(Chelsea Update would like to thank Jennifer Fairfield for the information in this story. Part 1 ran Friday.)
Because of all the rain we’ve had, a number of diseases are turning up in vegetable gardens.
It’s best to take a proactive approach to dealing with these issues to keep them from destroying your plants before you can get a good harvest.
There are lots of things you can do to prevent the problems, as well as some things you can do to slow down the damage, but first you need to know what the problem is.
Cornell University has a really good website that can help you identify diseases: http://vegetablemdonline.ppath.cornell.edu/DiagnosticKeys/KeyPage.html.
Organic Gardening Magazine also has a good article on identifying and controlling diseases: http://www.organicgardening.com/learn-and-grow/common-plant-diseases-and-disorders.
Once you know what you’re dealing with you can decide on the best option for controlling it. And, we’d be happy to help you find the right solution for your particular problem.
MSU Extension is reporting an increase in squash vine borer and Colorado potato beetle activity in the area. Keep an eye out for these and other insects around your plants.
Controlling them is important, not just because they eat your produce before you can, but also because they transmit infection from diseased plants they’ve visited to your otherwise healthy plants.
For the birds:
If you are feeding birds during the summer, cleaning feeders regularly is important to prevent the spread of disease. (I feed the ones around my house, but some people don’t, figuring there is an ample supply of food available in the wild).
Also remember to clean out your hummingbird feeders weekly to prevent the buildup of bacteria that can be harmful (possibly even fatal) to these beautiful birds.
Fall is coming – whether we like it or not.
Garden Mill is already placing orders for fall bulbs – and not just flower bulbs. We will be carrying garlic bulbs this year.
If you like garlic, and have never grown it yourself, you’re missing out on a wonderful treat. Did you know there are hundreds of varieties of garlic in the world?
We won’t be carrying quite that many, but will have five organic options to choose from this fall.
Garlic, like many bulbs, is planted in the fall, and harvested in the summer. It’s super easy to grow, and a great addition to any garden.
Both garlic and flower bulbs will be arriving in September.
In the meantime, happy gardening.
