HOW’S YOUR GARDEN BY L OIS T R IG G C H A P L I N
Pickleworm Gardeners who love homegrown cucumbers don’t like pickleworms. This sneaky caterpillar gets into the vines and carves through the interior of the fruit. To salvage what is left, gardeners have learned to “cut around” the damage, but if the goal is to make whole pickles, this pest is a spoiler. The adult moth flies in from Florida during late spring or early summer, working its way northward while laying eggs on the leaves of cucumbers, melons and squash. A trick for avoiding the pests on pickling cucumbers is to get in a good harvest before they arrive. This means starting plants ahead of time in a cold frame or greenhouse then transplanting them into the garden as early as the weather allows. At this point in the season, gardeners can protect plants with regular sprays of Bt (Bacillus
thuringiensis) to kill the caterpillar larvae before they enter the vines or fruit because once inside, they are impossible to control. However, they don’t seem to like butternut and Hubbard squashes. Another trick is to plant a self-pollinating cucumber such as Diva and cover it with insect netting; excluding the bees won’t be an issue with a self-pollinating type.
SIMPLE TIMES
Tomatoes Need Extra Potassium As tomato plants grow and begin blooming, their need for potassium increases. A lack of needed potassium makes leaves even more susceptible to the many diseases that plague tomatoes in our warm, humid climate. Spraying the foliage with a soluble potassium fertilizer such as kelp extract or a liquid tomato food with adequate potassium provides plants with a quick, easily-available source. Adequate potassium is necessary for overall health of the plant and good tomato flavor.
THE CO-OP PANTRY Young pickleworm
Older pickleworm
Tomato
May 2021
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