I grow wine grapes, and have done for 35 years, much of that time commercially. For fun, I grow tomatoes, chiles, and herbs. To keep grapes viable, even resistant varieties such as I grow, I have to spray fungicide several times a year. There's no getting around it.

But I avoid insecticides except in the most extreme circumstances, which means maybe two or three times a decade. And then, usually, I use something as green as possible, for example, BT.

Another option, which I thought of in conjunction with the problems many of you reported re: squash, are pyrethrin-based insecticides. My understanding is that these substances are derived from dried flowers, mums, for the most part. I haven't a clue whether these are classified organic or not, but, if not, then I have no idea why not. I'm a philosopher and teach logic, so what do I know? :^)

Anyway, I hate to see that the world supply of squash is being lessened by some pesky worm, which is what prompts this remark of mine.

Geo

Thanks for the professional advice!

Some of the problem is gardening in a rental plot which has been in use for decades, and which has numerous plots on either side of it. If it isn't fungus (trying sulphur this year for septoria leaf spot on the tomatoes), beetles, or rabbits, it's deer! Vermin think of us as sort of a buffet line. BT worked for me on bean beetles, but since this particular nasty little worm is inside the squash, it's very difficult to dissuade.

...so I'm rotating this year's crop to David Hammond's!

At any rate, they leave the cucumbers for some reason, so I'll just swap steamed pattypan for homemade tzaziki...

ummmmm, homemade tzaziki! Mebbe I should grow some pattypan myself, for trade goods... :^)

Geo

Mhays wrote:
...so I'm rotating this year's crop to David Hammond's!

Sounds good to me.

The pattypan plants look pretty healthy -- I'll take a pic and post sometime soon. Alas, I think we lost the limas (they just weren't happy).

What is really knocking me out at the moment are the microgreens. I got a package of Botantical Interests seeds and the output is quite impressive -- I clip and have a new bunch in about 3 days or so. I very much enjoy the different peppery leaves, though I must admit I don't think I know the names of any of them.

I just harvested my sour cherry crop. What do I do with them now? I have 14 of them.

Thank you for your assistance,

Even with 14, I'm jealous.
Shortbread-crust mini tartlet(s) with pastry cream underneath?

I have put in a small patch for winter squash as well as a pepper plantation, but still have some room left. I'm thinking I might like to plant some bitter melon. It may be too late in the season for planting, but I'd be interested if anyone has experience with this Asian vegetable.

Another possibility, inspired by Antonius: horseradish. I've never grown this plant either, but I like fresh horseradish, so maybe...

The garden is the best hobby I've had in a long time; I look forward to going out there everyday and weeding. It's amazing fun to arrange nature in an orderly fashion.

Hammond

HI,

I think bitter melon is a long vining plant that would go along a fence. You see in Chinatown gardens these lengthy vines with the spiny melon hanging down.

If you are doing horseradish, then you might want to consider garlic, too.

Regards,

Cathy2 wrote:I think bitter melon is a long vining plant that would go along a fence. You see in Chinatown gardens these lengthy vines with the spiny melon hanging down.

My neighbor grows bittermelon and it covers the fence between our two backyards.

Cathy2 wrote:If you are doing horseradish, then you might want to consider garlic, too.

We have "wild garlic" growing in our backyard -- it's mild but kind of nice to use during the season.

Question: when picking herbs (basil, sage, etc.) is it advisable to pull leaves from anywhere on the plant, or is it better to consistently pick from, say, the top or the bottom? I'm sure there's no strict right or wrong way to do this, but I'm wondering if there's any logic to harvesting specific portions of the plant.

When only needing a small amount of herb for a specific recipe I tend to pick from the top of the plant, my rationale being that these are the freshest most tender leaves. I may be totally off on my theory, but I'm sticking to it.

stevez wrote:When only needing a small amount of herb for a specific recipe I tend to pick from the top of the plant, my rationale being that these are the freshest most tender leaves. I may be totally off on my theory, but I'm sticking to it.

It makes sense that you'd pick from the plant based on the preparation. If I need a little sage to gently flavor a dish, I guess I'd go for the tender young shoots; if I'm frying up a pan of sage to fold into eggs or pasta, I'd tend to go for any leaves on the plant, including the scruffier older ones.

I pick from the top of the plant for botanical reasons as well. Think of it as pinching the plant back which, for herbs like basil, oregano, thyme, etc., encourages bushier growth.

If I'm picking to dry, I'll snip long stems as they're easier to tie and hang.

