again

Todays Notes

Mulched transplants and tomato pots with Scotchman's organic compost crap

Staked vegetable spaghetti lankiness from seedling

Leaf damage noticed on:

• Butternut Waltham Squash
• Quadrato d'Asti Giallo Pepper
• Mustard Green Southern Giant

Suspect slugs treated all beds with sluggo

Treated areas with rabbit preventative

New Kale Sprouts in E2

Direct seeded Oregano Vulgare such low producer inside seed wanted to test

Direst seeded Lemon grass into pot to test germination only sprouted 1 of 4 peat pellets indoors did not thrive so was trashed

Released Lady bugs

Sprayed with fish oil and compost tea as foliar feed

• 2 gals H2O
• 2 lids fish oil
• 2 sprayers measures Compost Tea

In future only mic 1/2 gal H2O

Side dressed all seedlings with NHGHF at rate of:

• 1 tsp per plant for 4 plants and under
• general covering for 9 and over plants

worked into soil with stake

Todays Notes

Out door seeds sprouting

• Parsley Hamburg Root
• Parsnips
• Dwarf Siberian Kale

Removed following seedlings for replacement with transplant from North Haven

• Early Purple Sprouting Broccoli (3) B6, B10, B14
• Black Palm Tree Cabbage (3) A6, A10, A14
• Romanesco Italia Broccoli (3) left three recently sprouted for test in A3-A5 removed A7-A9
• Purple of Sicily Cauliflower (2) left one recently sprouted as test in A11 removed A12 and A13

Potted tomato transplants with herbs, celery, and lemon grass

Potting soil mix

• 1/2 bag Humax
• 1 bag Plano pure
• 1 bag expanded shale
• 1 bag Vital Earth Resources Compost
• 1 bag  Vital Earth Resources Potting Soil
  
• My worm castings
• Mixed 1 tsp of NHG Herb Fertilizer for each plant into top of soil
• Did not use Epsom Salts in tomatoes

Tomatoes transplanted:

• Brandywine Heirloom
• Celebrity
• Roma

North Haven transplants:

• B6 Veg Cauliflower
• B10 Veronica Cauliflower
• B14 Veronica Cauliflower
• A6 Jade Brussel Sprouts
• A7 Veg Broccoli
• A8 Arcadia Broccoli
• A9 Veg Red Cabbage
• A10 Brussel Sprouts Jade Cross
• A12 Early Dividend Broccoli
• A13 Veg Green Cabbage
• A14 Veg Red Cabbage

List of herbs planted (from North Haven)

• Oregano Hot and Spicy
• Parsley Curled (2)
• Oregano Golden
• Fennel Bronze
• Thyme Creeping mother
• Sage Berggarten
• Arugula
• Rosemary Trailing
• Pineapples Mint
• Dill Hercules
• Peppermint

Today Notes

Seed Failures:

Tomatios and Lemongrass have only sprouted one out of four peat pellets. I threw seedlings away today. Next year better lighting and pad warmer.

Okra still has not sprouted consider paper towel method or pad warmer next year.

North Haven Lecture Notes

Attended the Organic Gardening Lecture at North Haven Gardens today. Here are the notes I came away with:

• Check Squash at l ft for eggs under leaves scratch off to destroy
• Mix herbs into tomatoes
• Tomatoes no later than MArch 17
• Add Compost in Fall
• Add Manure straight into beds
• Untreated cedar for bed construction
• Terminate tomatoes - limit growth, undeterminate tomatoes  do not limit growth
• Look for drawf varieties of cukes
• Add Garden Innoculant for beans or peas
• Start tomatoes in May for second spring
• Feed every two weeks Organic fertilizer of liquid seaweed
• Flat leaf spinach cleaner
• Let broccoli bolt to attract beas if you have fruiting trees
• Black eyed peas second crop in August
• Polinate melons
• Squash, cukes, and melons will cross polinate!

Todays Notes

Five Color Silverbeet (8) and Dwarf Siberian Kale (8) by seed today. I tried to grow these indoors for transplant but too little light caused leggy seedlings.

Carnetan Leeks (28) and Texas Early Grand Onion (28) from seed today did not start enough seeds indoors.

Seeded the following as well:

1. Honey Rock Melons (2)
2. Country Gentleman Sweet Corn (4)
3. Siam Queen Thai Basil (4)
4. Chives (16)

Planted out Transplants of :

1. Vegetable Spagehetti Squash (1)
2. Table Gold Acorn Squash (1)
3. Romanesco Italia  Broccoli Started Late (3)
4. Lemon Cuke (2)
5. Boston Pickling Cuke (2)
6. New England Sugar Pie Squash (1)
7. Butternut Waltham Squash (1)
8. Quadrato d'Asti Giallo Pepper (2)
9. Purple Beauty Pepper (1)
10. Black Hungarian Pepper (1)
11. Oregano Vulgare(2)
12. Sugarbaby Watermelon (2)
13. Carentan Leeks (4)
14. Texas Early Grand Onions (4)