12:39 PM Thu, Sep 11, 2008 | Permalink
Cindy Brummer
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I'm a big fan of the Sustainable Food Center, and the other day, their newsletter had a link to an online resource for starting a fall vegetable garden. I looked through it, and I really like the plans they have. It's what I'm working toward with my current front yard garden, and what I have proposed for the garden beds I've proposed for my son's school house.
if you're interested in finally taking the plunge into a home garden, take a look.
12:01 PM Wed, Sep 10, 2008 | Permalink
Cindy Brummer
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I've been hearing a lot lately about fall gardening in Austin and how easy it is.
Easy? Really?
I'm sorry, but for someone like me who's used to the easy gardening in the mid-Atlantic and mid-South states, gardening in Texas is hard, no matter the season. Growing a fall vegetable garden is easier than a spring one, but it's still pretty darn hard.
Thank goodness I don't have a huge ego, because I'd have given up long ago.
That said, now that the temperatures are beginning to back off a little, I'm finding more motivation to tend to my vegetable garden. Every couple of weeks, we plant a new crop or two of vegetables that are well-suited to the fall garden. Over Labor Day, I planted carrots and beans.
But the crops to watch this fall are the pumpkins, whose vines are huge, but they are under attack. Last week I noticed blotchiness on the leaves. At first, I thought I identified the problem as mosaic virus, but now I'm not so sure. The virus is seed born and spread by insects. According to the master gardeners, fall squash are likely to fall to the virus, and one book recommended Garrett Juice plus garlic to treat the problem. Another Internet resource said it was too late and to pull out the plants.
That got me thinking about whether I had accurately identified the problem. I couldn't find a single picture of the problem, only descriptions, and they don't seem to completely fit the situation. The plant appears to be vigorous, despite a few problematic leaves, so I'm going to treat with Garrett juice and garlic and work on improving soil health.
There's also the possibility that this discoloration is caused by an insect or worm. I did find a little caterpillar on a leaf while inspecting the damage, which could explain why the plant continues to be vigorous. I'll get a better idea tonight when I get out there and treat the plant and put down some compost.
I'm making a mental note to rotate the squash out of that bed next year to prevent further transmission of whatever is affecting the plant.
I'm trying not to get frustrated. I have such a hard time with my veggie garden. Woody ornamentals? I'm a whiz! Flowers? Not too bad.... But vegetables? In Texas? I'm having a tough time. It seems like one failure after another. Just once I'd like to have a bountiful crop of something other than chard. I like chard, but you can't carve it for Halloween.
