A heavy killing frost, is most likely at least a month away, but light frost is not uncommon later in the month.
by Gene Henson
The vegetable garden in September is slowly winding down for the season. Tomato plants are beginning to look ratty. Carrots and beets are in full swing. Squash is almost finished and early string beans, while starting to get that “look” are mostly still producing. This has been an unusual year to be sure.
A look at any weather service temperature history and it’s readily apparent that this summer was one of the warmest in near history. The National Weather Service tells us that in Connecticut, we had a record 33 days with over 90 degree temperatures.
And as I write this, the weather heads are predicting another over ninety degree day. And the dilemma is that with a hurricane possibly on the way does one hold off on watering? It’s tempting not to, but a good rule of thumb is that if they need watering, water. We were always told to water in the morning so that the sun doesn’t burn through the drops, which act like miniature magnifying glasses. But if the plants need water, and believe me when I say that you will know when the plants need water, the answer is simple: Water.
September is also a good time to amend the soil. Where plants have ended their cycle, another soil test is a good idea, especially if none has been done in a while. Then, if it does need attention, it has the whole winter to restructure and be ready and willing for next spring.
It seems strange to be thinking of frost when the temperature is predicted to be in the nineties, but it’s a good idea to keep a weather eye out for frost in September. A heavy killing frost however, is most likely at least a month away, but light frost is not uncommon later in the month, depending on where you are. Closer to the shore, frost tends to come later. Farther north, valleys tend to show frost effects first. Have you ever driven though a valley and seen how much different the foliage on the trees looks and how all the weeds have that pressed flower look? That’s frost damage, and the line of demarcation is quite evident.
The local weather heads will usually issue a frost warning, although some don’t let you know unless it’s going to be a killer. If there is a chance of frost, use plastic drop clothes, old sheets, or anything to cover sensitive plants. The key here is, keep a close watch. If you are going away for a few days, try and look forward weather wise. As the month goes on, and the threat of frost becomes closer, it’s time to pick any green tomatoes left and either processes them as green, or cause them to ripen artificially.
I like to just place the green tomatoes in a South facing window sill. Turn them once a day or so, and they will keep quite well. Others put them in a paper bag, allowing air to circulate. Some place a piece of apple in the bag with the tomato. But however you do it, it’s not hard to enjoy tomatoes right up to Christmas.
Gene Henson is a University of Connecticut certified Advanced Master Gardner.
Powdery mildew found on squash plants is cause for concern.
by Gene Henson
For most of us, late August and early September means our garden is nearing it’s peek production, or may be a bit past. It’s also a time when many garden pests are most prolific. And it’s not only crawly and flying pests either. With high humidity and cooler nights fungi and various mildews can run rampant in the home garden.
This morning, on my tour through the garden, I saw powdery mildew on my squash plants. Now, this certainly is a cause for concern, but it’s a bit late in the growing season, and the only really effective treatment would involve the use of fungicides. I will continue to harvest the squash, and watch the progress closely. If they last the month, very good. If not, I will pull the plants and bag them up and put them in the trash.
It’s very important that you not put infected plants in your compost heap. Also, be sure to gather up any fallen leaves around the effected plants, even those from a different species. This also includes any mulch that was around the plants. These spores can and will winter over, and when spring comes, they release conidia, which is a fancy word for sexual spores that are shot up into the air and are blown all over the place starting the cycle once again. If I saw this, let’s say in the middle of July, I would be much more concerned and I would have begun a fungicidal treatment. But this late in the season, I’ll just watch and pull them out later.
Another type of mildew around now is called downy mildew and should be taken a bit more seriously. Downy mildew can be found on cucumbers, melons, all cucurbit crops. It can also attack basal plants. But the most common target is cucumbers. Downy Mildew can also disseminate a grape vine in a very short time, completely destroying all your delicious grapes.
There are organic fungicides available to treat downy mildew; a check at your local garden center will point you in the right direction there. But as with all pest treating products, it’s very important to read the label, and apply strictly as per the instructions.
A little preparation can go a long way toward keeping this nuisance from beginning in the first place. The first step is housekeeping. When the garden is put away for the winter, be sure and remove all plant debris – especially if you have experienced any form of mildew the previous season. The nasty spores can and will over winter. Once they have found a home, they tend to stick around.
Next, be sure that plants are pruned and weeds kept at bay so that their is good air circulation around the plants, particularly around the bottoms. Growing cucumbers on trellises is a very effective deterrent.
Gene Henson is a University of Connecticut certified Advanced Master Gardner.
When deer are hungry, they will eat just about anything that grows. This deer damaged Hosta is one of their favorites to eat.
by Gene Henson
It can be devastating. You walk out one morning and find your garden, the one you’ve worked your fingers to the bone nurturing through drought, flood and all kinds of nasty little creatures, almost completely wiped out out. Most everyone think deer are cute and cuddly, until they are the victims of deer appetite. There are, however, a few things you can do to do, if not to prevent it totally, at least cut down the potential for disaster.
The products to keep them away, as well as, the methodology used to employ them, are directly proportional to the number of gardeners who have suffered deer damage. The first thing to remember when dealing with deer, is that they are critters of habit. When they discover that a part of your property is, for them, the equivalent of a local green grocer, they are going to keep coming back until the well goes dry. They may pass up your luscious Hosta, one of their favorites, for your string beans, just because they are there. When deer are hungry, they will eat just about anything that grows. And once they have established a pattern of movement, it’s very difficult to make them change.
By far, the most effective method of deer control is a permanent fence. And it must be a high one. Deer are prolific jumpers, easily topping a six foot fence from a standing start. To be effective, any fence must be at least eight feet high. While effective, fencing may not be practical for the home gardener. They are initially quite expensive and do require maintenance. Plus, let’s face it: they are just downright ugly.
