From having daily, and often torrential rain, the gremlins have switched the light switch to drought. And, with it, we’re getting a lot of hot days (for us, you southern gardeners!). We’re spending hours not only weeding but also watering in several of the gardens. This year, the North Garden is nearly a total bust. It has the most clay and was severely impacted by the 10 inches of rain plus more each day. The second planting of corns kind of came up, only to be eaten by the wire worms again this year. We won’t be planting corn out there for a few years. In a small garden you can add beneficial nematodes to take care of them. But on an acre, it would be too expensive. On to plan B. Don’t plant corn out there. They don’t bother beans, pumpkins, and squash.
Then there are the potato bugs. We are now hand picking them. After powdering and spraying them a couple of times, they’re reduced a lot in numbers. But we can’t let them multiply as they sure do that quickly. The potatoes look awesome this year and we want them to keep it up. We just walk along, pick and squish them. Will uses his hands but I drop them on the ground and squish them with my foot. I’m not squeamish but don’t like the orange guts.
Like the North Garden, the corn suffered a lot with the rain. I’ve planted our sweet corn to eat and can twice and, in a few minutes, I’ll go out and do it again in a corner where Will finally managed to eradicate the comfrey, he’d spread by tilling some into the garden from the bed at the edge. I don’t know if it’ll make a crop or not as it’s a 65-day corn, but I do know if you don’t plant it, it will not feed you! The sweet corn in the Wolf Garden also was severely stressed and we had to plant that twice. In one spot, the crows pulled all of it up in one day. Ish! Luckily, I have enough canned corn to last until next year when we hope to have a less challenging corn year.
Yesterday I was in the front yard, spreading wood chip mulch on a small bed of tulips. The plants had all gone dormant and the bed looked forsaken. I had to laugh as while I was working, both cats came and supervised, even though they don’t really get along. I guess I passed inspection.
— Jackie
Our corn is very stressed as well probably not as tall as me either and its middle of august, i had to plant mine as well twice cause of the dang birds as well, beans are coming up slowly, not doing as well as they did last year also had to replant them as well, with our pea they are also slow to, also had to replant them as well and now the birds are trying to eat them. carrots are slowly coming along with cucumbers, but our watermelon i have a feeling we will not get anything with that, have gotten flowers but no fruit, i really need to find some cow poo poo to help our garden out, but tomatoes and peppers are doing wonderful this year!
I have my third batch of 18 pints of yellow squash in my canner right now. They were big so I may.I’ve pretty soft squash when I take him out. But I am going to try to make a soup out of them. You can make soup out of butternut squash , so why not Yellow squash. Lee says we are too old to be planting three batches of corn. Also , have a lot more squash to can , but they are small.
You can also saute and add to canned soup or homemade soup. If homemade, you might not have to saute but definitely dice up. Fry up with potatoes (give the potatoes a head start). Add to chili or saute and use for taco topping.
I usually fry them up with just butter and onions. They are good that way.
Tell Lee you NEVER have too much corn, no matter how old you are!! I’d give a lot to have more this year, myself. Summer squash doesn’t have the flavor winter squash does but it sure will work as an ingredient in many recipes. Good for you!
Randomness I saw on the Keeping a Family Cow forum and wanted to make sure you were aware of..
https://www.kttc.com/2024/08/04/minnesota-sees-rabies-spike-due-infected-skunks/
Yes, we are aware that several animals, exposed to rabid skunks, tested positive for rabies. Fortunately for us, they are all in the southern part of the state. But it’s something we will definitely keep an eye on. Lucky for us we have very few skunks in our neck of the woods anyway.
We have been using a product from Bonide for Colorado potato bugs. It’s active ingredient is spinosad which is for organic gardening and is works like a dream. Just a little information if you want to try it. We live in central Wisconsin and have more than we need of those awful bugs.
Yep, I’ve used it several times. But when I went to buy some, there wasn’t any anywhere and I needed something NOW. We sprayed with pyrethrin once and dusted twice before that. Now we’re just hand picking and noticing some beneficials in the vines, hoping for them to help us out.
We tried your Bill Bean tomatoes last year but due to an herbicide problem in purchased compost (grrrr!) all of the tomatoes were a bust. But we tried old Bill again this year and WOWZA! Those are the biggest and best tasting tomatoes we’ve ever grown. Thanks so much for offering that seed! They’re done now and so just a pleasant memory but one that will be recreated next spring. :)
Nasty old wireworms. They do take a while to get gone from newly dug up soil. They got my potatoes one year, riddling the spuds with holes which killed the plants. After a couple of years growing something else there(can’t remember what), the wireworms were gone and the potatoes thrived.
You’ve had such a trying gardening year! Hang in there, Jackie. Better growing days are coming. I can’t remember; do you plant a fall garden?
No we don’t plant a fall garden as our season is way too short. We’re lucky to get 100 days that are frost free. But we’re happy with all we get. This year was hard but only goes to show that you need to be prepared. Not for the zombie apocalypse but just periods of hard times.
We absolutely love Bill Bean tomatoes. Our very favorite out of over a hundred varieties we grow.
There are those times when I’m canning and I think I have enough and almost feed some of the crop to the pigs. Then God reminds me what if next year is a bust and all your crops don’t do well? Glad you have enough corn til next year.
