Figgin' A
Well-known member
Tell me about it... I had really crappy last few days... from powdery mildew popping on my melons and some cucumbers to raccoons devouring or damaging close to 60 figs over the past few days.
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- Thread starter Vitooch1
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TorontoJoe
Administrator
Many plants are taking a big hit here but it might be a blessing that the figs and tomatoes are a bit late. It seems to be protecting them from the weather the last few days.
Thank goodness for Prospera or I'd have no basil.
I netted all the fall beans from the squirrels and the outdoor greens are ok.
Raccoons aside, I have two primary small pests that are a giant pain in my culo. Cucumber beetles went after the plants hard this year despite only growing beit alpha. I have no idea why... last year showed no signs of them
The pepper fly is getting worse and worse. I got a massive fruit set and I'm losing more than half of the crop so far.
Not cool!
Figgin' A
Well-known member
Cucumber beetles destroyed most of my cucumbers a few years ago. Once they infect a plant with bacterial wilt, it's toast. That's what happened to most of my cucumbers. Spraying with kaolin clay helped the next year, but was a pain in the neck to constantly reapply after each rain. I switched to parthenocarpic cucumbers and netted all of them for two summers and that helped a lot. I did not see any CB last year. All gone. I got brave this year and added a few plants of my favorite OP heirloom cucumber, I just had to have it. No nets this year. I also overplanted and we've been harvesting way more cucumbers than we need so we've been giving them away. So far so good, but I did catch and kill one striped CB. I suspect it wondered off from my neighbors garden.
Also found two spotted CB on one of my melons, killed them, but the plant was already infected so I had to destroy it. Netted other melons, which restricted air flow and now I have PM to deal with. It just never ends. But I picked one very ripe melon today. It was sweet like honey and so aromatic that when I cut it open, everyone was like WOW.... then they bit into it and WOW again
it put a smile on my face... whatever I have to go through, it's all for the moments like these... so worth it.
Figgin' A
Well-known member
Tomatoes are a bit late? Meaning they haven't been ripening yet? You aren't giving them a headstart, are you? you should...
My first flush started mid-June and ended by the first week of August. The heat we've been having made them taste unusually sweet, I found. We ate a record number of salads and tomato sandwiches this summer. The second flush on the same plants has started a couple of weeks ago and is picking up now. I also planted new seedlings mid July, they are loaded with small tomatoes and lots of blossoms. These will be ripening mid September to late October. Younger plants are much healthier in the fall and more disease resistant. Older plants are already showing signs of late blight and bacterial spot, and one succummbed to verticillium wilt. Every year disease pressure gets stronger as I can't rotate much, so trying to find other ways to keep them healthy longer. Lot's of pruning to remove diseased parts and spraying with organic fungicides, like Bonide copper.
TorontoJoe
Administrator
Cucumber beetles destroyed most of my cucumbers a few years ago. Once they infect a plant with bacterial wilt, it's toast. That's what happened to most of my cucumbers. Spraying with kaolin clay helped the next year, but was a pain in the neck to constantly reapply after each rain. I switched to parthenocarpic cucumbers and netted all of them for two summers and that helped a lot. I did not see any CB last year. All gone. I got brave this year and added a few plants of my favorite OP heirloom cucumber, I just had to have it. No nets this year. I also overplanted and we've been harvesting way more cucumbers than we need so we've been giving them away. So far so good, but I did catch and kill one striped CB. I suspect it wondered off from my neighbors garden.
Also found two spotted CB on one of my melons, killed them, but the plant was already infected so I had to destroy it. Netted other melons, which restricted air flow and now I have PM to deal with. It just never ends. But I picked one very ripe melon today. It was sweet like honey and so aromatic that when I cut it open, everyone was like WOW.... then they bit into it and WOW again
Nice to have a win sometimes.
