Saturday, August 31, 2019

Harvested the first butternut squash

The one from the vertical structure.  This was the first butternut to set, and the first harvested.

It sure is huge...

What will I do with all this squash!

Monday, August 26, 2019

Butternut vines have signs of SVB trying to get in, but couldn't! Yay!

I've noticed several places along the butternut vines where it looks like a SVB tried to get in, but couldn't make it in beyond half a millimeter or something like that.  Yay!

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Pickling website

Good info on quick/refrigerator pickling, including flavour variations to try.

https://www.theprairiehomestead.com/2019/08/quick-pickled-vegetables.html

Harvested second pink banana squash, but underside has holes

I was sad to see on the second pink banana squash that I harvested, that the underside has some holes in it.

The smallest hole/damage was clearly a SVB -- it was sort of frassy, and featured a tiny dead SVB caterpillar, I guess starved to death after not being able to bore all the way in.

Two larger holes are a mystery, not sure what caused them.

All of the holes are in the section closer to the stem.  So, I will try cutting into it half-way, to see if the other half is usable.

Friday, August 23, 2019

Two cucumber plants wilted/died, don't know why; have harvested ~10-12 cukes total so far

Not sure why the two right-most cucumber plants wilted and died. Not a huge loss, as there's only so much greek pasta salad and pickles I can enjoy.

Hoping the green butternut squashes will finish maturing...

Hmmm, most of the ~9 butternuts that have set/grown are still green.

Only the one supported on the vertical plant looks very close to mature.

The one on the SE corner of the central bed will mature in time, I think.

Maybe the two along the north edge.

But the others are all still SO GREEN.  I hope this is normal, and that first frost will be a ways away... although going down to 8 tonight!

Powdery mildew: Applied a more-diluted baking soda mixture

Today's application:

8 cups water
2 Tbsps baking soda
1 Tbsp vegetable oil

Let's see if this works... or, if it's again too strong...

The remaining zucchinis are really starting to get hit with the mildew.

Pulled several zucchini plants

Pulled several zucchini plants / off-shoot vines.  Found one or two small to medium-sized SVB in each, but certainly not an infestation.  Hadn't applied any BTK in several weeks and had stopped monitoring particularly closely other than the main remaining ones.

Still looking great are the one north of the air conditioner, the good one in the west bed, and the green one near the kitchen door which I must say has really come around and produced a nice amount (and is my ONLY green zucchini plant this year, just because none of the other green ones took).

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Powdery mildew: Oops -- too strong of a baking soda mixture -- leaves burnt!!

Last night I applied the following baking soda mixture since the apple cider thing hasn't been working.

Well!

Today after work I came home to find the leaves burnt through!  OMG!  On the bright side, it certainly addressed the powdery mildew in those spots! 

This is what I used --
DON'T USE THIS RECIPE BEC IT'S TOO STRONG.
- 4 cups water
- 6 Tbsp baking soda
- 2 Tbsp vegetable oil


NEXT TIME, try putting at least twice as much water as this, see if that works better:
- 8 cups water
- 6 Tbsp baking soda
- 2 Tbsp vegetable oil

Monday, August 19, 2019

Harvested 13 pound jumbo pink banana squash!

Finally decided to harvest the first of the jumbos that had set, in the NW corner.  Weighs in at 13 pounds!

Hoping it will store well since zuke/tomato harvest continues strongly and freezer is verrrry rapidly filling up!

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Berry alley: Thimbleberries, blackberries, a few raspberries

Thimbleberries:  Not sure if quite at full peak, but close, had quite a few.  Plenty more on the way, so will try to go back in a couple of weeks.

Blackberries:  Similar as above, though I think it's another week at least before peak.  Learned how to tell the good from the less good:  Give a squeeze -- if it feels juicy, good; if feels firm, leave it be.

Raspberries:  Wow, there were a few raspberries and they were delicious, so flavourful.  The bushes looked different so I wonder if this is a different type that blooms late.

Flies: No flies in berry alley itself, Jasper was fine.  However, some triangle-flies getting to and from there, but not bad at all.

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Good potato harvest / curing / storage article

https://www.theprairiehomestead.com/2019/08/storing-potatoes.html

Potato update (in pots)

The two pots of potatoes started on August 4th are coming along, with nice growth coming in.  I've been nearly-covering the new growth and will continue until reaching the top of the pot, which will probably happen within a week.

Still no idea if there will be enough time for actual potatoes to happen.