D.

Mhays wrote:Thanks for the professional advice!

Some of the problem is gardening in a rental plot which has been in use for decades, and which has numerous plots on either side of it. If it isn't fungus (trying sulphur this year for septoria leaf spot on the tomatoes), beetles, or rabbits, it's deer!

How exactly do you use the sulphur to combat leaf spot on tomato plants? I have the same problem, and am in need of assistance. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

I went to the Chalet before the year started and bought botanical sulphur and copper which I sprinkled on the soil before it was tilled; it seemed to stunt the growth of some plants early this season, but they're OK now. I had also heard of spraying a sulphur solution, but I don't know how you do that. You can pick off the affected leaves, depending on which kind of disease you have - make sure not to compost them. Mulch around your plants because the disease is carried by water splashing up from the soil.

I've also heard of spraying with a weak milk solution which you reapply every time you water or it rains. Also, products with neem oil have some effect on fungal infections, but they also kill the good bugs even though they're considered "organic." I tried that last year, didn't get spot, but also didn't get that many tomatoes.

Again, though I don't think much of their products, sign up for theGardens Alivecatalogue - it has an excellent diagnosis section that can at least offer ideas and options.

Good luck! Nice to hear from a gardening neighbor!

Hi,

University of Illinois Extension Master Gardner volunteers can provide chemical and non-chemical research-based solutions for gardening. Whenever I have gardening queries, I will google my question adding 'illinois extension' to find answers. If Icannot find an answer, then I will call Extension. I noticed recently there are now joint papers with Purdue- University of Indiana and University of Illinois.

Some answers if they come from a different region, I read for advisory purposes only. UofI responses are specific to the type of soils and conditions in Illinois (and Indiana). In Illinois we have neutral to sweet soil, whereas the northeast has acidic requiring soil amendments to raise the pH. The Yankee Gardner (or whatever that show was called) was always adding bone meal, which here we do not need. This same issue of regional differences can apply to national (or internet) distributed information: it may not apply to your local conditions.

FYI - I use copper for chlorotic plants. I wait for the conditions to occur, then I pull it out. I don't use it if the conditions don't develop.

Regards,

This year we are not growing anything in our garden. We planted a good cover crop of rye, clover and legumes to keep it fed and the weeds down.
We do have 12 tomato plants on our deck. We are enjoying cherry tomatoes and the romas should be ready in a week.

Mhays wrote:I went to the Chalet before the year started and bought botanical sulphur and copper which I sprinkled on the soil before it was tilled; it seemed to stunt the growth of some plants early this season, but they're OK now. I had also heard of spraying a sulphur solution, but I don't know how you do that. You can pick off the affected leaves, depending on which kind of disease you have - make sure not to compost them. Mulch around your plants because the disease is carried by water splashing up from the soil.

I've also heard of spraying with a weak milk solution which you reapply every time you water or it rains. Also, products with neem oil have some effect on fungal infections, but they also kill the good bugs even though they're considered "organic." I tried that last year, didn't get spot, but also didn't get that many tomatoes.

Again, though I don't think much of their products, sign up for theGardens Alivecatalogue - it has an excellent diagnosis section that can at least offer ideas and options.

Good luck! Nice to hear from a gardening neighbor!

Thanks for the advice. I put down bark at the base of my plants a few weeks ago to suppress the leaf spot. I've had some success with this strategy, but not as much as I hoped I would've. I will look into the sulphur solution at Chalet. The heirlooms I grow (Black Brandywine, Black Pineapple, Purple Cherokee, Old German, Mortgage Lifter, Costata Genova, Black Krim) are especially susceptible to disease, but they are worth the extra care they require. By the way, as you apparently do, I have a plot in an Evanston Community Garden....

Perhaps someone can lend me some thoughts.

I am growing a number of plants in pots on my back deck. They get Sunlight for maybe 8-10 hours a day and have stayed constantly watered.

I am having two issues:

1. My jalapeno plants have what look to be very very small brown dots on the leaves. The plants seem to be growing fine. I am guessing this is a no no, but i have more than one plant in a pot that is about a foot in diameter and bout 10 inches deep. Any idea what the spots are? Could it be the plants do not have enough room?

2. My Parsley plant keeps growing, but there are small tinges of brown around the edges of the leaves. Very small amounts, like a thin outline around the leaf. Any idea what could be causing this?

I appreciate any help you may be able to provide, but also do apologize in advance as I am only in my second season of attempting to grow things and am quite the rookie.

