An Old Evil Returns
No, we are not moving to the science fiction genre; but it would be fun. The old evil is powdery mildew. It has come back with a vengeance. At this time of year there are two major challenges with cucurbits. 1) is dealing with the surplus production. 2) is keeping them alive. 2) will take care of 1) if we are not diligent.
Cucurbits suffer from a wide variety of ailments as the season progresses. The worst is a little worm that hollows out the stalk and causes the stalk and leaf to rot. This eventually kills the whole plant. Another big problem is the little worm that gets into the fruit itself and causes it to rot. This one can be dealt with by planting enough for you and the worms. The rotten fruits can go into a hot compost pile. This ends the worms life and contributes to next years produce.
Powdery mildew is disastrous if not caught early. The cure is to spray the leaves with a solution of baking soda and dish soap in lots of water. The first time I did this I thought I had killed my plants. The infected leaves all died. They are going to die anyway. The spray keeps the mildew from spreading. The healthy leaves do not seem to suffer from the spray. I sprayed this morning. I think I caught the mildew in time. I will let you know.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Friday, July 25, 2008
Doing Instead of Talking
Doing Instead of Talking
I have been so busy catching up from the Shanghai trip that I have not been able to write much. I have been doing garden work instead of talking about it. We are getting lots of everything except tomatoes. The tomatoes are a strange case. I planted some ordinary beefsteak; but most of the tomatoes are either the Porterhouse Beefsteak or Marglobe. The beefsteaks are huge; but they don’t have much flavor. It is like they have enough flavor for a little tomato spread through a big tomato. They will not work for canning in a water bath; because they don’t have much acid.
The watermelon fence is working great except for the few watermelons that fell through. I had to put things under them. Here is a picture of the watermelon fence. It was taken about 4 days ago and I had not cut the grass in the yard then. I have cut the grass since.
We have been getting lots of cucumbers; but my wife missed a lot while I was gone. We cut these huge cucumbers down the middle and took out the seeds. Then we chopped the cucumbers and put them in a jar with onions, vinegar, salt water and olive oil. They are good, good, good.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/.
I have been so busy catching up from the Shanghai trip that I have not been able to write much. I have been doing garden work instead of talking about it. We are getting lots of everything except tomatoes. The tomatoes are a strange case. I planted some ordinary beefsteak; but most of the tomatoes are either the Porterhouse Beefsteak or Marglobe. The beefsteaks are huge; but they don’t have much flavor. It is like they have enough flavor for a little tomato spread through a big tomato. They will not work for canning in a water bath; because they don’t have much acid.
The watermelon fence is working great except for the few watermelons that fell through. I had to put things under them. Here is a picture of the watermelon fence. It was taken about 4 days ago and I had not cut the grass in the yard then. I have cut the grass since.
We have been getting lots of cucumbers; but my wife missed a lot while I was gone. We cut these huge cucumbers down the middle and took out the seeds. Then we chopped the cucumbers and put them in a jar with onions, vinegar, salt water and olive oil. They are good, good, good.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/.
Friday, July 11, 2008
The Garden is on Autopilot
The Garden is on Autopilot
I hope. I have weeded & mulched and set up watering systems. All my wife has to do while I’m in Shanghai is pick the vegetables, maybe turn the watering system on and support new watermelons. Sorry, I haven’t written. I am not getting much garden lore here. Despite the climate, a lot of the food is preserved. I think that is because that is what the Shanghainese like, not because the fresh stuff is not available. When my wife and I were here in 2006, we got really sick; so I am not eating any thing with the peel on or anything that might have been washed and not cooked. I am passing up the very best. The few raw vegetables here look really delicious.
It has rained in Charlotte every evening since I left so yesterday was the first time my wife could get into the garden. She picked 9 tomatoes and patti-pan squash the size of dinner plates. The watermelons are soaking up the water and growing huge (for sugar-babies). She says the mosquitoes are doing well also. I have been spared the details; but I will bet the weeds are benefiting from the rain. More work for me. More material for the compost pile.
At least she doesn’t have to water. The irrigation really just keeps the plants alive. It doesn’t seem to make them grow and glow like rain does. Sorry for the long quiet spell. Monday is my day off. I will try to explore and report on the famous gardens (vegetable) of Shanghai.
David Segrest practices international real estate and writes an international real estate blog. Email is david@segrestrealty.com , Web page http://www.segrestrealty.com/ ,Blog http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
I hope. I have weeded & mulched and set up watering systems. All my wife has to do while I’m in Shanghai is pick the vegetables, maybe turn the watering system on and support new watermelons. Sorry, I haven’t written. I am not getting much garden lore here. Despite the climate, a lot of the food is preserved. I think that is because that is what the Shanghainese like, not because the fresh stuff is not available. When my wife and I were here in 2006, we got really sick; so I am not eating any thing with the peel on or anything that might have been washed and not cooked. I am passing up the very best. The few raw vegetables here look really delicious.
It has rained in Charlotte every evening since I left so yesterday was the first time my wife could get into the garden. She picked 9 tomatoes and patti-pan squash the size of dinner plates. The watermelons are soaking up the water and growing huge (for sugar-babies). She says the mosquitoes are doing well also. I have been spared the details; but I will bet the weeds are benefiting from the rain. More work for me. More material for the compost pile.
At least she doesn’t have to water. The irrigation really just keeps the plants alive. It doesn’t seem to make them grow and glow like rain does. Sorry for the long quiet spell. Monday is my day off. I will try to explore and report on the famous gardens (vegetable) of Shanghai.
David Segrest practices international real estate and writes an international real estate blog. Email is david@segrestrealty.com , Web page http://www.segrestrealty.com/ ,Blog http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Harlequin Bugs
Harlequin Bugs
Harlequin bugs are really pretty; but they sure do make a broccoli or Brussels sprout plant ugly. I found an infestation of them in my crucifer row. I did not know what they were. I did find them on the internet. The only remedy (not chemical) was to hand pick them or get praying mantises. It is too late for praying mantises. The plants are too tall and close together for hand picking. I might do more damage than the bugs.
I settled for a compromise remedy. I sprayed them with a pyrethrum spray made from geraniums. Just because it is made from geraniums doesn’t mean that is not a noxious chemical. It just lets me feel better about it. The rain was threatening Saturday evening so I waited until Sunday AM to spray. At about 11:00 AM the plants were still wet; but I sprayed anyway. I only saw 1 bug Sunday evening. Maybe the spray worked. I’ll let you know.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com/ , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/.
Harlequin bugs are really pretty; but they sure do make a broccoli or Brussels sprout plant ugly. I found an infestation of them in my crucifer row. I did not know what they were. I did find them on the internet. The only remedy (not chemical) was to hand pick them or get praying mantises. It is too late for praying mantises. The plants are too tall and close together for hand picking. I might do more damage than the bugs.
I settled for a compromise remedy. I sprayed them with a pyrethrum spray made from geraniums. Just because it is made from geraniums doesn’t mean that is not a noxious chemical. It just lets me feel better about it. The rain was threatening Saturday evening so I waited until Sunday AM to spray. At about 11:00 AM the plants were still wet; but I sprayed anyway. I only saw 1 bug Sunday evening. Maybe the spray worked. I’ll let you know.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com/ , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/.
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