It's warm one today and the weekend is going to be even steamier. Just in time for the hot weather, I planted all the winter squash and the remaining summer squash watered them well. I've struggled with cucumber beetles the last two years and so I am pulling out all the stops this year to try and prevent major damage. I sprayed all the curcubit plants with kaolin clay, which is an inert clay that leaves a white film on the leaves and confuses the beetles and causes them to spend more time grooming themselves than feasting on the tender new plants. I have also put row cover over all the winter squash this year in an attempt to keep the beetles out. And tomorrow, I will be planting 800' of marigolds, nasturtium, poppies, and sunflowers surrounding all the squash beds as these flowers both repel the cucumber beetles and encourage beneficial insects. Fingers crossed!
Our initial spring crops are still going strong plus you will start to see some new crops start to mature over the next couple of weeks. Our early beets are nearly big enough for harvest, the snap peas are flowering, the zucchini are about the size of my thumb, and the garlic is just starting to show its scape. You will notice a handful of spring turnips in the swap section this week. Our first planting in the greenhouse was almost entirely decimated by flea beetles but the field planting is looking good and should be ready with enough for everyone in week four.
We are at the point in the season where the prop house tables are starting to empty and the fields are nearly full to capacity. And the weeds are taking hold. For the next two weeks I will be spending every spare moment with my head down pulling and hoeing the weeds.
