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Post by DirtDiva Admin on Jul 5, 2020 16:46:18 GMT -6
It's a hot one today. I watered some this morning. Hubby picked gooseberries. Picking gooseberries is an every other day chore these days.
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Post by Ebcsmom on Jul 5, 2020 21:37:24 GMT -6
It was a super hot for us as well. We aren’t too far from you neck of the woods. After church we walked our garden to see we are losing two more Roma tomatoes. Our garden has been a little more of a struggle this year for us. We have gardened for 18 years and the weather has been the strangest this year! We picked some zucchini, squash and cucumbers. Our first ripe cherry tomato was a welcome sight today.
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Post by handmaid on Jul 5, 2020 21:39:21 GMT -6
I didnt get out there today due to my job. Kind scared to see how things stand out there when I get a chance!
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Post by DirtDiva Admin on Jul 6, 2020 7:25:00 GMT -6
It was a super hot for us as well. We aren’t too far from you neck of the woods. After church we walked our garden to see we are losing two more Roma tomatoes. Our garden has been a little more of a struggle this year for us. We have gardened for 18 years and the weather has been the strangest this year! We picked some zucchini, squash and cucumbers. Our first ripe cherry tomato was a welcome sight today. Why are you losing tomatoes?? I agree we have been in this area almost 6 years and the weather this year has been unusual. We are picking zucchini as well. Also wrapping up onions, cabbage and beets. We got a really late start because of late frosts and cold.
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Post by DirtDiva Admin on Jul 6, 2020 7:26:17 GMT -6
I didnt get out there today due to my job. Kind scared to see how things stand out there when I get a chance! Lol. Boy have I been there lots of times. They get way from you fast and then you go out and have a forest.
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Fern
New Member
Posts: 34
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Post by Fern on Jul 6, 2020 8:15:23 GMT -6
It's hot and humid here in southeastern Oklahoma, has been for several weeks. We have to make sure any outdoor work is done early morning or late evening.
The garden is not producing anywhere close to a normal year. I think it is related to the Grand Solar Minimum and increased intensity of solar radiation. Our first and last average frost dates have cut a month off of the growing season in the last 10 years causing a needed change in our gardening efforts, successes and failures.
I plan to plant corn today to grow extra food because of what is happening in the world, weather wise, culturally, politically and economically. It is a 76 day maturing variety so we hope it makes before first frost.
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Post by DirtDiva Admin on Jul 6, 2020 10:05:50 GMT -6
It's hot and humid here in southeastern Oklahoma, has been for several weeks. We have to make sure any outdoor work is done early morning or late evening. The garden is not producing anywhere close to a normal year. I think it is related to the Grand Solar Minimum and increased intensity of solar radiation. Our first and last average frost dates have cut a month off of the growing season in the last 10 years causing a needed change in our gardening efforts, successes and failures. I plan to plant corn today to grow extra food because of what is happening in the world, weather wise, culturally, politically and economically. It is a 76 day maturing variety so we hope it makes before first frost. Fern even in the 6 years I have been here I have seen a change in the growing season. Like you I planted every space I could find and plan to can everything I can grow. Just am uneasy about the whole way the country and world are going.
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Post by bamadeb on Jul 6, 2020 11:47:34 GMT -6
Hello ,new to this, I love gardening!
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Post by bamadeb on Jul 6, 2020 11:49:08 GMT -6
Hello ,new to this, I love gardening!
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Post by cherylt on Jul 6, 2020 13:58:53 GMT -6
It’s so hot and humid in my part of Alabama. I picked beans and cucumbers this morning. If I don’t get out there early enough I get too hot. I picked just enough squash to make a casserole for supper and picked the first Cherokee purple tomatoes of the season. I had a tomato sandwich for lunch.
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momof6
Junior Member
Posts: 76
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Post by momof6 on Jul 6, 2020 14:18:54 GMT -6
Its hot and humid in Kentucky too. We went out of town for a couple days over the 4th weekend and I have this GRASS growing instead of weeds in my garden! Its thick and taking over. I'm gonna have to Sharpen the hoe.
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Post by DirtDiva Admin on Jul 6, 2020 15:07:23 GMT -6
It’s so hot and humid in my part of Alabama. I picked beans and cucumbers this morning. If I don’t get out there early enough I get too hot. I picked just enough squash to make a casserole for supper and picked the first Cherokee purple tomatoes of the season. I had a tomato sandwich for lunch. There is nothing on earth like a fresh tomato sandwich warm out of the garden. That is a slice of heaven right there. Mayo and Holsum bread. The stuff of legends.
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Post by DirtDiva Admin on Jul 6, 2020 15:09:22 GMT -6
Hello ,new to this, I love gardening! Gardening has been such a joy in my life throughout my life. I had my first flower bed when I was just a small child. Zinnias, marigolds, petunias and touch me nots. Those humble little flowers changed my life forever.