Friday, August 16, 2019

Powdery mildew persists despite repeated apple cider vinegar treatments and cutting leaves

As the title says. 

Occasionally removing the worst-affected leaves, and, repeating apple cider vinegar solution applications.  But then a few days later, more leaves look terrible.

Zucchini: Remaining plants doing well; 8 zukes in fridge right now

Might even have some zucchini production beyond Labour Day!  That would possibly be a first for me, certainly in recent years at least.

Thursday, August 15, 2019

Lost 2 minor zucchini plants to SVB

Pulled 2 of the minor zucchini plants because their vines were fully done with due to SVBs.

Tuesday, August 13, 2019

Powdery mildew worsening... applied cider mixture yesterday and today

Powdery mildew worsening... Applied cider mixture yesterday (fresh batch) but today it still seems worse, so re-applied.

The central winter squash have it the worst by far, but some of the zucchinis are also starting.

Monday, August 12, 2019

14 spot lady bird larvae found (beneficial) (ladybug)

Found a 14 spot lady bird larvae today, among the ground cherries.  A type of ladybug.  The internet says they're beneficial.  Yay!

Signs a borer(s) tried, but failed, to get into butternut stem

Noticed one butternut stem with three spots within a few inches, which look to me like a borer tried to get in but failed.  Yay!

Spotted asparagus beetle found in asparagus patch next to compost bin

Spotted aparagus beetle found in asparagus patch next to compost bin.  Red/orange, with black spots, and two long black antennae.  This type of asparagus beetle apparently lays eggs near berries, so will have a look soon.

Saturday, August 10, 2019

Powdery mildew has returned and spread

The powdery mildew in the central patch of squash has returned, and is in more leaves, as well as a few zucchini leaves.  So, sprayed more apple cider vinegar solution.  (left-over from original batch)

It rained hard a few minutes after I applied it, so may need to re-apply tomorrow.

Friday, August 9, 2019

Tomato harvest ramping up

Tomato harvest ramping up these days, especially the cherry tomatoes.  Good timing with the cucumbers being ready, enjoying sandwiches and greek salad.

Cucumbers starting to produce well

The cucumbers are finally starting to produce well.  Have harvested 2 so far, and several more nice ones on the way.

Three-lined potato beetles have been breeding and laying more eggs (on ground cherry plants)

Starting about a week or two ago, I started seeing larger numbers of three-lined potato beetles again.  I didn't do anything about it, in the hopes that maybe their breeding season had ended a while ago.

But today I happened to see some babies feeding, and then found a ton of eggs on the undersides of the leaves.

Giant green zucchini missed! Baseball bat!

While inspecting stems for borers, found a baseball bat sized green zucchini I had completely missed!  And another nice sized one next to it!  That's why I like the yellows better -- much easier to see the zucchinis.

Borers found in several zucchini stems!!! Pulled 1 plant & 2 sideshoots; injected btk in most other zucc vines

Oh no!  Despite what I thought was careful inspection over the past few weeks, today I had a closer look because most of the zucchini plants have stopped producing or the new zucchinis are white instead of yellow.

Sure enough, borers confirmed with visual identification in the main vines (low, close to ground) of...:
- one of the useless plants in the west bed that never produced anything and never looked like it was ever going to
- a side-shoot of the southmost one south of the air conditioner
- a side-shoot of the southmost one near the kitchen door

And, when I had a closer look at the other plants that still seem healthy -- borer evidence in their vines too!!!! (also low to the ground)

So, injected btk in the vines of all remaining plants, except the green one near the kitchen door because there are SO many leaves/stems which hamper inspection, and the bits of the stem I can see look fine.

Even the plant that still looks vigorous/productive, right next to the living room door, also had clear borer damage evidence near the ground!  And I had reallllly been monitoring that plant closely since it's been so healthy, wanted to keep it that way.

Now to wait and see if any of these plants manage to make it to first frost.

Thursday, August 8, 2019

Zucchini: White instead of yellow means plant failing -- look for SVB

Several of the yellow zucchini plants had their new not-yet-pollinated fruit come in white (or very pale yellow) instead of bright yellow.  After a few weeks of noticing this, I finally figured out it really does mean there's something wrong -- in my case, SVB in the vine.

So, remember this next time, so can investigate sooner.

Wednesday, August 7, 2019

Have been injecting btk in central squash vines where suspecting borers

As title says.

So far the central patch, and the vertical butternut, look good except for that one jumbo pink banana vinelet that died August 4th.

