The squash bug battle continues. Have lost three large vines in the process but seem to be winning at this point. No doubt various beneficial insects have helped along the way because I've seen few nymphs this year, only adults. Squashed lots of eggs, so hopefully any coming second wave will be minor and mostly eaten by other insects before they mature.
Remaining and sprouting vines seem to be doing rather well. Sad part is that the giants I had growing have been forfeit to the fight. However, lots of new flowers blooming, so I'm optimistic for a large crop. Planted more pie pumpkin seeds this past week.
In the fall, I will leave a couple of trap plants after removing the others. Then wait for those to become infested and burn them with a propane torch which reaches 3000 degrees F.
Standard corn is almost ripe. Tried picking some this weekend but not all were fully developed.
Some giant yellow corn is beginning to silk and sure enough, some of them have three ears growing! I've read that they can grow up to five ears per stalk.
Blue corn is growing quickly and leaves are huge! If nothing else, think I'll plant it next year as a shade crop!
Still not one single melon or cucumber. WTF?!
Now that temps are dropping below 100 and usually below 90, tomatoes have started flowering again. Couple of plants died off just from the heat. Others have gotten much larger and lots of fruit still growing larger or beginning to ripen.
Was going to till under the lettuce section but so many vining weeds, decided to apply an especially strong sulfuric acid solution, give it a while, then till and replant that area after everything dies. Repeating application occasionally. Removed the irrigation lines from there for the time being.
Harvested seeds from some giant sunflowers, let them dry and planted them next to the back gate. If a fraction of them grow, should have a gigantic stand of sunflowers there!
Grape vines are producing rather well. Finally got dedicated lines run out to each of them. Two of them seem to be seedless green grapes. The tiny seeded red grapes are ripening. Larger than last year but still small. They do taste much better than previous years! Apparently, the birds agree.
Still adding acid to the irrigation water once or twice a week. Really think that's helping. I also used a strong acid solution to spray directly on various weeds. Whole front yard was mostly a weed patch. Lots of goat heads. Grr! Hoping the acid deactivates the seeds. Have to grossly overseed and try to crowd out the weeds.
Okay, time to get ready for work.
Remaining and sprouting vines seem to be doing rather well. Sad part is that the giants I had growing have been forfeit to the fight. However, lots of new flowers blooming, so I'm optimistic for a large crop. Planted more pie pumpkin seeds this past week.
In the fall, I will leave a couple of trap plants after removing the others. Then wait for those to become infested and burn them with a propane torch which reaches 3000 degrees F.
Standard corn is almost ripe. Tried picking some this weekend but not all were fully developed.
Some giant yellow corn is beginning to silk and sure enough, some of them have three ears growing! I've read that they can grow up to five ears per stalk.
Blue corn is growing quickly and leaves are huge! If nothing else, think I'll plant it next year as a shade crop!
Still not one single melon or cucumber. WTF?!
Now that temps are dropping below 100 and usually below 90, tomatoes have started flowering again. Couple of plants died off just from the heat. Others have gotten much larger and lots of fruit still growing larger or beginning to ripen.
Was going to till under the lettuce section but so many vining weeds, decided to apply an especially strong sulfuric acid solution, give it a while, then till and replant that area after everything dies. Repeating application occasionally. Removed the irrigation lines from there for the time being.
Harvested seeds from some giant sunflowers, let them dry and planted them next to the back gate. If a fraction of them grow, should have a gigantic stand of sunflowers there!
Grape vines are producing rather well. Finally got dedicated lines run out to each of them. Two of them seem to be seedless green grapes. The tiny seeded red grapes are ripening. Larger than last year but still small. They do taste much better than previous years! Apparently, the birds agree.
Still adding acid to the irrigation water once or twice a week. Really think that's helping. I also used a strong acid solution to spray directly on various weeds. Whole front yard was mostly a weed patch. Lots of goat heads. Grr! Hoping the acid deactivates the seeds. Have to grossly overseed and try to crowd out the weeds.
Okay, time to get ready for work.
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