Ducks4you for 2022

[ducks4you]

Summer tip: Now is the time to prevent a fused garden hose in the Autumn

A tale as old as time I’ve been there. It is late fall and there is a hard freeze about to hit. A wise gardener once warned leaving a hose connected to a spigot during a hard freeze could lead to disaster! As water freezes it expands and any water trapped in the nozzle or spigot could expand to...

extension.illinois.edu

THIS Is why I Really like the hose savers that are still in the stores. I am screwing and unscrewing to THAT, instead of the faucet.
I have to have a hose on one of my faucets 365/year anyway bc of the horses.

 

[Dahlia]

I so LOVE garden grapes! So scrumptious!

I absolutely LOVE the aroma of Concord Grapes! Smells SO good!
I love to eat grapes too! Fun to snack on them and make them into wine!

 

[ducks4you]

Pruning video...

 

[ducks4you]

Trouble(s) with Tomatoes

Tomatoes are the most commonly grown plant in the home vegetable garden. Tomatoes are relatively easy to grow, and there is a wide variety of different types. If you’re growing tomatoes, you’ll more than likely encounter a few pests and diseases along the way.

extension.illinois.edu

oops! Might be scalding some of them.

 

[heirloomgal]

Walked around with my phone and took some lovely and Not-so-lovely garden photos. First, the sweet potato bed is sparse and weedy. NOT TODAY, Ducks! Let growing sweet potatoes lie, and weed and plant some companion seeds there tomorrow.
My actual asparagus looks lovely, esPECIALLY where it is falling in front of one of the hydrangea flowers.
The "yellow" is just where the sun was hitting it, with the rest in the shade.View attachment 50863
View attachment 50862

OMG that hydrangea!

 

[heirloomgal]

Trouble(s) with Tomatoes

Tomatoes are the most commonly grown plant in the home vegetable garden. Tomatoes are relatively easy to grow, and there is a wide variety of different types. If you’re growing tomatoes, you’ll more than likely encounter a few pests and diseases along the way.

extension.illinois.edu

oops! Might be scalding some of them.

You will notice if they are scalding, they'll get a white burned looking spot. Tomatoes (in zones 3-6) usually scald when the tomatoes are growing under foliage, and the foliage gets clipped. If the tomatoes are smallish and green they usually adjust. Years ago, at seasons end, someone told me to cut back all my tomato leaves so the fruits can 'get sun to ripen'. Wel, l did and everything got sunscald and I had to throw them in the compost!

 

[ducks4you]

I refuse to worry about it. I wanted my plants to get my airflow.
It's ALL a work in progress!
Thank God for composing, though!

 

[flowerbug]

Pruning video...

i did watch it and understood what he was saying, but i still probably will never bother pruning the tomatoes - i haven't grown any climbing or vining types that are the indeterminants and the rest do well enough being left alone.

 

[heirloomgal]

Personally, it seems both pruning or not pruning are viable choices. I know people who prune religiously and have nice harvests, and those who don't who also have great harvests of tomatoes. If the climate is very, very humid and hot maybe pruning is more necessary. I don't prune at all, mostly because I get more fruits that way. More branches, more fruit. I have not had problems with foliar disease so there isn't much need for it for me. A bit of yellowing on the lower leaves, a bit of bug bites here and there but what plant doesn't have that, lol. I tend to like diy hog wire tomato cages for containing the plant in ground. In pots, I let them sprawl.

 

[ducks4you]

With this morning's rain, I am glad that I pruned them, but I am considering simply weeding the last 6 tomatoes (in the back row) and only pruning up the bottom stems.
I have to water bc I planted okra amonst the back row of tomatoes, so it probably will affect air flow. It was a rash decision made bc the original spot for 2022 okra wasn't ready yet.
Speaking of rain, we got a good 3 hour soaking starting around 5AM.
Inside sports this morning until any intermittant rain (like right now) blows off, then to weeding and putting in some more Fall gardening seeds!
I did harvest 3 more purple beans yesterday!!
2022 may turn Me into a big bean fan.