Tips for Week 23 in the Zone 9 Garden

Posted on June 2, 2015 by Jay White

Harlequin bugs are a common pest in our area.

As I write this post, sun is pouring in through my window! Now that sun is back it is time for some serious gardening. June is always the busiest and most difficult month of the year for me. Everything thing needs constant attention. Each June vegetables need to be harvested almost daily and full grown weeds seem to pop up overnight. While those jobs are normal this time of year all of our recent rains are going to cause some pretty serious, and unusual pest problems. Patty Leander sent me several tips on how to organically control some of the more common pests in our June gardens. This is such a big topic this time of year I am going to add a series of pest control tips each week in June.

Pest Control

Control mosquitos-All of this rain is going to mean swarms of mosquitoes. Drain all standing water. Mosquitos can mature in as little as a half inch of water. If not possible to drain the water treat it with a product that contains the israelensis strain of Bt (also known as Bti) to kill mosquito larvae.
Control nutgrass (Nut Sedge) with horticultural molasses-I have not tried this but I found it on Howard Garrett’s website (http://www.dirtdoctor.com/Nutgrass-Control-with-Molasses_vq3266.htm). Since I trust “The Dirt Doctor” and I have a problem with nutgrass I will be trying this in my gardens this week
Control slugs, snails, pillbugs and earwigs with a product containing iron phosphate and spinosad- The efficacy of many pesticides can be wiped out by heavy rain so always check the forecast before application and reapply when needed.

Small tomatoes are already for harvest. All of our rain is going to cause cracking in many of our larger varieties. Don’t worry though. Just cut out the bad spots and enjoy what’s left!

Vegetables

Expect to see cracking in tomatoes, especially if rainy weather continues-This is caused by fluctuations in moisture and temperature during periods of rapid fruit growth. Salvage fruit by cutting around the affected areas.
Watch tomatoes for signs of early blight-Early Blight is a fungal disease that spreads by air, insects, wind and splashing water. Extension sponsored research from Ohio State University has shown that garlic oil, neem oil and seaweed extract can help reduce the severity of early blight on tomatoes; other organic options for control include potassium bicarbonate and the fungicide Serenade.
Start seeds for fall tomatoes in late June so you will have transplants ready to set out in early August.

Spider mites love marigolds. Control them with strong blasts of water to the undersides of leaves every few days. I use the Mitey Fine Mister

Ornamentals

Pull or hoe weeds before they set seed. If you get them before seed set they can go right into the compost
Aphids and spider mites are becoming a problem on annual flowers and crepe myrtles. Control with strong blasts of water to the underside of leaves or spray with horticultural oils
Deadhead annual flowers like marigolds to encourage blooming
Mulch, mulch, mulch! Mulch controls soil temperatures, suppresses weeds and conserves moisture. Mulch often and deeply
Don’t forget to feed your potted plants regularly-I use compost tea. If you use chemical fertilizers like Miracle Grow apply weekly at half the recommended rate.

Don’t forget to fertilize your potted plants. I use compost tea. If using chemical products like Miracle Grow apply weekly at half the recommend rate

Lawns

To avoid fungal disease, do not apply nitrogen to St. Augustine until the soil dries out
When soil dries apply 3 to 4 lbs of nitrogen to 1000 square feet of St. Augustine
Apply 4 to 5 lbs of nitrogen per 1000 square feet of Bermuda
Apply 2 to 3 lbs of nitrogen per 1000 sqaure feet of Zoysia

Tip of the Week – Week 20 in the Zone 9 Garden

Posted on May 12, 2015 by Jay White

When it rains it pours! In addition to almost nonstop rain, bad luck has been falling down on me in waves! Last week my transmission went out, a snake ate my two baby chicks, my son’s dog passed away and two of our daughters barely dodged tornadoes! Things have to get better! Hopefully there is some sunshine right around the corner that will lift the clouds that seem to have settled over the gardens and gardeners of this part of Texas!

I am not normally a snake killer. however, this guy or gal ate my two baby barred rock chicks. I am afraid this is the beginning of a series of snake problems in the coop!