TorontoJoe
Administrator
I lost a lot of tomato plants in May when it was really cold and wet. I had to be out of town that week and couldn't get back to protect them. What did survive were stunted.... They came back and are ripening. The cherries were earlier but the bigger tomatoes didn't start ripening until maybe 10 days ago.... which is the latest ever for me. I couldn't really put them in the ground until June... I'm usually planting first week in May
TorontoJoe
Administrator
Cucumber beetles destroyed most of my cucumbers a few years ago. Once they infect a plant with bacterial wilt, it's toast. That's what happened to most of my cucumbers. Spraying with kaolin clay helped the next year, but was a pain in the neck to constantly reapply after each rain. I switched to parthenocarpic cucumbers and netted all of them for two summers and that helped a lot. I did not see any CB last year. All gone. I got brave this year and added a few plants of my favorite OP heirloom cucumber, I just had to have it. No nets this year. I also overplanted and we've been harvesting way more cucumbers than we need so we've been giving them away. So far so good, but I did catch and kill one striped CB. I suspect it wondered off from my neighbors garden.
Also found two spotted CB on one of my melons, killed them, but the plant was already infected so I had to destroy it. Netted other melons, which restricted air flow and now I have PM to deal with. It just never ends. But I picked one very ripe melon today. It was sweet like honey and so aromatic that when I cut it open, everyone was like WOW.... then they bit into it and WOW again
With only the Beit Alpha I only had parthenocarpic cuc's growing. I even stopped growing zucchini so there would be nothing to attract them. Last year I couldn't keep. I had so many I made load of pickles. This year I only planted them hoping for the same... but something brought the CB to the plants. I have no idea what. I looked around and none of my neighbours are growing any cucurbits.
They're such a PITA to net...
The summer's been so hot and dry that my tomatoes are disease free. I'm thinking the rain we had last two days is about to change that. I'm going to try and get some copper on them ASAP
Figsee
Well-known member
With all the work that’s involved with growing figs in the northeast, I for some reason get over growing tomatoes rather quickly. I end up picking and juicing them and then give up before it comes time to turning them into sauce. I think next year my three rows of tomatoes gets turned into space for inground figs.
TorontoJoe
Administrator
The period between when I eat my last fresh tomato from the garden and when I eat my first the following season it something I refer to as the pomodoro dark-age. I really love them and the commercial ones are just so bad. I've been tinkering with different varieties for years trying to grow them indoors If you can believe it, it's been more difficult inside for me than outside. I may have two that are showing promise... we'll see
bushdoctor82
Well-known member
My tomatoes are still going strong this year with no signs of disease. This is the first season I am growing Celebrity Plus due to the RKN and disease resistance and everyone who has eaten them (besides myself) loves the flavor - might be worth looking at.
TorontoJoe
Administrator
I'm glad you found something resistant to RKN. I can't imagine life without real tomatoes. For the most part I grow only old family heirlooms. I know some might produce better but I've never found any that taste as good to me...
Mine are looking solid even after the rain. I was going to spray some copper on them this evening but I'm going to hold off. Just pruned some low hanging leaves.
Vitooch1
Well-known member
TorontoJoe
Administrator
Very nice...
Nothing for the pooch?
Nothing for the pooch?
Figgerlickinggood
Well-known member
You spoiled that beautiful dog. He/she is a fig fanatic too. Look at that cute face, it begging “gimme fig, gimme fig, PLEASE!”
Vitooch1
Well-known member
The pooch always gets a nibble no matter what. She deserves it.Very nice...
Nothing for the pooch?
Vitooch1
Well-known member
Somehow she always there in the photo shoot. I take the photo in the very spot because of the lighting and she automatically knows what it’s for. Lol
TorontoJoe
Administrator
Very nice!
Vitooch1
Well-known member
The lsu gold you gave me way back is a hit. What a punch of honey and shareable with that size .
TorontoJoe
Administrator
It's a really good fig. Mine's not having a great year after a hard pruning.... normally it squeezes out a lot of those nice big figs..... Glad you're still enjoying it.