Get annuals = get bees!

There are some great deals out there on flats of annuals right now. Kmart in Acton has flats of marigolds and impatiens for $1 per flat (six plants). They look a little wilty, but they are alive and I'm sure they'll be grateful for the space once they're planted!

Planting a little patch of flowers or a border of flowers around your veggies is a great way to attract bees and other pollinators -- I highly recommend it!

Pest Concerns, Regulation Reminders -- June 20 Update

Cosmetic Concerns

As you’re probably aware, some abutters are very sensitive; hence the granularity of some of the garden rules. Fencing, mulch, and containers are limited by design, and especially, color.

It’s important not to leave anything in the garden like retail packaging, colorful tools, or other material. If you can see it from the road, we will hear about it, as will our Town Hall advocates. Suggestion: If it’s unavoidable, hide it underneath the dark brown, dark green or black landscape fabric you may already be using. I have some I’m happy to share – please just ask!

I’ve enclosed the garden regulations for your reference. It’s important to give them your attention.

Ain’t No Bugs On Me?

Well, yes there are … another reminder that bugs are starting to dine at our organic buffet!

Today we spotted cabbage moth caterpillars munching away on our broccoli leaves. When they mature, they appear as those ditsy little white moths you see fluttering around the meadow. Cute, but destructive.

This is a picture of the critters on a broccoli leaf from today, with some damage:

Icky, right?

As with beetles, the main strategy against these guys is picking and squishing. We are Googling away tonight for an organic spray of some kind to keep them down, so they don’t gain a strong foothold.

In small quantities, this bug isn’t a death sentence. In fact, if you’re accustomed to organic broccoli – which is extra delicious, just like home-grown tomatoes – you’ve seen them before. When organic brocs come home, soak for 30 minutes or so in slightly warm water with a few tablespoons of white vinegar. This gets the worms out extremely well.

A reminder: Don’t forget to be on the lookout for yellow and black cucumber beetles and their egg clusters underneath leaves.

Cucurbit Contamination

Meanwhile, our cucurbits (cucumber and butternut squash) are showing white powdery mildew. This is a persistent fungus which kills leaves and can spread and kill fast. The best treatment is to remove leaves that are damaged and to spray to prevent it from spreading. 

Here's a picture of white mildew on a cucumber leaf:

White powdery mildew effects all kinds of squashes, and also beans and peas and well as many kinds of flowers, such as roses.

Last year, a 1/10 skim milk to water solution, sprayed hard over every surface of the plant, was effective. I have also read that a baking soda solution, sulphur sprays, and neem oil solutions are effective. If you have any success with these, please share!

In our case, there is lots of new growth on the plants that looks nice and healthy, so we expect the skim milk spray and trimming will be effective.

Extra Corn Seed Available

The weather has been less than ideal for the corn, and unfortunately, some of it didn’t pop up. We’ve left a baggie with extra corn seed, with the corn information in the common area. Please help yourself to some if you want to re-seed any blank spots.

The Well Is Well

And works wonderfully. Thanks, DPW!

Is Your Fence Fixed?

Please don’t forget to trim your fence so it doesn’t fold over. Everyone’s responsible for maintaining the fence adjacent to their plot.

Keep in Touch!

We’d love to her about how you’re doing. Please feel free to drop us a line to let us know how things are going, or with any questions. Photos for the blog of your efforts are very welcome!

In the nick of time

As the weather warms up and the skies dry out, the pump seems to be back in service full-time. Was over there after Fifer's Day and it drew water without being primed. I don't know how long it had been since the previous use, but the water in that came at first was hot, so it had been in the pipe for a while.
Anyway, it's good news.

There are two one-gallon milk jugs in a blue bucket to prime the pump as needed. Please keep them in that bucket when not in use. Oh, and please make sure the caps get back on the bottles when you're done.

Happy digging.

The pump

Vandals haven't taken the handle, but the pump still only works a bit. DPW was over Friday and found the leather inside has torn or cracked and needs to be replaced. We're working on it...

It's the obvious things

We wanted to share this link to the Farmer's Almanac: http://www.almanac.com/gardening

It's got all kinds of good/excellent information on gardening - including identifying and controlling pests, when to plant, etc. The long-range weather, best times to plant, even best times to fish are included.

Finally, we're still trying to figure out the pump. It's working, but it could be better.

Hope to run into you at Flerra.