Hammond wrote:

Another possibility, inspired by Antonius: horseradish. I've never grown this plant either, but I like fresh horseradish, so maybe...

DAVID!! Go Back, it's a trap! Horseradish is second only unto bamboo for its abilities to escape. Soon, you have a garden of horseradish. Dunno how much you like the stuff, but probably not enough for a whole garden's worth.

If you have a raised bed, separated from all else, that's ok.

jpeac2, here are some wild guesses (or worse). Your peppers might very well have a touch of black rot. Check the spots closely--are they a bit reddish? Probably black rot. Unless you have significant amounts of the leaf surface dried out by the rot (c. 30-40%), don't worry about it.

And maybe your parsley is getting too much water. As I said, just a guess. YMMV.

Geo

My Garden, June 30

In appreciation for all the good talk in this thread, I thought it well to provide an update on my first gardening effort.

The Stevez Commemorative Square Foot Organic Garden is kicking ass, though the eggplant and cukes (center) are dominating: this is okay because the arugula, red sail and microgreens have bolted. The tomato plants in the back are doing very well; they’re strong, many bearing fruit, and I have very high hopes for the heirloom crop this August.



Here’s a shot from the other direction of the MHays Patty Pan Paddock. I think I need to trim this back, but the imp of perverse in me suggests I just let it go while.



The Squash Farm is a new addition: King Bush Acorn, Delicato, Pink Banana, and Spaghetti Squash. I figured it’d be nice to have some squash come October.



Another new addition, the Pepper Plantation, features Melrose peppers, Hot Pepper Fish, Jimmy Nardello’s, Antohi Romanian Sweet, Poblano, Hungarian Hot and Bulgarian Carrot. I was not thinking of peppers this year, but The Wife got some for a good price, then I bought some, and bada-bing, chili.



I’m thinking of replanting my current basil here. Note ceremonial raccoon to the left. Last month, we buried our dog Sebastian under the ivy tree (and believe me, he put up a fight, but it was time).



Thanks for all the advice, seeds, feedback -- will keep you all posted.

Hammond

Kenny from Rogers Park wrote: The heirlooms I grow (Black Brandywine, Black Pineapple, Purple Cherokee, Old German, Mortgage Lifter, Costata Genova, Black Krim) are especially susceptible to disease, but they are worth the extra care they require.

I have to say, I've had particular difficulty with many of those specific varieties, especially the darker they get (which are my faves)

My lettuce is gone. I had lettuce on Thursday, but today - nothing. I have no idea what could have happened to it. Poof. No evidence it ever was there!

Leek laments:

My lettuce is gone

Only possibility is critters. [Well, there's also Bad Neighbors... but that's usually a stretch.]

Critters just love lettuce. L'il bastards.

Geo

I harvested one undersized Jalapeno, a little mild. Give them time.
I also harvested one undersized pea pod, and a bunch of cilantro sprigs. I've got green tomatoes on about grape tomato scale, and pickles at pencil thickness 1.5" long, and the bell peppers and tomatillos are just starting to set fruit.

The only real disappointment is the swiss chard: there's only a few growing at all, and for rainbow, they're all red. I also have a volunteer tomato plant, very surprising because this year's garden is 20' from last years!

Geo wrote:Leek laments:

My lettuce is gone

Only possibility is critters. [Well, there's also Bad Neighbors... but that's usually a stretch.]

I suspect that if someone took the time to get into my yard they'd probably steal my deck chairs or my eensy weensy lemon tree (with a proto lemon on it!) not my lettuce

Now, if the lemon goes, I know it was one of the dogs. Emma the curious has been seen nibbling on it.

Ok. Wake up this morning and these two damn birds are pecking away at my rainbow pepper plant.

What can I do to prevent this? Do I need to get chicken wire and encompass the whole thing?

This is in a pot on a third floor deck.

ATTN: MHays and all lovers of pattypans.

I've got about a zillion squash blossoms but very little fruit, which is okay because I'm patient. I read in this week's TOC that Nichols Farms sells their male blossoms because they don't fruit. I did not know that. I should eat the male blossoms.

Question: how do I tell male from female squash blossoms?

David "Is that so wrong?" Hammond

Simple:
Put out some plant food. If he eats it, it's male. If she eats it, it's female.

You can't just check its pants?

Look for a little teeny tiny squashlet near the blossom. If there is one, it's a chick. Otherwise, eat it.