I've had luck propagating fig through most of the year. Let's count that as a blessing.
Usually try and do it early fall after the last round of figs have given and that's when I'm usually pruning the trees any way.
Fortunately figs are relatively *easy* to propagate and you shouldn't have...
Typically yes, heat tolerant or resistant varieties will set fruit in hot weather. Also- in areas of low humidity (as well as high) some plants will drop fruit, I know Cherokee Purple, Box Car Willie and Brandywine, on your list, will fare rather well in either situation and are great varieties...
For the most part pill bugs won't do too much harm. Enough of them could do some damage to the roots or base. If you're too worried about it, remove the mulch around the base and let them dry out a bit.
All very good suggestions so far.
I've used the radish around the base to help deter squash vine borers.
I would use the cut away method as described above.
Also, make sure you keep mulch away from the base. If the cut away method the BT (or BTK) would work using a syringe.
A small piece...
It sure has been hot lately!
My first guess is it's just the heat. Root damage can cause the problem if something is digging around also squash vine borers can be the culprit. Look for wood shaving looking pieces near the base of the vine or dark spots this maybe a sign of vine borers.
They are probably white flies (probably Bemisia argentifolii). They can cause heavy damage by sucking sap out of tomato plants and they can also spread diseases (like wilts and mosaics).
Insecticidal soap usually works well to control them. A good lady bug population will also help keep them...
This may be a little too late but here goes anyway.
Yes, I have heard of people using the cut and bury method you described. I assume you'd need to establish the root before cutting though.
In the meantime you may be able to inject some Bt into the vine to try and get rid of the squash vine...
Pat-
I do know that we have had some pretty strange looking tomatoes when the temps dip lower than around 50 degrees. We've had the 'beak' before on many different varieties so it's hard to say if there is one that is particularly susceptible. Since we only grow maybe 2 or 3 hybrid varieties...
Just as for most caterpillars a dose of Bacillus thuringiensis or Bt can usually help with some control. An application (it's usually sold under Foray or Dipel) every 10-14 days can help keep them at bay. It's completely organic and basically gives the buggers a nasty disease that eventually...
They get a dark red almost black color when they are ripe so it sounds like your are just about there. Squeeze a couple as long as they are slightly soft and not hard they should be ready.
As far as harvesting, just pick? I don't know of any particular way of picking them. ;)
Recipes. Sorry...
They should come back assuming that the basal stem did not die off completely, which I'm guessing it probably did not. Removing completely dead parts from the plant should help bring it back as well.
I would recommend to you that you try and water at the base and not on the leaves since most...
It is possible.
However grape seeds need a cold period before they will germinate. Putting them in your fridge for a few months will help. After that plant them and they should come up.
Depending on the variety and other factors they may not be true to the fruit you ate but who knows...
Coyote urine might work a little better.
The spray may give a slight taste to some produce but a good washing before eating and not spraying a few days before harvest might be okay.
Basically take a bunch of peppers, a head of garlic, a whole onion and chop. (in somewhere well ventilated and...
*Sometimes* pepper/garlic/onion sprays can work pretty well against most munching pests.
You might want to try and put out some peanuts or other nuts or seeds to try and ward them off?
The trap and dispatch elsewhere method works pretty well.
Coyote or fox urine (that is commercially...
I really can't make an educated guess as to the species of bee the first one is. I can't remember that many details from my Entomology studies (I was more interested in butterflies and moths).
The second however, is definitely a species of hover fly (or drone fly). I'm guessing Eristaline sp...