Sorry this is coming to you so late, but I just had to get out after dinner and get some things done while it was cooler and the breeze had returned.
This week, the Japanese beetles arrived and have been munching on the raspberry leaves. If left to themselves, they would eat all the leafy parts, leaving just the veins (looks like lace, but it’s not pretty). Next, they’d start in on the new berries that are forming in the tops of the plants. Tonight, they got a complimentary shower of water and dish soap. Tough-shelled insects breathe through their exoskeleton, so coating them with the glycerin in dish soap smothers them. I’m happy to say that many got a nice shower and the second pass through, there were none moving. Score one for us!!
Also this week, the tomato and cucumber plants have turned into a jungle! In high heat, plants tend to produce large, dense leaf cover to protect their fruits. Tomorrow, my pruners, a clean cloth and rubbing alcohol will be in the garden as they are given their first full trim of the season. Those big, dangling leaves at the bottom need to be cut back, and now is also the time to thin out large leaves that are blocking good airflow and light through the plants. This is especially important in high humidity times when plants are already susceptible to fungal and mildew diseases. Now, I’m not a “single leader” grower like many greenhouse operations. Mine will get a haircut that is moderate.
The goals:
Keep lower leaves away from the soil
Get better airflow through the plant
Keep enough leaves to provide some shade to growing fruit
Remove leaves that grow inward, as they will just clog things up eventually
Make flowers and pollen more easily available to pollinators
Shift plant energy to flower and fruit production
Weeding is the first task on Monday’s list because it looks like I missed weeding last week, but I know that those gardens were weeded! After the weeding is done, those plants will get trimmed, and it’s also a good time to look at seeding more flowers for early fall and check your seed packets for fall squash “days to maturity”.
The first planting of peas is done and they’ll be pulled in the morning, with all viable peas removed and sorted. This gives our cherry tomatoes and second planting of cucumbers those trellises all to themselves. The second planting of peas look great and may give us a few pounds this week, so let me know if you want peas. Also on the “chopping block” are the first row of beets. They’re beautiful and so are their greens (use them just like chard – they’re cousins). These beets have grown too tall right next to a row of slicing tomatoes. So – who wants beets?? There are enough for 5 bundles. If you want fresh herbs to use for roasting those beets, I’m happy to cut some for you as a bonus for helping get those beets moved out.
The only other things that really come to mind for this week are deadheading flowers, pulling “extra” plants that are creeping too far, and taking time to sit and enjoy some shade while listening to the birds. I’ll take a tall glass of strawberry lemonade with that break!
Hope you all have a great week, and as always, let me know if you need help with a plant problem or need/want anything during the week.