Fallow soil to conserve moisture for germination of fall crops and to help reduce the nematode population in the soil..
Clean off harvested rows immediately to prevent insect and disease buildup.
Plant the following vegetables not later than July 20 to allow time to mature before frost: tomatoes, okra, corn, pole beans and lima beans. Also plant cucumbers, squash and snap beans.
Get that last planting of beans planted. – Woodstock Community Garden
Water deeply and less often — as needed to prevent drought stress.
Plant that big pumpkin for Halloween.
Be sure to make arrangements for neighbors to harvest and water your garden while you are on vacation.
Make sure the garden is well mulched to prevent weeds and conserve moisture.
They are indeed back. You have probably already seen Japanese Beetles (Popillia japonica) in your landscape. They enjoy munching the leaves of roses, maple trees, cherry trees, peaches and grapes. They actually are a pest to over 300 plant species. A single beetle doesn’t do much damage. Unfortunately once a beetle finds a food source other beetles soon follow. It is the groups of beetles that do real damage.
These beetles will eat the leaves and petals of plants in the rose family.
Japanese beetles first arrived in the United States around 1917. As with many non-native species, in their home country of Japan they are not a major problem. This pest causes damage in the adult beetle stage as well as the larval stage. The larvae, or grubs, live in the soil and can do damage to plant roots.
We often get questions from gardeners about these pests and thought it might be helpful to share them with you:
Do you need to worry about this pest?
The Japanese Beetle season lasts 4-6 weeks, so realize they won’t be around for very long. They are not a major pest of vegetable gardens and generally eat the leave margins leaving a lacy-type leaf. They sometimes also eat petals and can damage fruit.
Do the Beetle Traps Work?
Yes, the beetle traps do work by attracting beetles from all over your area and bringing them to your yard! The traps contain a pheromone, a sex attractant, that can attract beetles that may not have visited your garden on their own.
If you decide to use traps, do not put them in the middle of your garden as you would just be bringing in additional numbers of the pests. Also, the traps will need to be emptied often. The dead beetles give off an ammonia scent that will repel other beetles.
Wouldn’t it be nice if your neighbors put out traps to attract your beetles to their yards?
Is Their a Non-Chemical Control?
Most home or community gardeners can control Japanese Beetles by simply picking the insects off the plants and dropping them in a container of soapy water. By regularly scouting for these insects and removing them, you will prevent any real damage. This is a great job for kids.
What if I Decide I Need an Insecticide?
There are insecticides available to kill Japanese Beetles but realize that the chemicals don’t affect just those beetles but possibly beneficial insects as well. Contact your local UGA Extension Agent for a specific chemical recommendation. As with all pesticides you will want to follow the label directions to the letter.
It is National Pollinator Week 2016. Events are going on all across the nation to draw attention to pollinators and pollinator health. What are you doing to celebrate?
We have been excited to see all of the pollinator gardens across Georgia that are being created as part of the Pollinator Spaces Project.
In Rockdale County, ANR agent Steve Pettis led a group in creating the Rockdale Community and Garden, including a pollinator space. This garden will be a great asset to the Rockdale community.
Perennial shrubs are the bones of this pollinator space in Rockdale County.Rockdale Community and Education Garden.A killdeer bird laid her eggs in the new garden. What a nice surprise!
Heading Southwest from Rockdale, in Coweta County Brooks Elementary School planted their school pollinator garden in late April. Principal Amy Harrison headed up a group that planned and organized for months before they installed their new space. Coweta County ANR agent Stephanie Butcher helped the group get off to a great start. We look forward to seeing more photos as the garden matures.
Brooks Elementary School Pollinator Garden InstallationParent and Teachers created Brooks Elementary School’s pollinator garden.
Traveling South from Coweta, the Riverquarium in Albany, Georgia, created a beautiful pollinator space. Butterfly weed (Asclepius tuberosa), Meadow Blazingstar (Liatris ligulistylis), and Bergamot (Monarda fistulas) are just three examples of over twenty varieties of pollinator plants used in the creation of this garden. This space will be a joy to Albany residents and visitors. James Morgan, Doughtery County ANR agent, is an on-going resource for this group of gardeners.