Me too! It’s like when God reminds you that you really should shut the garden gate and you don’t. And, here come the cows. Right into the garden. It doesn’t pay to ignore those little voices!!!
We are lucky in Copper Basin Alaska that we don’t have potato bugs. We had wet ground problems and never could plant the fenced area and grow peas. My daughter is doing most of the gardening because of my stroke. One of my sons came up and planted the potatoes but the weeds got ahead of us so we may not have as many potatoes as usual. I’m using a walker and am doing physical therapy but still can’t wield a hoe or run the tiller. Well at least I’m alive and can do chicken chores and wash dishes.
You raised your kids well. And you’d be surprised how many potatoes you’ll get. My grandparents tended to plant too big of a garden (grandpa worked a FT and a PT/PT+ job) and I remember the weeds being horrid in their garden. Yet always a good harvest of taters.
Sending good karma for your continued recovery.
Hang in there Howard. No matter how incapacitated I am, I’m always glad I’m not looking up at grass roots; the other option. You may well end up with potatoes. Last year, ours were very weedy too and we harvested two big bins. It was hard to find the vines though!! Glad your daughter is helping out.
Well, I am amazed to discover even the professionals (you and Will) even struggle with the garden occasionally. I’m so sorry.
I did not know that is what potato bugs look like! Thanks for the heads up.
Those kitties are adorable!
Oh yes, we do have our struggles too. That’s why I post them on the blog. That way folks can see everything is not always roses on a “real” homestead!! We’ll get by and next year will probably be fine.
My grandmother would take a large can, put a dab of some kind of fuel in it and fill half way with water. Put holes on each side of can so can be carried with a rope. We would walk potato rows picking off potato bugs and put in can. Sometimes she carried can while I picked and other times I carried can while she picked. Took turns and took awhile but we got it done.
Yep. As a child, Mom had me pick rose beetles off her roses. I dropped them into a big soup can filled with soapy water. Now I just pick a handful and put them down on a piece of hard ground and stomp on them. Instant fertilizer! Ha ha.
Please talk to me about comfrey. Do you use it and if so how? I have some but just planted it last spring. I have read so many differing reviews that I am not sure that I should keep it. Thank you.
We use comfrey leaves, wilted down, as a poultice for sore muscles and injuries. It works well. Some folks use it as a tea, but I hate all teas (and coffee too!) so we don’t. Comfrey is also a great mulch. Pull the big leaves and put them around plants. Goats and cows love it as a treat. You don’t feed it as a big part of the diet, but several leaves are relished.
It is very invasive so never plant it in the garden. It spreads by underground rhizomes and tilling it, as Will found out, REALLY spreads it around. Tiny pieces of rhizomes instantly grow more plants!!
Oh thank you. I have one plant in the garden and will remove it this fall. Great information. I appreciate it.
@Sheryl – if you an area away from your garden, it does make great ground cover. We transplanted it from our prior house and let me tell you, the deer love to sleep on it. The bees love the flowers.
Never thought about using it for mulch. I have enough plants to “poach” leaves for mulch.
Thank you.
lol.. Mittens is in serious mode and Buffy is, well, being a bit of a sunning, sprawling “boof”.
We’re in the midst of a hot and hooomid stretch with almost zippo rain. Will cool down after Sunday but we’re going to have to water the garden. Eating fresh from the garden just can’t be beat. Romas are doing better than I expected AND since better half Fort Knox-ed the slicing tomatoes, we think we’ll get a few. A few weeks ago, it looked like we’d get only one.
A few tater plants to be harvested – like I said, unless I get another garden area going, we’ll never have taters after August. BUT we did plant Good Friday which has been four months ago (dang, where does time go these days?).
Knocking on wood, we (nor my grandparents) have ever had potato bugs. Is this a west of the MS River insect?
No Selena, they are east of the Miss as well. We are in central Kentucky and we know them well. :-(
Maggie
Unfortunately, no. We live east of the Mississippi and have them. We’re really struggling with the drought we’ve fallen into lately, watering several gardens every day. And they’re big gardens too! Luckily, we have the cats to “help” us! They lay on the hoses when I’m pulling them and seem to find it amusing.
I think our potatoes, despite the bugs, are going to be fantastic this year. There are big hills pushing up under the vines!! Yea!!
We have 2 large flocks of guineas that roam the farm. A potato bug doesn’t stand a chance. This has been a tough garden year for us. Eight weeks of no rain and 100+ heat then a month of torrential rain everyday. What didn’t cook has drowned. We are getting final preps done today for the remnants of Hurricane Debby which is coming in overnight. We’re (eastern NC) are predicted to get 8-12″ of rain on top of already saturated ground which will cause wide spread flooding. You can’t move here without tripping over a pond, creek, or river and all are already at or above flood stage. If we get any substantial winds we will have to deal with lots of downed trees because the roots have nothing to hang onto when the ground is so wet which leads to downed electric lines. Mushroom theory in action!!
Wow, I hope you don’t get too much effect from Debby!! It seems like crazy weather everywhere. Then a hurricane comes. Hang in there and know we’re praying for you.
lol “helping”. The feral cat was chasing the hose better half was pulling today so despite having no official outdoor cats, I guess he figured he’d earn his meals by helping.
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