What Did You Do In Your Garden Today?

[digitS']

"Two Showers and a Good Sudsing for the Weekend"

Of course, I'm talking about garden plants .

I was out yesterday early with my adapted waterwand. I have changed it by removing the "rose." Isn't that an interesting name for what spreads the water from the end of the wand? You have a rose on your sprinkler can, too .

In place of the rose I screw on a hose nozzle. From rose to nozzle . . . sound like I was out sniffing at the plants, does it? Well, I wasn't holding my nose at their pre-bath condition at least . Anyway, you've gotta be practical when you give your plants a bath. Up and down the paths with the hose and that nozzle in a fixed on position. The wand helps me get the spray low since I want to wash all 6 sides of the plants. Do plants have 6 sides ? Think of them as 4 year-olds who have been out playing in the dirt. You've got 'em standing up in the tub - time loosen some of that grime!

The plants can take a fair amount of water pressure. I'm back in the late afternoon with insect killer but it is easy to see that the plants have really benefited from the hose-down!

I wish I had a smaller garden and could do this sort of thing with every bit of it :/. It takes quite a bit of time and I always have a fight with the hose - posts at the end of each row helps me pull the hose from one path to another. I finish the morning nearly as wet as the plants. The late afternoon brings the "sudsing." Insecticidal soap is a good choice. Dish soap was made for dishes. You should use it with real caution since it may damage the leaves - especially in strong sunlight. That is why a repeat shower the next morning is a good idea. No more worries - sparkling clean plants !

Steve

 

[MontyJ]

I must say Steve, I have never given my plants a bath. Exactly what types of plants are you bathing?

 

[digitS']

The dahlias, but I'd like to give most everything a bath. Now, bear in mind that there has been no measurable July rain here. All of the surrounding countryside is dry, dry, dry. The horizon stays a dirty orange right thru the day. Upwind, there is a major forest fire on the other side of the Columbia Basin.

I am just back from getting some miracle-gro on the dahlias.

The sunflowers need a bath desperately. It is a special bother with them. I'll get more water & soap on me than any individual plant.

Steve

i should say that it isn't just a refreshing experience for the plant . it is also a good way to kill aphids and spider mites.

 

[vfem]

Went out and found one cuke.

Tons and tons of green roma tomatoes, those all survived the flooding rains thank goodness. We got a ton of green peppers, can't wait for those to ripen soon. I bought the rainbow mix, so I have no idea what colors will riped. I hope they're not all green!

Grapes seem to be ripening faster then usually, I ate a couple I found were ready, but the rest of the bunches not so much.

I at least got to count flower buds on the second planting of cukes, and the pumpkins. So I haven't given up hope.

 

[dewdropsinwv]

I have a friend who is supposed to come and pick some green beans since we are done canning our own. When and IF that happens I will get out there and pull the rest of the plants and do some much needed weeding!!!! Right now I can not do anything with out killing the green bean plants.
I cant get into the corn right now, got some that are just resting on other stalks and don't want to take the chance of breaking any more. We had quite a bit of damage with the last storm.

 

[catjac1975]

Boy you two love to pull up plants! Sometimes they do give 2nd and 3rd crops if they stay disease and pest free. Why not save some and see if you can just keep eating them fresh? I find friends are never quick to come pick free food.

I have a friend who is supposed to come and pick some green beans since we are done canning our own. When and IF that happens I will get out there and pull the rest of the plants and do some much needed weeding!!!! Right now I can not do anything with out killing the green bean plants.
I cant get into the corn right now, got some that are just resting on other stalks and don't want to take the chance of breaking any more. We had quite a bit of damage with the last storm.

 

[MontyJ]

I've already picked two crops from the bush beans. They will certainly put on a third, fourth and maybe even a fifth crop. Dew picked a mess today for her mother, and I picked a batch today to go with dinner. We also had another friend come and pick a good bag full.

I do pull a lot of plants when I'm done with them, or they fail to produce what I want. I do love gardening, but as it gets later and later into summer, I begin to get weary of the constant work. We have nearly 4000 square feet of cultivated space. It takes nearly every waking minute not spent at my job just to keep up with it. At some point during the season I realize that we have enough to last us for a year until the next harvest season comes around, so I pull the plants to have a little free time.

My gardening style is one of maximum harvest in minimum time. I would much rather spend late summer and early fall fishing or relaxing in the pool (of which I have only been in twice all year). We'll leave some of the beans, both for next years seed, and fresh eating, but most will be pulled within a week.

In about 8 days the corn will be ready to harvest, along with the grapes and tomatoes. We'll be blanching and freezing corn, making jelly and canning tomatoes for several days. I won't have time to pick beans every few days, so most would go to waste on the plants. Also the potatoes are nearly ready to dig, I have two more carrot crops to get in, cucumbers to pickle, a peach tree to harvest, jalapenos to smoke, poblanos to dry and grind, broccoli yet to harvest and freeze, and several heads of cabbage to get in. Not to mention two acres of grass to cut, endless weed trimming, apples to harvest and process, a pool to tend to, and a transmission out of my Durango to rebuild.

Makes me tired just thinking about it.

If I don't have to pick beans, that's just one more iron out of the fire

 

[Carol Dee]

OMG Monty you make me feel LAZY! No way could
I keep up that pace.

 

[dewdropsinwv]

Carol, it's like that every August!!!! So many things going on at once I don't even know where to start most of the time.

I will be helping as much as possible... and I'm sure at the end of the day we will be very tired

 

[catjac1975]

Yea. You deserve some fishing. But I guess you'll have to do a lot of filleting, smoking, and whatever when you bring home your catch. I'm exhausted just reading your lists of work.