There’s a lot to dig into for this week’s garden report, so let’s jump in! First and most obviously, it has been HOT! The gardens have been needing lots of watering this week and have been struggling with the quick changes in temperature. I have been out with my large watering can, hauling water around the yard to veggies and newly planted native plants. I try my best to hand water plants at their base, both to conserve water and also to help prevent disease.
How does this prevent disease? By avoiding top watering, it reduces the amount of water on the foliage of the plant and thus creating less humidity. Humidity creates the perfect environment for disease and fungus to flourish. It also creates less soil splashing onto foliage, which can also promote disease. Another benny of hand watering? By only watering at the very base of your plant, you limit the water your weeds can get and make things just a little more stressful for them.
Wandering over to the veggie garden: for those who planted garlic, if the scapes have grown out, be sure to cut them off. A garlic scape is the little curly cue, “pigtail” you can see growing amongst the foliage of the plant. The scape will eventually turn into the flowering part of the plant, so by cutting the scape off, you are allowing the plant to put its energy into the bulb, rather than the flower (this means bigger garlic bulbs!). Pro tip: save the garlic scapes for supper! They are great in a stir fry.
Pest sightings in the vegetable patch:
● Cutworm Damage on Shallots: cutworm damage looks like someone came and cut parts of the plant with a pair of scissors–a very clean cut. On my shallots, I am not terribly worried about this, but it can be serious.
● Sun damage on newly planted tomatoes: between transplant shock and the hot temperatures, my tomatoes are exhibiting discoloration and a paper-y texture on foliage.
● Colorado Potatoes Beetles: the battle of these voracious pests continues!
Not seen in my garden, but at Nashua Farmers’, customers have brought in samples of flea beetle damage on tomatoes and eggplant. This damage appears like “shotgun holes” on foliage. These wee devils can do significant damage on plants. Fear not, this critter will not bite you or your pups–they are named “flea” for the way they hop (making them difficult to see), as well as their small size, and dark color.
Other samples customers have brought in this week include cottony scale on Serviceberry (many people often mistake this insect for disease or fungus), and red thread in lawn and turf areas. Red thread is a disease that lives in the stem of your grass and makes your lawn appear to have a pinkish hue. Once infected, there is no true “cure”,but managing the disease with proper horticultural practices will allow grass to out compete the red thread.
To deal with this disease (and also to help prevent it), enact the following practices:
● Maintain a good fertilizing schedule. If using natural fertilizer, I recommend at least one application in late May/early June, and again in late August/early September (this is the most important application because it is the beginning of your grasses growth cycle). If you have red thread, consider an extra application in July with a fertilizer with high nitrogen and iron (I often recommend Milorganite). You can also do a winterizer late October/early November.
● Keep your lawn mower blades sharp. Sharp blades make clean cuts. Dull blades create jagged cuts, which can invite disease.
● If you can, water in the morning, just before the sun hits your lawn. Watering in the morning allows your lawn time to dry off. Watering in the evening causes grass to stay damp through the night, creating the perfect, humid environment for disease to thrive.
If you are concerned that you may have a disease or pest problem, feel free to bring in a physical sample into the store! Pictures are also good, but having the physical sample is even better. We can help identify what’s going on.
My, oh my, this report makes the garden sound like a battlefield! Don’t lose heart, June is always when we start seeing pest problems. Your own eyes are the most important tools: observe and inspect before the problem gets bigger. But enough talk of pests! Let’s talk about garden joy.
I enjoyed some red lettuce my aunt generously shared with me–first of the season for me and so tasty. I was able to harvest just enough rhubarb to make a rhubarb crisp (a tart favorite in my family). I do need to get better at fertilizing the rhubarb. They are what’s called a “heavy feeder” and need more feedings to really produce.
My peonies are finally starting to bloom, as are the foxgloves–and I am seeing my firecracker penstemon starting to bud (the hummingbirds adore this plant). Finally, the gladiolas that I planted a few weeks ago are breaking ground! They have a long way to go, but I am excited!
To wrap up, my fellow gardeners, there is still time to plant your warm weather crop–don’t fret about being behind. Keep an eye on watering, it looks like it will be sunny and warm next week. Most importantly, take some moments to enjoy your gardens and your communities’ gardens! It feeds the soul!
Kate Ratta is the manager of the local feed store Nashua Farmers' Exchange, Inc. She has more than 10 years of experience working in the business owned by her aunt and uncle, Judy Ratta-Harrington and Gene Harrington, and will be contributing weekly garden reports. The store is located at 38½ Bridge Street in Nashua in the converted Boston & Maine and Concord Railroad station.