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Post by Ebcsmom on Jul 6, 2020 18:04:50 GMT -6
It was a super hot for us as well. We aren’t too far from you neck of the woods. After church we walked our garden to see we are losing two more Roma tomatoes. Our garden has been a little more of a struggle this year for us. We have gardened for 18 years and the weather has been the strangest this year! We picked some zucchini, squash and cucumbers. Our first ripe cherry tomato was a welcome sight today. Why are you losing tomatoes?? I agree we have been in this area almost 6 years and the weather this year has been unusual. We are picking zucchini as well. Also wrapping up onions, cabbage and beets. We got a really late start because of late frosts and cold. I’m not sure what is wrong with them. They are wilting, and and just look like they need water, then turn brown. I have always had really good success with tomatoes. This year is a struggle for me in my garden. I don’t know why I expected any different. I’ve almost lost all my cucumbers to maybe bacterial wilt or powdery mildew, I’m pretty sure two more squash are gone. We planted more squash and cucumbers today. I’ve never planted this late. So we shall see. I have lived in this area (middle TN) my whole life (I am 40). Actually I’ve lived on the same farm. My garden area has been farmed for years we really need to do some raised beds and try to amend our soil more. It’s a pretty discouraging year garden wise for us. We are one income homeschoolers who really depend on the garden and what we put up to help us get by. Squash bugs are killing us this year, I have picked and picked them off and am using an organic spray called captain jacks. Would anyone happen to have any recommendations for them?
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Post by DirtDiva Admin on Jul 7, 2020 4:20:55 GMT -6
Why are you losing tomatoes?? I agree we have been in this area almost 6 years and the weather this year has been unusual. We are picking zucchini as well. Also wrapping up onions, cabbage and beets. We got a really late start because of late frosts and cold. I’m not sure what is wrong with them. They are wilting, and and just look like they need water, then turn brown. I have always had really good success with tomatoes. This year is a struggle for me in my garden. I don’t know why I expected any different. I’ve almost lost all my cucumbers to maybe bacterial wilt or powdery mildew, I’m pretty sure two more squash are gone. We planted more squash and cucumbers today. I’ve never planted this late. So we shall see. I have lived in this area (middle TN) my whole life (I am 40). Actually I’ve lived on the same farm. My garden area has been farmed for years we really need to do some raised beds and try to amend our soil more. It’s a pretty discouraging year garden wise for us. We are one income homeschoolers who really depend on the garden and what we put up to help us get by. Squash bugs are killing us this year, I have picked and picked them off and am using an organic spray called captain jacks. Would anyone happen to have any recommendations for them? One thing at a time let's start with tomatoes. I would say your problem is fungal. Bacterial wilt or possibly fusarium. Some things I do. 1. When I plant tomatoes I always put a thick mulch of some kind around the bottom. Many wilts are soil borne and when it rains the soil splashes on the leaves bringing the bacteria that causes the plant to wilt from the bottom leaves up. Putting straw or even newspaper around the plant and covering the soil helps this. 2.Once your plant gets a little size and sets that first bloom I cut every leaf off below that first bloom. The tomato plant grows upward and the bottom leaves below that bloom serve no purpose. As the bottom tomato ripens I cut the bottom leaves off. There is no longer fruit for those leaves to shade. As I pick tomatoes up the plant I continue to cut off leaves. I find in humid climates like Tennessee this helps with wilts. 3.Sprays: Neem oil sprayed early can help and is considered organic. Copper fungicides for grapes can also help. Many people spray a milk spray. 1 cup milk to a gallon of water for bacterial spray. You can do that like once a week. Scientific studies have shown that it works. Especially on mildew. Remember an ounce of prevention and all that. 4. Leave plenty of room between your plants for air circulation. This is a biggie. 5. Rotate your crops so that you are not always planting tomatoes ( and potatoes) in the same soil. Squash bugs: The bane of my existence. 1.When I plant my squash I throw out a hand full of dill seed. For some reason the squash bugs seem to not like the smell of it. I plant it around the garden and now it just volunteers and I let it. Even if I don't use it all. The beneficial insects love it. 2. Find the eggs on the underside of the leaves. Get a small jar and a little artist paint brush. I take oil ( olive, mineral or neem) and paint the eggs. just dab them good. Just on the underside of the leaves. Not any on top. The oil coats the eggs and prevents them from getting oxygen. Thus they don't hatch. DO NOT get any oil on the top of the leaf where sunlight will hit it. It will burn the leaf. 3. I plant squash every 3 weeks in different areas of the garden. After a while your plant gets old and starts to look ratty. I pull it up and burn it. I have younger plants coming on that are healthier. 4. Every week spray a milk wash for mildew prevention.
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