What did you do in the garden today?

[chickengr]

108 f today. my 2 incubators cannot rise humidity with this heat and drought. I have some duck and geese eggs in lockdown

 

[Sammster]

This is the first year using the cattle panel hoop house I built for my mom. I am pleasantly surprised it's working so well! The tomatoes are just loving it! They have flowers and baby tomatoes and are 4+ feet tall already. I think that's more than twice as tall as in years past in early June. My mom started all of them from seed in the winter.

View attachment 3860297

Beautiul!

 

[Sammster]

I have seen more lady bugs this year than ever. I'm loving it I have ordered those little buggars for a few years now.

I Should buy some ladybugs. I know they don't all stay - but I have a heavy insect pest load - bet a few would stay

 

[Acre4Me]

108 f today. my 2 incubators cannot rise humidity with this heat and drought. I have some duck and geese eggs in lockdown

In my super cheap styrofoam incubators, I would use small glasses and cut down sponges. Fill cups part way with water, insert sponge so it sticks up as much as it can. It wicks the water up. Refill with some hot water. I put 4 small glasses, one per corner, bc the corners are the coolest, in my incubator.

 

[Acre4Me]

I Should buy some ladybugs. I know they don't all stay - but I have a heavy insect pest load - bet a few would stay

I’m using predatory nematodes this year Paid a subscription for 1x per month, 50 million nematodes, mixed-3 types of nematodes. Add to moist soil, water after, and keep moist for a couple of weeks. They prey on up to 200 species. Ive used nematodes 1 other time (1x application) and it seemed to help. This year I bought from “Natures Good Guys”. In the past I ordered from Spalding Labs. They have a list of all the pests they help control. They do have a shelf life-use within a few weeks. Keep in fridge until you use. They come in a powder, which disperses easily in water -can use a garden sprayer, or watering can. You don’t need to cover every inch bc they travel in moist soil. I figure if I can hold off on pesticides as much as possible - it’s got to be better. But, I still need pesticides occasionally for spot treatments or at a certain time (like when the bean seeds just pop out of the soil-something always attacks and it’s been bad this year).

 

[chicken opey]

12 quarts of dill and still didn’t use them all! Need to make 12 more quarts and sweet and then we are set for year!
I thought cutting in chunk sizes would allow more in but I’m not sure they do. it’s a bugger getting them in wo much space

 

[chicken opey]

I fed a horse fly. definitely it's last meal, lol. then I fed a chicken with it.

I had 3 attack me in garden. Last meal!!

 

[Sammster]

I’m using predatory nematodes... “Natures Good Guys”

I sprayed nematodes, last year. I haven't seen any grubs this year (I'm sure there are  some). And no mole tunnels (yet).
I just ordered ladybugs and green lacewing eggs. Also used Nature's Good Guys. Here's hoping!

Yesterday, I started a BT regimen on my squash plants. I did see one, small cluster of squash vine borer eggs on an acorn squash leaf, as I was applying - and removed those. I also removed lower leaves and caged "up" my summer squash plants. Hoping for a good harvest because I want to make and freeze dry a bunch of summer squash recipes, this year.

Today, I will re-sow my Cinderella pumpkins. I might not have enough growing season to reach maturity. We'll see. It really depends on our fall weather. Doesn't hurt to try!

 

[TJAnonymous]

Keep an eye on your cover. When it UV degrades it does it in a hurry and starts shedding plastic shards EVERY WHERE, like snow. Ours was a UV stable greenhouse cover and lasted from March to November here, and by January was completely gone.

I used insect netting instead of plastic. So far I'm going on Year 3 with no problems.

 

[WthrLady]

I'd loose that every year with our hail. Sigh.