Feast or famine

This years rain has recked havoc on the garden.
Some of the tomato leaves have returned to yellow with spots.
Some leaves have wilted and turned brown.
This is blight. Caused by to much rain.
The news going around calls is "late blight." Even though it is early in the season.
I have fought and though I won this battle in spring.
The tomato plants are over 5 ft tall with fruit developing.
Now look.

I have been pulling leaves and disposing of them.
I have mulch on the ground. But I think I need an umbrella over them to keep them dry.
The cauliflower has so many holes .

The cabbage butterfly moth has had lunch.It is circled in red.

Along with this the caterpillars. and all his friends.

the is no hope for the leaves to cover the heads

This is my potato harvest for today.

On the brighter side. The mushrooms look enchanting.

Todays harvest.

Tomorrows hope is a organic mix of 1 garlic bulb boiled in 1 quart water for 20 minutes. 1 teaspoon red pepper and some ivory soap. To to make a home make insect repellent. Wish me luck.

Garden research. using red and silver ground cover

I am testing colored mulch in my garden this year.
This is my garden today. We finally have sun shine today here in Missouri.

This is my Hillbilly (Flame) tomato in a self watering 5 gallon bucket. I added the red plastic mulch to the top. It will help to conserve watter loss and we will see if the red color will enhance production. Feel free to click on the photos to enlarge for a better view. I am recovering from sinus surgery so my garden is far from complete this year.
There seem to be a difference already The cauliflower on the red side it getting a bit bigger than the silver side
I used aluminum foil on the inside. And silver reflective mulch on both out side edges.I have silver plastic mulch I ordered on the left end and red material on the right.
Peppers in front tomatoes on fence.
The broccoli seem to have small tops. This is caused from heat increasing too soon.
The tomatoes are making a complete recovery from having yellow and damage leaves.
I added more soil and removed all the damaged leaves on the bottom. Then topped it with cypress mulch. Today I added egg shells crushed. This will detour slugs and add calcium to the soil. I snapped off the suckers on the leaves today also. I will be adding a bit of coffee grounds to the soil latter today. They add a bit of fertilizer and deture some animals.
The bush beans are growing by leaps and bounds with no mulch as yet. I will be placing dry grass on them as soon as I can get it done.

Cauliflower cabbage

Date: 04 April 2009

today I started seed of

Ferry's round Dutch cabbage it is said to be 3-5 pounds vigorous plant.

Cauliflower Early snowball A it is a cool weather veggie too.

sidereal zodiac (Maria Thun)

Leaf Cancer
Waxing gibbous

Cancer (water, feminine); Crab; Moon; Breast/Stomach; moist and fruitful Widely considered to be the most productive of all the signs and most frequently used for planting both above-ground and root crops. Plant seeds, transplant, irrigate, bud/graft. Asparagus, barley, beets, berries, bulbs, carrots, corn, lettuce, potatoes, roses, herbs, wheat, and deciduous trees do very well. Start compost heaps and worm farms when the moon is in the fourth quarter under Cancer.

Farmer Almanac tv said April 2-4 Plant tomatoes, beans, peppers, corn, cotton, and other above ground crops on these most fruitful days. Plant seed beds. Start flower gardens.

The CABBAGE FAMILY INCLUDES

(Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, Chinese cabbage, kale and kohlrabi)
Companions: Beet, celery, chard, cucumber, lettuce, onion, potato, spinach.

NOTE:
Chamomile and garlic improve growth and flavor.
Dill improves growth and health.
Kohlrabi and tomato stunt each other's growth.
Insect control
Catnip, hyssop, rosemary and sage deter cabbage moth.
Mint deters cabbage moth and ants, improves health and flavor.
Nasturtium deters bugs, beetles, aphids.
Southernwood deters cabbage moth, improves growth and flavor.
Tansy deters cabbage worm and cutworm.
Thyme deters cabbage worm.



A
2009 Astronomy Calendar of Celestial Events