Maybe the hot weather early in the garden cycle doesn’t hurt. It certainly isn’t inhibiting the vegetative growth in the garden. The tomatoes are growing like crazy and only a few of them have fallen over in spite of the fact that they have not been tied up. One plant even has a couple of little tomatoes and one of the yellow crookneck squash has a blossom.
The sugar peas miraculously started producing again and there was a spurt in broccoli growth. The cabbage which normally has poor success in our garden is doing well. One has been picked and there are two more ready to pick. Ana is making a marinated coleslaw with the one that was picked.
The garden has been sprayed twice with BT and the bug damage has been extremely minimal so far. Some of the broccoli leaves are getting pretty ragged. They may have been missed with the last BT spraying. Last night brought a half inch of rain, so the spraying will need to be renewed again tonight with special emphasis on the broccoli.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://davidsegrest.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
Monday, May 30, 2011
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
+90 Degrees not Good
Yesterday’s temperature was above 90 degrees. This causes the pollen that forms in some blossoms to deformed and prevents successful pollination. Tomatoes and corn are especially susceptible. Fortunately most of the corn is not yet blooming. There is no corn in our garden this year. It was too much of a temptation for the deer. The tomatoes are blooming. I think the high temperatures are the reason for last year’s poor tomato crop.
The sugar pea harvest has diminished to almost nothing. There are new blooms however so perhaps there will be more sugar peas. The vines still look healthy. They are almost 6’ tall. Usually by this time of year they are starting to get a little ratty. The squash are doing really well, but this morning one plant was laying on its side. The root system still seems to be well attached. Hopefully it will stand up by the afternoon.
The cucumbers have climbed about a foot on their fences. There are no blooms yet. Of the six grapevines only 1 has grapes. That is the same one that had grapes last year. The fig trees are loaded with little figs. Maybe we can make fig wine.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://davidsegrest.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
The sugar pea harvest has diminished to almost nothing. There are new blooms however so perhaps there will be more sugar peas. The vines still look healthy. They are almost 6’ tall. Usually by this time of year they are starting to get a little ratty. The squash are doing really well, but this morning one plant was laying on its side. The root system still seems to be well attached. Hopefully it will stand up by the afternoon.
The cucumbers have climbed about a foot on their fences. There are no blooms yet. Of the six grapevines only 1 has grapes. That is the same one that had grapes last year. The fig trees are loaded with little figs. Maybe we can make fig wine.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://davidsegrest.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Blossoms on Tomatoes
Friends are telling me they have little tomatoes on their vines. Some of ours have blossoms. 1st tomato jealousy sucks, but so does paying $10 for a tomato plant. The squash and cucumbers don’t have blossoms, but the plants are large and healthy. The cucumbers and pole beans are climbing. The lima beans that I thought were bush beans are putting out runners. If I was wrong this is going to be a tangled mess. They could be half-runners.
The tomato fence has not been finished and tomatoes are lying on the ground. That is an invitation to all kinds of pests. Now that some of the tomatoes have blossoms, they can use some fertilizer and/or side dressing with compost. Fertilizing the tomatoes before blooms appear causes the plant to concentrate its growth in the vine instead of in the tomatoes. The vines usually get too big anyway.
The potatoes in the bag are blooming away. The potato bag makes for difficult gravelling. It may be necessary just to wait until the tops start to die and harvest everything at once. A few new potatoes sure would be good with the sugar peas.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://davidsegrest.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
The tomato fence has not been finished and tomatoes are lying on the ground. That is an invitation to all kinds of pests. Now that some of the tomatoes have blossoms, they can use some fertilizer and/or side dressing with compost. Fertilizing the tomatoes before blooms appear causes the plant to concentrate its growth in the vine instead of in the tomatoes. The vines usually get too big anyway.
The potatoes in the bag are blooming away. The potato bag makes for difficult gravelling. It may be necessary just to wait until the tops start to die and harvest everything at once. A few new potatoes sure would be good with the sugar peas.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://davidsegrest.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
It’s Growing
This week has brought a lot of rain and sunshine and the combination has made the garden really grow. The picture of zucchini was taken on 5/15/11 and the bed is 4’ wide. The cucumbers have trellises now and they are already climbing them. A small start has been made on the tomato fence.
2 5’ 3” schedule 40 plastic pipes were purchased and cut into 20” sections. 5 of these were planted in the tomato row about 15” deep. The large bamboo shafts are placed in the pipes. The laterals on the trellis are tied to these. Last year the bamboo shafts were too unstable when they were sunk into the dirt. It is hoped that the pipes will be more solid. It is hoped as well that they will carry a huge weight of tomatoes.
The broccoli, cabbage and herbs are doing really well this year. We have been eating broccoli about twice a week and the cabbages are forming firm heads. It has been raining for about a week, so all of the BT has probably washed off of the plants and will need to be re-applied as soon as the rain stops.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://davidsegrest.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Productive Weekend
In spite of time out for Mother’s day this was a productive weekend. Little fences were built for the cucumbers to climb. One whole row of stakes were put in for the peppers. The garden was sprayed with BT to eliminate the cabbage loopers and other villains. The pole beans, okra and winter squash were all heavily side dressed with compost. Another step in completed the fence on the eastern side of the garden was completed.
