I have been very busy in the garden lately. I harvested my potatoes. carrots, and the rest of my beets. I picked over 50 tomatoes just this past week. Much to my dismay however, I lost 4 of my tomato plants to blight. I salvaged a few dozen green tomatoes and will be making fried green tomatoes this week. I was able to save three of my tomato plants and am in the process of replanting my garden this week.
I also picked bowl after bowl of fresh apricots and will be making apricot jam soon. Watch for my upcoming post. Now to my trial; the vicious vine borer.
I have lost two of my zucchini plants to vine borers. Nasty, nasty bugs. One day I had beautiful looking zucchini plants and then they were gone. It started with wilting zucchini leaves and I knew right away what it was. As I pulled it up this is what I found.
I have recently found out that you can save your plants if you catch them in time, however mine were too far gone to be saved. These pesky insects can also attack your pumpkin plants as well and so I am now on a constant watch to protect my gardens.
Here is what I found:
- First locate the squash vine borer. They are usually at the base of the plant. Night time is a good time to find them. Take the kids out with flashlight in hand and have a borer hunt.
- Once located it is time to perform surgery. Take a knife and carefully cut a slit lengthwise in the vine. Gently open the vine and remove the borer.
- Once the borer is gone, pour a cup of fresh water over the wound and clean it out well. remove any of the orange debris that might be in the affected area.
- Scoop up some nutrient rich compost and cover the wound completely.
- You can wrap the area snugly with a strip of old panty hose to cover the would.
- Water well after completing surgery.
- Water it well daily until it is healed.
This is not a a fail proof method but worth a shot. I have found that in organic gardening there is a lot of trial and error involved, but it is all well worth it to provide nutritious toxic free fruits and vegetables for my family.
If you have any suggestions on vine borers
or organic gardening please share.
I am going to be planting this July! I should have enough tires for 4 planting areas, each 2 tires deep. Please help me decide what we should plant and help me know how to care for them. You guys have such a wealth of knowledge and I'm excited to have your help. The girls and I can hardly wait! We have a hose hooked up in the back yard, so we will be able to water our gardens. AND, we'll be clearing out all the weeds this week too! We'd like to plant some carving and baking pumpkins, and then 2 other things that we can enjoy as a family. :)
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your nasty bug...that little guy is ruining a lot, and I hope you get it all cleared out soon.
The sunflowers are both beautiful and amazing. I have no suggestions or advice about organic gardening, but I would very much like to sample your apricot jam.
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