Finally! Summer has arrived in Western Washington. And, although it has been a cool, wet spring and summer so far, believe it or not, your soil may not be all that moist below the surface. Best way to tell if you need to water yet? Stick your finger in the ground. There’s no calender or clock that’s a better at telling you it’s time to water. Touch makes the best sense. So, get out there. Stick your finger in the ground. It’s okay. Dirt washes off with a little soap and water. You and your plants will be glad you checked. Still not sure what to do once you determine whether your root zones are too dry or you see mildew forming on leaves or slime in your water feature? Read on for more ways to help your garden beat the summer heat:
Posts Tagged ‘powdery mildew’
How To Help Your Garden Beat the Heat
Wednesday, July 7th, 2010
Garden Coach on How and Why to Monitor Your Crops Closely in Mid-Summer
Wednesday, August 5th, 2009I can barely believe it is already August. It seems like just last week I was planting cabbages into the hoop house, but really that happened about four months ago in March.
The Daily Edible Harvest Underway in Midsummer
Now I’m harvesting the last of those cabbages and planning where to put in new seedlings for a fall harvest. As well, I’m watching my summer crops closely — not just for harvest but also for pests and disease. When the food is ready, or even almost ready, that’s when it seems like the worst of the worst problems rear their ugly heads. Well, maybe I should back off on that statement — damping off on winter seedlings is pretty awful too!
So, what’s happening in the garden? Well, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, squash, beans, beets, and much more are ripening rapidly. I’m pulling ripe fruit, roots and leaves regularly — daily in many cases. And, as I’m out there checking my plants for what’s ready to eat, I’m also monitoring them for problems. And, unfortunately, I find problems everyday. I dream of a perfect garden, but in reality every year something fails. That’s the nature of working in a living, organic space. (more…)
Garden Coach Discusses How and Where Fruits are Formed on Squash Plants
Thursday, June 11th, 2009Robert from New Smyrna Beach, FL recently wrote in to garden help about problems he was experiencing with his zucchini plants. This was a great reminder to share a little bit of detail about the often confusing flowers put out by some of our favorite edibles including melons, cucumbers, squash, pumpkin and all the curcurbits in our veggie gardens. Robert writes:
“my zucchini plants seem to be small to begin with, but they are blooming and the blossoms fall off but no fruit is producing. my yellow and acorn are doing fine, please help. thanks “
Male Flower on Crookneck Squash Plant
Robert, thanks for writing in.
First, your zucchini plants may be small because they are young. Or, they could be planted in an environment that isn’t quite right for them. Have you tested the soil? Are they getting enough sunlight and enough water? Were they planted properly? Are there any pests attacking them? Any of these things could be contributing to their size.
Second, it is important to know that zucchini and other curcurbits (like squash, pumpkin, melon, cucumber) produce both male and female flowers, separately. Many other plants don’t separate their boy and girl parts in different flowers, so this confuses many gardeners. The flowers males are the big ones that usually appear first on the plants. These have no sign of fruit at their base. They are particularly important in attracting the pollinators to the garden and they produce important pollen for pollinating the fruiting flowers. However, they will never provide a fruit. The female flowers form with a tiny fruit at their base (by fruit, this means a zucchini in your situation). When this flower is pollinated, the fruit fattens up and becomes your dinner. So here’s hoping your boys will open at the same time your girls do! (more…)