There is still a lot to do. The remaining squash, cucumbers, lima beans, broccoli and cabbage still need to be side dressed. The irrigation system and the fence need to be finished. There is still a lot of stuff to plant in the front yard. The grass cutting and compost turning go on ad- infinitem.
The greenhouse is empty of plants and will need to be cleaned up before starting the propagation cycle. All of the cups and flats need to be washed and disinfected. The heat pads need to be cleaned and some of the shelves need renovation.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://davidsegrest.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
There is still a lot to do. The remaining squash, cucumbers, lima beans, broccoli and cabbage still need to be side dressed. The irrigation system and the fence need to be finished. There is still a lot of stuff to plant in the front yard. The grass cutting and compost turning go on ad- infinitem.
The greenhouse is empty of plants and will need to be cleaned up before starting the propagation cycle. All of the cups and flats need to be washed and disinfected. The heat pads need to be cleaned and some of the shelves need renovation.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://davidsegrest.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
Friday, May 6, 2011
Good Crop of Baby Rabbits
The yards at home and at the office seem to be hopping with baby rabbits. Yesterday as I went to the shed something jumped from under my feet. It was so small, I thought it was a chipmunk at first. It was a baby rabbit. So far, there seems to be no depredation in the garden. There is plenty of chickweed, clover and grass in the yard. If they will be satisfied with that, I will be satisfied with them.
The sugar peas are really plentiful. Only half of the bag was planted, but the yield is probably the best ever. They would be good with new potatoes. One disadvantage of the potato bag is that it is almost impossible to grapple new potatoes. The bag is almost full of dirt anyway so maybe it will just get dumped next week.
Knock on wood, the deer have not invaded the garden this year. The fence is not quite finished, but that is the number 1 project for the weekend. It would be good to clean up some of the vegetation on the neighbor’s side. I think that house is vacant and I may be able to get away with it.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://davidsegrest.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
The sugar peas are really plentiful. Only half of the bag was planted, but the yield is probably the best ever. They would be good with new potatoes. One disadvantage of the potato bag is that it is almost impossible to grapple new potatoes. The bag is almost full of dirt anyway so maybe it will just get dumped next week.
Knock on wood, the deer have not invaded the garden this year. The fence is not quite finished, but that is the number 1 project for the weekend. It would be good to clean up some of the vegetation on the neighbor’s side. I think that house is vacant and I may be able to get away with it.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://davidsegrest.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Irrigation
Every year the same issues come up with the redneck irrigation system. Several soaker hoses have bitten the dust. The 4-way manifold never lasts more than 1 season. The cheap hoses never last long. A trip to Lowes netted a new soaker hose; but the splitters were forgotten. Home Depot has them, but the splitters have moving parts, so they probably would not be any good if they came from Home Depot.
Last night the garden was watered moving a single hose between the soaker hoses. The un-hosed (is that a word?) rows were watered by hand. Today the clouds have threatened, but rain cannot be predicted until it happens, so watering will go forward unless the rain actually falls.
The potato bag is still growing like crazy. I did not have time to dirt it last night and the potato plants are 8” above the dirt. 1 of them looks as if it is ready to bloom. The sugar peas are making. I hope there will be new potatoes to cook with them.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://davidsegrest.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
Last night the garden was watered moving a single hose between the soaker hoses. The un-hosed (is that a word?) rows were watered by hand. Today the clouds have threatened, but rain cannot be predicted until it happens, so watering will go forward unless the rain actually falls.
The potato bag is still growing like crazy. I did not have time to dirt it last night and the potato plants are 8” above the dirt. 1 of them looks as if it is ready to bloom. The sugar peas are making. I hope there will be new potatoes to cook with them.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://davidsegrest.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
Monday, May 2, 2011
Everything is Up
As of April 28, everything in the garden has come up. 1 hill of spaghetti squash seems to have been munched by something, and about 1 foot of lima beans have also provided a little creature’s lunch. All of that will need to be replanted. All the little plants are so cute, I just want to pet them. Instead they are getting soaker hose installed. They probably prefer that anyway.
Most of the summer squash has true leaves and so far except for a few tomato plants that were gobbled by roly pollies, the bugs have not been too bad. There are a few isolated holes in the cabbages and kale, but they are not bad enough to get out the sprayer. When the little white moths start flitting around the BT will have to come out.
There is a tiny little artichoke on one of the artichoke plants and there is head forming on one of the broccolis. The potato bag is growing like crazy. Dirt has to be added almost every day and the bag is 2/3 full now. The true test will be if there are any potatoes in there.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://davidsegrest.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
Most of the summer squash has true leaves and so far except for a few tomato plants that were gobbled by roly pollies, the bugs have not been too bad. There are a few isolated holes in the cabbages and kale, but they are not bad enough to get out the sprayer. When the little white moths start flitting around the BT will have to come out.
There is a tiny little artichoke on one of the artichoke plants and there is head forming on one of the broccolis. The potato bag is growing like crazy. Dirt has to be added almost every day and the bag is 2/3 full now. The true test will be if there are any potatoes in there.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://davidsegrest.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
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