What did you do in the garden today?

[TJAnonymous]

We had a lot (as did @Sueby ). But, I learned a few things. First, they don’t kill your plants (unless really high numbers), they don’t spread any diseases (unlike the $!@# cucumber beetles and their bacterial wilt they spread), and you can scan leaves for eggs snd remove them. You can scan for the several nymph stages and kill those too. Basically, kill all that you see this year. Next year keep an eye out for their eggs and remove (squish, or cut away the whole leaf, or just cut away that portion of the leaf). This year the squash bug population is less in our garden-a few, but not too bad. Of course, we’ve had more tomato hornworms and Colorado potato beetles, both of them are voracious eaters and quickly defoliate plants!

I catch (and kill) whatever I can because I know that for every squash bug I find, there's probably 10 more that got away. :/

I hate squash bugs.

 

[Acre4Me]

I catch (and kill) whatever I can because I know that for every squash bug I find, there's probably 10 more that got away. :/

I hate squash bugs.

Yes! The adults are good at evasion. So, I focus my efforts on the eggs and nymphs, as they are easier to get.

 

[Isadora]

Yes! The adults are good at evasion. So, I focus my efforts on the eggs and nymphs, as they are easier to get.

Really? The adults walk slowly away from me. They're very easy to pick up and squish.

 

[BReeder!]

Really? The adults walk slowly away from me. They're very easy to pick up and squish.

I think there ability to hide is the real problem there.

 

[TJAnonymous]

Yes! The adults are good at evasion. So, I focus my efforts on the eggs and nymphs, as they are easier to get.

And much easier to kill....

On a sad note, I lost a hen this morning to a fox.... I had let them out to free range and had JUST gone back in the house. My dog was in the backyard and never even reacted to it. I heard the commotion from inside the house. By the time I got outside, there were only feathers left. I feel terrible....

I told DH about it and it started an argument because he wants to shoot them. However we are inside the city limits and there are houses nearby. I feel the risk is too big. I asked if we could compromise and use an air soft rifle. He said it's a waste of time.

Anyway, I'm super bummed about losing one of my girls....

 

[TJAnonymous]

I think there ability to hide is the real problem there.

Speaking of this...I used wood mulch around all my plants in the garden this year. It did wonders for keeping weeds down but provided a haven for the squash bugs. Ugh....

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

Good morning gardeners. The comfortable weather continues for now. Temps are forecasted to get near 90F near the end of the week. Sorry about losing a hen @TJAnonymous. Yesterday was exhausting, but I did get all the Monday chores finished. The new (to me) bread recipe threw me off because I missed the part in my first read about not two, but three rising times for the dough. It called for scalded milk and for some reason it took a really long time to cool down before I could use it. Despite taking nearly all day, the bread came out really, really good. The recipe will make three loaves. I only have two loaf pans so I used my sandwich roll pans and made 5 large sandwich or burger buns. I haven't broke into the loaves yet but I did have part of a roll with dinner. Awesome bread. I do need to get another loaf pan, however, I like having enough extra dough to make rolls also. The garden is doing ok. Funny thing about the corn, since the tassels started "sprouting" the stalks are growing taller. Perhaps I'll get a few small ears of corn after all. Not sure what's going on with the summer squash. The bees are trying their best to pollinate things, but the yellow squash are just not getting big. Everything I planted last week is coming up already. I've already thinned the cabbage, radishes and lettuce seedlings. The carrots are just now poking through the dirt. I watered the kale and rutabagas I planted yesterday and picked a few more green beans. It looks like I finally have an okra developing, Yay! There's another jalapeno nearly ready for picking. and loads more developing on my two little potted pepper plants. I haven't had too bad of a problem with bugs this year, but I have noticed the Japanese Beetles have discovered my bean plants. But they aren't eating all that much so far. Have a great day everyone.

I didn't think to take a picture of the bread until I started wrapping it up for the freezer. But here it is minus the roll I ate. Great texture, soft and very tasty.

 

[WthrLady]

OK so what do squash farmers do?! I promise they aren't out there flipping leaves every morning. Pesticides don't work on the adults at all. The only thing I have found in my ancient farming books is that they plant them later in the spring than other blooming thing. But it doesn't define it, and doesn't say WHY.
It mentions NOT using mulches, and planting bare earth, and also mentions leaving shingles or boards as a shelter near the plants and then crushing the boards first thing in the morning. I guess the bugs sleep under them?

I'll ask the guy up the road that has 4 acres of squash and pumpkin how on earth he manages every year. I do know it's just dirt, nothing else.

 

[Iluveggers]

OK so what do squash farmers do?! I promise they aren't out there flipping leaves every morning. Pesticides don't work on the adults at all. The only thing I have found in my ancient farming books is that they plant them later in the spring than other blooming thing. But it doesn't define it, and doesn't say WHY.
It mentions NOT using mulches, and planting bare earth, and also mentions leaving shingles or boards as a shelter near the plants and then crushing the boards first thing in the morning. I guess the bugs sleep under them?

I'll ask the guy up the road that has 4 acres of squash and pumpkin how on earth he manages every year. I do know it's just dirt, nothing else.

Yes, please ask! My field of squash/pumpkins has been pretty good, no vine borer that I can see, no squash bugs, but believe it or not, cucumber beetles destroyed about 9 whole plants after transplanting!

 

[Sooner Magnolia]

OK so what do squash farmers do?! I promise they aren't out there flipping leaves every morning. Pesticides don't work on the adults at all. The only thing I have found in my ancient farming books is that they plant them later in the spring than other blooming thing. But it doesn't define it, and doesn't say WHY.
It mentions NOT using mulches, and planting bare earth, and also mentions leaving shingles or boards as a shelter near the plants and then crushing the boards first thing in the morning. I guess the bugs sleep under them?

I'll ask the guy up the road that has 4 acres of squash and pumpkin how on earth he manages every year. I do know it's just dirt, nothing else.

Please ask and report back! That board trick does sound smart. I'm.so jealous of @Acre4Me and those squash blossoms. I have plenty of tomatoes, but no squash plants left!