As we get into the blast-furnace days of August, it is importantto ensure the health of the veggies with some extra attention. Ifthe plants are weak or infested with insects, there will be adisappointment at harvest time, with small, malformed andpoor-flavored pickings. Of course, if the infestation is allowed tocontinue, the plants can die, eliminating any harvest.
Only an hour or so weekly can make all the difference in theworld, ensuring robust growth and bountiful quantities of deliciousfruits.
The vined plants - cucumbers, squash and the melons - aresusceptible to a variety of problems. The first of these is the vineborer, which, as the name indicates, burrows into the vine itself,and, left unchecked, will kill the plant. Prevention is the keyhere. A sprinkling of rotenone around the base of the vine willprotect it from attack, but if the pest has gotten into the vine, itmust be removed.
The first sign of intrusion is wilting of the foliage.Inspection of the base stem will show a hole, and there will besawdust-like deposits on the ground under the hole. Take a smallknife and slit the vine, starting at the hole, taking care not topenetrate the other side. Keep looking for the offender as you go,cutting only as far as needed to find it. Remove the worm and coverthe cut area with three to four inches of soil. It should healquickly and send out additional roots to further strengthen theplant.
Root crops are another source of worry for the gardener. Theonions, beets, carrots, turnips and others are all susceptible toattack from root maggots. They are the pupa stage of a fly, andleft unchecked, can decimate a crop. Again, the best program isprevention, utilizing diazinon powder or granules, which I prefer forease of application. Sprinkled around the base of the plants, thenscratched in, they offer virtually fool-proof control. If you pulla few plants and see lines of gouging on the root, you know it istime for this treatment.
All of the cabbage family are now being visited by little whitebutterflies with black spots on their wings. It's cabbage looperseason, folks! Uncontrolled, these can easily ruin an entire crop.
Time to mix up the Thuricide spray. This garden helper,mentioned in an earlier column, is the safest and most effectivecontrol for this pest as well as all other leaf-chewing intruders,the gypsy moth caterpillar. There is no risk to humans or animalswhen using the bacteria-based spray, and it can be applied up to dayof harvest. Reach the spray-wand nozzle far into the center of theplant, as the tenderest leaves are this worm's favorite cuisine. Acouple drops of liquid dish soap, added to the mixture, helps it tostick to the leaves. I add dish soap to all the treatments to ensureI won't have to go back and do it over next week.
The heat-loving tomatoes are taking off like mini-jungles now,and they require more pruning and tying to keep the fruit large aswell as plentiful. Continue to tie the main branches to stakessecurely as the fruit can get so heavy, branches will break off. Ihave seen this many times when people go on vacation for two or threeweeks, without tying the plants at a higher level.
All the plants need a good dose of fertilizer now, especially ifthey were only given a shot at planting time. That's all used up bynow, so must be replaced this month. Actually, I try to give thecrops a small dose every four or five weeks, rather than large joltsinfrequently. They do better if given more or less constant growingconditions. Take a look inside a commercial greenhouse sometime.You'll see automatic timers running the sprinklers, and they usuallyhave a siphon device attached to add balanced liquid fertilizer invery dilute solutions. In addition, most have thermostaticallyactuated top windows that open if it becomes too hot, then close atnight to retain the warmth from the day. Nice, eh?
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