Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Attack of the Asiatic Garden Beetles

Pests: Asiatic Garden Beetles have most of the basil and the pepper next to the basil. Note to file:  Do not plant peppers or parsnips next to basil.  Choose something the garden beetles hate, like marigolds.  Last night I flooded the parsnips, basil and peppers and killed about 200 beetles as they came out of the soil. [update: the following evening I repeated the flooding and very few beetles came up on the plants I already flooded, but I got about 40 beetles from the plant I had not flooded]. Also some damage on the beans from the (presumably) bean beetles, so I sprayed the beans with a mix of Neem and Ghost pepper. Also sprayed the tomatoes with copper, they are holding steady. Some people in the garden have no septoria, but most do have it. I think I was the first. Look into sterilizing seeds next year.

Harvest:  My very first cabbage!  Also, my first  four tomatillos BUT I HAVE NO CILANTRO!! What happened???  Had green tomatoes and rice last night -- could not stop eating it. Plenty of jalapenos.  About a dozen cucumbers so far. First garlic harvest, the rest are ready to go. Potatoes have died back, just trying to eat up what I already dug up before I dig these up. Dug up the last of the beets. Plant more next year.

Around town:  VERY hot summer so far, this entire week is in the 90's again. Chickory and Queen Anne's Lace are blooming.   Bee Balm & purple coneflowers.

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