Temporary fencing can be had that’s effective, but the labor involved can be daunting. Scare tactics are another popular method of deer control. Propane cannons, old CD’s hung so they twirl in the wind, motion detectors that turn on sprinkler systems, it goes on and on. Propane cannons do scare them off, until they discover that nothing bad is going to happen. And then, it’s just an annoyance to them, just as it is to your neighbors; same with the old CD’s. A couple days and they’re right back. And when they find out that all they are going to get is wet, all the sprinkler does is water the garden.
Some people shred scented soap, like Irish Spring, while others collect hair from their local hair salon and spread it around. All these things work… for a while. The bottom line here is that there is only one thing you can do to prevent deer damage that is consistent and that remains the fence. All the others do work to some extant, but must be rotated on a regular basis to keep the deer guessing.
There are also commercial products that do a pretty good job. Most of them come in a concentrate that you mix with water and spray on the plants. Most are a combination of egg, garlic extract, pepper and who knows what. They smell to the high heavens and sometimes will keep you out of the garden along with the deer. If using one of these deterrents, be sure to read the label carefully, just as with anything used on your plants. Be particularly careful with anything sprayed on plants that produce food.
Gene Henson is a University of Connecticut certified Advanced Master Gardner.
They are ugly, and look like something right out of a Harry Potter novel. And they can devour a tomato or pepper plant faster than you can say, “Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.” They also have been known to chomp on eggplant too. Tomato Hornworms, also known as Tobacco Hornworms, are the larva of a giant mouth called the Five Spotted Hawkmoth. About the size of a hummingbird, this moth is brown in color with yellow spots on the side of their body. In fact, some people do call it a hummingbird moth.
The moths lay their eggs on the underside of the plant leaves. They come around about now, and the eggs hatch in about a week. They spend close to a month feeding. They have an appetite like a cormorant and can quickly consume the leaves and stems of tomato and pepper plants. there can easily be two generations of them and if you are not vigilant, you can kiss your prized tomato crop goodbye. When they have gorged themselves on your crop, they drop to the ground and dig themselves into the soil. They hatch in the spring as a fully grown moth.
You can keep them under control several ways. If you have just a few plants, it’s best to just scout them out on your morning walk through. They’re hard to see, their green color blending in very well with the plant’s leaves. I pluck them off by hand, but if you’re a bit squeamish about doing that, carry a pair of long nosed pliers and grab them with those.
Ladybugs like the eggs, and so do Green Lacewings. If you see one of these things covered with little white spots, leave it alone. It’s undergoing a slow death, being eaten by the larva of the small Braconid Wasp. This little gal lays her eggs on the worm, which then feed on the worm until they are ready to pupate. Some advocate picking off the infected worm and putting it in a jar, allowing the wasps to enjoy their feast. I personally don’t feel this is necessary. Another wasp, Polistes, kills and eats the worm whole.
This Tomato Hornworm, a common tomato bug, is being eaten by the larva of the small Braconid Wasp.
Commercial tomato growers don’t get excited about the hornworm until the ratio gets to 0.5 larvae per plant. Once this level is reached, insecticide treatment begins, usually with BT (Bacillus thuringiennsis).
Another effective method at controlling the pupa stage is by thoroughly tilling both in the fall and spring. The deeper the better. I don’t recommend deep tilling for the whole garden, just where plants that are susceptible to this pest.
Those who treat their tomatoes to containers do not seem to have this problem as much. But the secret there is to not use soil from your own garden; rather potting soil that has been “sanitized” by having been heated to kill all the nasty stuff as well as a good portion of the embedded weed seed.
Gene Henson is a University of Connecticut certified Advanced Master Gardner.
Blueberries are shallow rooted plants, and prefer a PH of 4.6 to 4.8.
by Gene Henson
As anyone who has grown, or has attempted to grow a vegetable garden this summer knows, nothing is absolute when it comes to Mother Nature. Right now though, is a fine time to get ready for next year, when it comes to starting a good berry patch. Blueberries, raspberries and strawberries, while requiring a moderate amount of care, can fill the gap between flowers and mainstream veggies, when some variety is wanted in the home garden. Who doesn’t like blueberry pie? Blueberries are native to the US, and indeed, in the great state of Maine, they grow wild and are a cash crop to be reckoned with. However, a small homeowner’s garden will be enhanced with one or two blueberry bushes which, given moderate care, will produce more than enough crop for an average family.
It’s best to begin a blueberry patch at least six months or more before you intend to plant. There are many varieties to choose from, but make sure that the plants come from a reputable grower.
Blueberries are shallow rooted plants, and prefer a PH of 4.6 to 4.8, but they will do all right in soil that’s 4.0 to 5.0. As with any soil, it’s important to get it tested beforehand. Amend the soil with good organic matter, like well aged cow manure several months before planting. This will go a long way toward promoting healthy plants that will produce for years.
Raspberries do better with some support, like a trellis. Growing them in front of a south facing wall is good; well drained soil is important, as they require a lot of water during their growing season. They like a PH of 5.6 to 6.2. Because they carry a root rot known as Verticillium, do not plant raspberries where tomatoes, potatoes, peppers and egg plant have been grown within four years. Also, destroy all wild blackberry and raspberry bushes within 600 feet of where you intend to plant yours. This is to prevent cultivars prevalent in wild bushes from infecting new plants.
Strawberries prefer well drained sandy soil with a PH of 5.8 to 6.2. Work in composted cow manure a few months before planting to give the new plants a head start.
There are many different varieties of berries which will do well in a home garden; the particulars are outside the scope of this article. However, a trip around the internet, and some questions posed at your local garden center will put you on the way to enjoying something different in gardening.
Gene Henson is a University of Connecticut certified Advanced Master Gardner.
