Wed, Jul 18, 2007 · Filed under Fieldwork, Summer, Veggies
Protecting a final planting of the season, Jo and Conall lay row cover over a selection of summer squash. Also transplanted today from the squash family, more cucumber, an extra early muskmelon, and a couple of early maturity winter squash because there’s space. All of these are pretty much risk crops, with 50-65 day maturity up against our average first frost of around Sep. 20. They could have gone in a week or two earlier, but I’m gambling on another warm fall, with only a mild frost or two to get in the way (against which, row cover once again!), and MAYBE a harvest through October. Of course, the weather can be relied on less than ever, BUT, warm autumns seem to be a good bet. If this pays off, I’ll have some interesting veggies after the standard, safe season for ‘em is over. Nothing ventured… You take your chances!
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Tue, Jun 26, 2007 · Filed under Summer, Veggies
Removed the row cover that had been protecting the pumpkins from the cucumber beetles. The pumpkins are doing fine! The CBs will keep coming, but the plants should grow faster than the beetles can munch. There’s also a chance of CB-transmitted disease, that’s a chance I’m taking. One spray-free alternative is to reposition and replace the row cover more loosely, giving the plants room to grow, but the cover I’m using also traps heat under there, and cuts off some sunlight. I could buy super lightweight cover, designed for insect protection only—it doesn’t protect against frost and lets in most of the light—but that’s an unwelcome expense this year, and possibly more of an additional expense than it’s worth. From here, the pumpkins should come out fine, CBs and all!
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Wed, Jun 06, 2007 · Filed under Spring, Veggies
The frost warning for last night didn’t come to anything, but it’s on again for tonight. Yesterday, we covered about 500 tomatoes, some of the peppers, eggplant, and beans, and even the basil. I don’t really think there’ll be a deadly hard frost, so this is only partial insurance. Covering half the field seemed a little much. Here, the tomatoes are somewhat safer than if they were exposed, but the delicate tops are taking a beating from the cover, and if it does freeze up, frozen dew on the row cover fabric will toast the parts of the plants directly in contact. It’s a rough little bit of weather insurance. It’ll be great to have it over tomorrow. Cross fingers!
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Tue, May 15, 2007 · Filed under Fieldwork, People, Spring, Veggies
Conall, the all-new organic grower, is back after being unexpectedly called away two and a half weeks ago. That happened after we’d worked together for seven days straight. For me, making the transition from essentially solo tiny farming to having regular help was that quick. Having everything bouncing around in your head, with little need to explain it, is a luxury and efficiency of sorts. On the other hand, if you have people who you can sync with, sharing the gardening in an ongoing way seems like even more fun. And you can grow MORE STUFF with LESS WEEDS!! :) It’s a really welcome return. FREAK FROST: Three nights ago, according to the min/max thermometer, the temperature bottomed at a little below 0°C (and there was no reported cold snap or hard killing frost), but some of the brassicas (Brussels sprouts—see the whitish spots on the leaves on the right of the pic, bok choi, cauliflower) and two out of three varieties of peas got fairly toasted, burnt by the cold. Many of the pea leaves were totally killed off. I only noticed the extent of the brassica damage when we took off the row cover today. This is something I’ve never seen, and Bob, with 40 years of farming, hadn’t either, especially with peas, which can grow in the snow. The additionally odd thing is that some varieties (one of the peas, broccoli) weren’t affected at all. These are all plants that can normally take an overnight freezing and bounce back no problem—temperatures around zero should be nothing. Weird. My random theory: a very rapid temperature drop, many degrees in a few minutes, that didn’t give the plants enough time to adjust…? Anyhow, everything’s recovering just fine! The crazy weather effects continue…
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Thu, May 10, 2007 · Filed under Fieldwork, Spring, Tools, Veggies
All of the brassicas, except for radishes, start out under floating row cover. It’s the only way they’ll survive the flea beetles. Around here, the FBs are a clear and present menace to the cabbage family. They chew little holes in tender baby leaves until nothing but stems and dried out leaf skeletons remain. It’s awful. I could use organic sprays, like rotenone or pyrethrin, but although they’re “approved” and from natural sources (other plants), it seems to me a slippery slope, or at least habit-forming. I haven’t sprayed so far. I did try a garlic blender concoction as a repellent once, but it was like cooking for the FBs, they hopped off and hopped back on once the spraying stopped: salad dressing! Anyhow, this is bok choi (pak choi). FBs eventually managed to get under the edges and do a bit of damage, but that’ll be outgrown, bok choi grows fast (as do radishes). Once the leaves get a bit more substantial, the FBs can’t as easily chomp on ‘em. Cauliflower and broccoli, under this same 14′ wide sheet of row cover, are untouched. FBs REALLY like bok choi!
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Fri, Mar 30, 2007 · Filed under Fieldwork, Indoors, Spring, Veggies
It’s around 8:30 in the morning and I’m about to uncover the early lettuce. Floating row cover is a very lightweight spunbonded polyester, light enough not to crush seedlings when laid down directly on top. It lets in water and sunlight, and also retains heat, to differing degrees depending on weight. This one is medium weight, my all-purpose cover. It transmits 85% of sunlight and keeps the temperature 3-4°F warmer when the surrounding air is around zero. Over the last couple of nights, the greenhouse low was 19°F (-7°C)—the lettuce can take a little freezing, and would probably manage without cover. Still, every edge helps, and this one’s easy. Floating row cover is a common sight around here throughout the year, it’s my main organic alternative to pesticides (it keeps out certain flying insects on certain crops at certain critical times) and also gives you an edge in getting things out early and keeping them out late. Beat that frost!
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