What did you do in the garden today?

[Sueby]

Any idea why female squash blossoms would die off even before opening? They are shriveling up long before they even get a good flower on them.

 

[Acre4Me]

Any idea why female squash blossoms would die off even before opening? They are shriveling up long before they even get a good flower on them.

Has it produced any viable fruit yet?

I’ve seen that happen before. All females tend to die off until some magical point when they start to get fertilized and grow.

Some plants will produce and grow so many fruits, then any females after a certain number fall off, but I’ve seen them produce more females that grow. For example, I’ve see my butternut do this, where the plant supports the growth and development of around 3 squash. Any more females wither and fall off -they don’t even look viable before flowering. Then, once those 3 squash are done with rapid growth, I’ll see female flowers start to form again, but this time they are viable looking and once fertilized will grow.

 

[littledog]

Green for hay. Blue for water. Yellow for the back door on the henhouse, brown for the weird door on the barn. LOL.

I should do your system for all our things, like watering the garden, cooling the house with the attic fan, etc. We have something like that for the dishwasher- we were constantly going, "are the dishes in the dishwasher clean or dirty?" "I emptied it the other day.." "What day was that, because I emptied it yesterday." "I think it was Tuesday, yours were dirty"etc. etc. So I finally made a little sign with "clean" on one side in yellow and "dirty" on the other side in orange, laminated it and stuck it on the dishwasher with a magnet. Whoever runs it flips it to "clean" and whoever empties it flips it to "dirty." Took a while to get into the habit, but now both of us are with the program and there's no more re-washing clean dishes or putting away dirty ones.

Curious what heirloom seed brand everyone likes?

I ordered from Baker Creek for the first time this year (based on advice from this group) and it's too early to judge them on production, but they all had an excellent germination rates and the ones who are ready are doing well out in the garden so far. Territorial Seed is my usual go-to with good results, but Baker Creek has some unusual varieties that TS doesn't have, that I wanted to try.

 

[littledog]

She has a bowed tendon. She is on stall rest for at least a month... This is a lot of extra expense I hadn't counted on, but no other options... She is also getting bed sores on her hocks and armpits. I ordered her some neoprene hock boots. Hopefully those will help.

Oh no, I'm so sorry! At least with a bowed tendon they can usually eventually return to soundness, but in the meantime, stall rest, along with all the associated standing still for cold-hosing, is definitely a huge PITA.
When my boy (now 28-y-o) was 5, he had to have hock surgery - 6 weeks stall rest, then another 6 weeks of "quiet hand-walking" which is never "quiet" with a young horse who just got freed from 6 weeks of stall rest! Fortunately, the barn he was boarded at had a hot-walker that could be set at a few different speeds. That was so helpful - he learned pretty quickly to walk around at its pace, instead of dragging me around like a kite on a string.
I hope your poor girl is sensible about her stall rest, and that the neoprene wraps help her

 

[Sueby]

Has it produced any viable fruit yet?

I’ve seen that happen before. All females tend to die off until some magical point when they start to get fertilized and grow.

Some plants will produce and grow so many fruits, then any females after a certain number fall off, but I’ve seen them produce more females that grow. For example, I’ve see my butternut do this, where the plant supports the growth and development of around 3 squash. Any more females wither and fall off -they don’t even look viable before flowering. Then, once those 3 squash are done with rapid growth, I’ll see female flowers start to form again, but this time they are viable looking and once fertilized will grow.

Interesting! Actually the plants have produced pretty well & have fruit on them now. I hadn't thought there might be a limit & they are still a bit small so I'm sure that has to do with it too. That makes me feel better, thanks for the info.

 

[Beaker99]

I ordered from Baker Creek for the first time this year (based on advice from this group) and it's too early to judge them on production, but they all had an excellent germination rates and the ones who are ready are doing well out in the garden so far. Territorial Seed is my usual go-to with good results, but Baker Creek has some unusual varieties that TS doesn't have, that I wanted to try.

Lol. I usually use Baker Creek as I live right by them. Just thought about branching out.

 

[TJAnonymous]

Any idea why female squash blossoms would die off even before opening? They are shriveling up long before they even get a good flower on them.

Mine are doing the same thing. I think mine is due to the extreme heat and lack of rain

 

[WthrLady]

Gross alert........


You know that scene in Harry Potter where Ron is throwing up slugs....ya, me today. (feel batter now that that is out.)
Slightly off balance today, which means I have fluid in my ears. No fever, but on and off chills last night with gooseflesh.
Been keeping up with tylenol and muscinex since Sunday.
I am prone to wicked sinus' infections this time of year as I do a LOT of dirty barnyard cleaning.
Guess later I'll test to see if it's one or the other, but since I'm the one taking care of Covid boy......What can ya do?!
DH and I just tested positive, shocked I tell you. Officially a plague house, dang it.

Will water and feed the onions today and should water the garden too. I never wish for this kind of heat, even in the deepest depths of winter. It can go away now.

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

Good morning gardeners. Good and bad news in the garden. After picking a boatload of kale and chard I went to check on the other plants. I was amazed to see two small tomatillos developing. I thought I only had one plant so I looked at the base of the plant. I saw this:

My one plant was actually two plants intertwined. I was glad I hadn’t caved and yanked the plant out. The plants are loaded with flowers and what looks like more developing tomatillos.

Now the bad news: what I thought were cucumber beetles swarming around these plants were actually potato bugs. They were really having their way with these plants. I spent nearly an hour picking off the larvae and a few of the beetles. Then I sprayed the leaves with neem oil. After that I sprayed the eggplant, kale and okra plants as a precaution. I’ll definitely keep a close eye out going forward. I checked the potatoes and I didn’t see any evidence of bug damage but I gave them a light spray of neem oil as well. Hopefully all is well.

 

[TJAnonymous]

Speaking of (zucchini) squash, I was looking for female flowers this morning to fertilize and found a giant zucchini that I somehow missed. I'm thinking of allowing it to go to seed.... However, I purchased these plants as young starts from the local feed store. I believe they are Bonnie Plants, Black Beauty variety. Their website says these are heirloom. I shouldn't have any problem collecting seeds from these for next year, you think?