Summer to Fall Gardening

[pintail_drake2004]

So, the summer garden is just about spent, and we have transitioned to our fall garden. Lots of turnips, kale, beets, and cabbage planted and looking good. In the mean time, we have been enjoying the fruits of our labor! Still harvesting peppers, tomatoes, watermelons, and several hundred heirloom pumpkins. I processed some pumpkins this past weekend and made delicious pie. Most of these heirloom pumpkins will store 6-12 months.

Another load of pumpkins: Cinderella, Fairytale, Atlantic Giants, and jarrahdale.

Heirloom Fairytale, Cinderella, and jarrahdale pumpkins, and 2 small heirloom watermelons. The big Fairytale pumpkin on top is almost 30 pounds!

A few Crimson Sweet melons. They are all around 20 pounds each.

 

[WIchickMama]

Yum! Looks amazing. I got 3 pumpkins this year! lol and nothing as beatiful as yours

 

[HollowOfWisps]

Those pumpkins are gorgeous! Did you have to spray for beetles this year?

 

[pintail_drake2004]

Thank you!

We garden and farm as organically as possible. When we do spray, we opt for organic options first. For squash bugs, we use DE as our primary deterrent. I'll set up squash bug traps in between the rows-just a 3'x1' long piece of cardboard laid between the rows. Wet it down, and check under it in the morning. You can't eliminate all the squash bugs, but you can control their numbers.

When we do spray, neem oil or permethrin are our go to for organic options.

 

[Sally PB]

For squash bugs, we use DE as our primary deterrent.

This is the first year I've had squash bugs. How do you use the DE? Just sprinkle it around the plants, or on the plants as well?

I do organic as well. My squash were sooooo late with female blossoms that I got 4 butternut squash. Critters got some of the young ones. I'm taking a year off from b-nuts (only kind I grow) next year. Last year I got ZERO. All the other years I've grown it, I've gotten 60- 90. It was my "never fail" crop.

I will keep the cardboard trap method in mind as well.

 

[pintail_drake2004]

Dust the squash/pumpkin with DE, as well as the stem. Makes a huge difference. Reapply after a rain.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Congrats on such a successful summer harvest! Those pumpkins are simply gorgeous!!!


I am brand spanking new to gardening, and posts like this are very inspirational. So far, I'm still just researching and prepping the soil. And trying to manage all of that with a surprisingly demanding career. I've got a long way to go to get pumpkins! Haha!