How to plant a cool crop planter; how to combat the ravages of the gypsy moth.
Greetings fellow gardeners,
This weather is never boring. We have gone from rain and wind into humidity, and then it got quite chilly. As long as you are aware of the moisture levels of your plant pots, then any weather will be fine. All of my vegetables are growing well, and I am excited to see that there are little green tomatoes starting to form. It is a treat to see how our vegetable gardens evolve.
My pots of tomatoes are growing well, and the Kevin tomatoes are planted where there is room as well as being shared with friends. With the surge of rain, I checked to make sure that the pots were not getting too wet. If your tomato gets too wet or if it gets stressed, you may see curled leaves on the plant. Don’t panic, as the tomatoes will still be tasty. Maintaining a constant level of moisture is not an easy task. A sudden downpour may fill the pot, and days without rain will cause them to dry out.
Lately, I have been finding gypsy moth caterpillars on my bushes and roses and even on my annuals. I squish as I go and so far, am ahead of them. There are several methods to prevent an infestation in your trees, but many are detrimental to the creatures that you actually want in your garden. One of the best, safest and easiest methods of preventing the caterpillars from eating the leaves off your trees is to wrap the trunk in burlap or rough fabric. Wrap the burlap, about 12 to 18 inches wide, around the trunk of the tree. Tie some string or twine around the center, and then drape the cloth over the string. This overhang is where the caterpillars will seek shelter coming down from the tree or get caught coming up from the ground. You can find and squish them easily or drop them into soapy water.
The cool crop planter is doing well. The radishes have finished, and the heritage spinach is vining up the support. The peas have a few flowers, and the chard is growing well. If you would like to try a cool crop planter, you can plant one now. Find a large pot and place it in partial shade. You can use seeds or seedlings if you can find them. You can plant lettuce, spinach, chard, and peas and have a harvest in the fall. I prefer the heritage spinach because it vines and uses less room, but any spinach will do. These crops do well in the shade with only a few hours of sunshine. Adding a few begonias will add colour and you can nibble on begonia flower petals.
Cool crop planter
My pimento peppers are starting to bloom and form fruit. Now is the time to keep an eye out for caterpillars on your pepper leaves and be sure to give your peppers a light feeding as they start to form. I have mine in pots on my sunny back deck along with a pot of tomatillos. My salsa is going to be epic this year.
Pimento peppers and tomatillo
Keep watching the moisture levels of your pots. If you make it a habit to wander through your garden each day, you will be aware of how much water is needed and what might be eating your vegetables. Enjoy your week.
Judith. (Email: sghorticultural@gmail.com)
Veggie Bites are available at https://sghorticultural.wixsite.com/website or https://gardeningcalendar.ca/articles/veggie-bites/
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