Vegetables

As Patty’s latest article reminds us (Stewart’s Zeebest Okra), now is a great time to plant okra. Zeebest is Patty’s favorite because it was developed by her friends and garden mentors. While not an “heirloom” yet it soon will be. When you are planning your garden this fall why not include some heirlooms in your seed picks. Many of these heirlooms taste better and produce better than the hybrids that are sold in the big boxes and garden centers. Each heirloom has a story. Someone bred it, or saved it and has grown it for years – each one has a story. One of my favorite heirlooms is a shallot called “Gumbo Onions”. A family from Louisiana has been growing these tasty and productive green onions for over 100 years. It makes me feel really good to know that I am doing my part to keep this plant, which is not available in the trade, going for future generations.

Here are the artichokes I mentioned in last week’s post. Very excited about our first harvest. Photo by Sally White.

Ornamentals

My yard is beautiful right now. Everything is blooming, the grass is green and there is fruit on the trees! With all of this rain, mowing and weeding will be the things that keep me outside once the rain stops. Before you weed I really suggest you go and pick up some mulch. Mulch will greatly reduce the number of weeds that sprout. Weeding is not my favorite garden chore so anything that reduces weeds is a no brainer for me.

All of this rain has my yard and vegetable garden looking good. Here you can see my heirloom elephant garlic in full bloom.

Yards

With all of this rain and low temperatures, brown patch is going to become a problem in your St. Augustine. Unless it is really bad it will correct itself once things dry out. Help it out a little by laying off the fertilizer for a while. Too much nitrogen acerbates the problems.

I have hundreds of daylilies on my property. This is a pretty one that was bred by a friend in the DFW area

Trees

Some of my peaches are beginning to show color. This is already bringing in the birds. If you have problems with birds getting you fruit, this weekend will be a good time to cover them in nets.

I share my posts on the HomeAcre Hop. Be sure to stop by the hop. It has tons of great information from gardeners and homesteaders all over the world!

Tip of the Week – Week 16 in the Zone 9 Garden

Posted on April 16, 2015 by Jay White

Spring is definitely in the air! Many of my roses are in full bloom and one of my chickens just hatched three new baby chicks! This is going to be a great weekend to be outside. The sun is out, temperatures are mild and all of this rain should make those beds a joy to work in.

Vegetables

The middle of April is a great time to plant our heat loving vegetables from seed. Patty Leander just did a great post on growing Butterbeans (Lima Beans). In addition to Butterbeans and Southern peas (black eyes and crowder), this weekend is a great time to plant vining crops like cantaloupe, water melons and gourds. It is also a great time to get your okra in the ground.

Quick note on vining crops. They are water hogs! If you give them as much water as they need by watering overhead you are setting yourself up for the best crop of uncontrollable weeds you have ever seen. Save water and reduce your weed problems by setting up some type of drip system for your watermelons, cantaloupes and gourds.

Ornamentals

Most of my roses are truly beautiful right now. There really is not much in this world that is prettier than a rose bush in full bloom. If you have a rose (or other woody shrub) that you would like to make more of, now is the time to do it. I have found that people are somewhat intimidated by the thought of propagation. Don’t be. Most plants are very tough and adaptable. Making a new one from a cutting is pretty easy once you know a few tips.

If you would like to try your hand at propagation, read my article “Propogating Antique Roses”. It has all the tips you need to save a few bucks by creating your own plants from cuttings.

Lawns

Right now the conditions are perfect for the formation of brown patch in St. Augustine. Brown patch is a fungal disease that forms when rainfall is high and temps or low. It is also more come in lawns that are over fertilized. Brown patch is not fatal. Generally, you can control it by cutting back on watering and fertilization. If it spreads to an area larger than a trash can lid you may want to apply one of several granular fungicides that are designed for control.

If your brown patch does not go away as the temperatures rise you may have Take All Patch. This is another fungal disease that is becoming more common. Unlike brown patch, take all patch is fatal. While there are fungicides for control, this disease is hard to beat once it is established. If you get Take All, you may want to consider replacing your water hungry St Augustine with Bermuda or zoysia. Both require less water and are bothered by fewer pests.

I share my posts on the HomeAcre Hop. Be sure to stop by the hop. It has tons of great information from gardeners and homesteaders all over the world!