Monday, August 5, 2019

Powdery mildew update: Apple cider vinegar recipe seems to be working

I applied/re-applied the solution as needed Saturday and Sunday.  Today (Monday), wow, everything looks pretty great.  (Didn't apply any today.)

Carrot harvest started: Nantes and Touchon

Harvested three nice sized carrots.

Did a taste test.

Nantes:  Ok, but not sweet.

Touchon:  Kind of spicy, like a radish.  I liked the Nantes better.

Pea harvest has been ongoing (spring planting)

Still getting a small handful of peas every day or two or three.  Haven't pulled the plants because the vertical butternut are intermingled with them.

Sunday, August 4, 2019

Potatoes: Planted sprouted kitchen potatoes -- some in pots, some in ground

As an experiment, planted eating potatoes that had mega-sprouted in the kitchen drawer. 

One pot has two potatoes; one pot has one potato; planted two into the ground along the north wall, east of the cucumbers.

Planted the potatoes intact (didn't cut them into pieces).

Never tried pot potatoes before, plus, it's late in the season but this cost me $0 so why not.  Used the leftover soil from the condo to use in the pots.

Didn't fill the pots up -- just enough to cover the potatoes/buds.  Will fill as the plants grow.

JPB sub-vine lost to SVB!!!! 3 worms found in vines/stems including one with 2 biggest bananas!!! Started BTK. Another moth.

Despite all my vigilance, I missed the damage on one sub-vine until it was too late.  Fortunately, that sub-vine (W side) didn't have any fruit on it.  Removed it.

Unfortunately, that sub-vine joins up to the main vine that leads to the two biggest/oldest banana squash!!!!!!!!  And one of the worms was right in the crook/joint of that sub-vine, so I really had to dig him/her out (which I did -- positive i.d.).  Covered this wound with a bunch of wet soil which I tried to "wrap" onto the area.

Hopefully the fact that the vine has rooted at many places will keep those squash going enough to ripen at least.

Caved and finally went to the store for BTK.  Injected some inside the vines at today's location as well as others that had been issues (SE corner, and SW north of the big squash).

Just as I was finishing up with all of this...  Saw another moth flying around.  Sighhhhhh

Zucchini harvest in full swing; zuke plants looking strong, although production slowing somewhat

Getting lots of things into the freezer now.  Although most of the zucchini plants aren't prolific producers, combined (9 plants! although two haven't produced anything yet) there is a steady flow.

New zukes seem to be slower to come along, but all of the plants are looking healthy and strong so far, although the northmost of the three at the kitchen door still has a gaping wound.

Saturday, August 3, 2019

3 more butternut seem to have taken

3 more butternut seem to have taken.  If I'm lucky, I could have several to harvest...

These newest three are here:
- vertical "patch" along the ground vine
- vine that climbed up on the south ground cherry (so look up into the wire cage for it)
- east edge

Powedery mildew on central squash patch (butternut and jumbo pink banana)

This morning, noticed large patches of powdery mildew (I assume that's what it is) on a few leaves.

Will apply apple cider vinegar solution, using my old pump sprayer from misting down Walter many years ago.

Recipe for the powdery mildew brew:

- 5 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 gallon water

Don't make it too strong!  And, apply AFTER sun, not before/during, because burns the leaves!


Here are some other recipes I found, but I didn't try these:

Potassium bicarbonate recipe:

- 3 Tbsp potassium bicarbonate (where does one get this?)
- 3 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 1/2 tsp soap
- 1 gallon water


Neem oil recipe:

- 3 Tbsp neem oil
- 1 gallone water

Friday, August 2, 2019

The jumbo pink banana fruit on the south edge west side seems to have died

The jumbo pink banana fruit on the south edge west side, which I thought had set and had taken off a fair bit, seems to have died -- the end feels hollow.

The only reason I can think of is this is along the same vine that I had to dig into the other day (and again tonight).  I thought it would be ok though, since the plant roots along the vine.

Hmmm...

Thursday, August 1, 2019

SVB: Finding more eggs, but haven't found worms yesterday/today

SVB:  Finding more eggs, but haven't found worms yesterday/today.

Yesterday was a cursory inspection but today was nice and detailed.  The only possible thing was there might have been frass/tiny hole right at the junction of a vine at the SE corner.  But it's on the underside of the vine, so very hard to see.  So, didn't do anything about it.  Will check it out in the coming days to see if it progresses.