Photos from the Riverquariam Pollinator Garden in Albany, GeorgiaThis beautiful space is full of perennials.
Creating a pollinator space of your own aids in pollinator conservation, can increase food production, and brings joy as you watch the pollinators at work. For resources on creating your own space and to be included in Georgia pollinator history visit the Pollinator Spaces Project webpage. Your local UGA Cooperative Extension agent can also assist you in planning your garden.
To plant corn in your community garden plot or to NOT plant corn in your community garden plot?
Fresh corn is one of the joys of summertime. The serious corn connoisseur will have you boil the water first and then pick the ears to make sure corn flavor is at its peak.
However, growing this crop can be controversial in the community garden. Here is why:
Corn is Wind Pollinated
You will not get much corn with a few stalks. Corn is wind pollinated and each kernel of corn is formed from one grain of pollen. It takes a large amount of pollen at just the right place on a corn plant to give you nice full ears of corn. Larger stands will produce a higher quality crop than a smaller stand.
If you really want to have fresh corn of your own think, about planting corn in blocks and not rows. This will increase pollination. Also, as the corn tassels you could help pollination along by gently shaking the stalks.
This small stand of corn will not yield a satisfactory crop.
Corn is Tall and Subject to Wind Damage
Corn is a tall, thin plant with a somewhat shallow root system. That means any thunderstorm with a windy component could really damage your crop. If you are a corn farmer with many acres of corn, wind from our afternoon thunderstorm might take out a few stalks at the perimeter of the corn stand. If you are growing only 10 stalks, that damage could really affect your dinner plate.
Some community gardens like to stake each corn plant, like you would a pepper plant. This adds extra support for those afternoon storms.
Each corn stalk is staked for added support.
Corn Can Shade Out Other Crops
Corn is a tall crop and may shade out the rest of your plot or even your neighbor’s garden plot. There are shorter varieties which might be more appropriate for your garden but even shorter varieties like Golden Bantam or Sweetness Hybrid grow to 5 feet. Growing Home Garden Sweet Corn has information on varieties recommended for Georgia.
Tom Thumb popcorn only grows 3-4 feet. Popcorn is not quite the same, I know.
Think about asking for a plot on the perimeter of your community garden so shading won’t be a factor. Growing only corn for one season may improve your chances of a higher quality crop.
There are so many aspects to consider just to get fresh corn on your plate. Who knew it could be so controversial?
It is June, the official start of summer and a very busy time in the vegetable garden. We have complied a list of chores to add to your list to keep your garden in peak condition. According to UGA’s Vegetable Garden Calendar:
Harvest vegetables such as beans, peas, squash, cucumbers and okra regularly to prolong production and enjoy peak freshness.
Bean trellis at the Stone Mountain Community Garden at VFW Park
2. Eat “high on the hog” this month and in July and preserve enough to last during the winter months ahead.
3. For best results, harvest onions and Irish potatoes when two-thirds of the tops have died down. Store potatoes in a cool, dark place and onions in a dry, airy place.
Onions growing at the UGArden
4. Clean off rows of early crops as soon as they are through bearing and use rows for replanting or keep them fallow for fall crops.
5. Water as needed.
6. Plant sweet potatoes and a second planting of Southern peas.
Sweet potatoes at the Victorian District Community Garden, Savannah
St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church’s Food For a Thousand garden in Albany, Georgia is a true lesson in community. Dedicated church parishioners and Dougherty County Master Gardener Extension volunteers (MGEVs) maintain this space and harvest the produce. Dougherty County 4-H volunteers even lend a hand. All of the produce is donated to two local food pantries and a rescue mission. This is an impressive operation.
The Georgia Department of Education’s STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) day is May 6th. In anticipation of that day we want to make sure that schools know what STEM resources are available to them through UGA Extension.
According to information from Gilda Lyon, state STEM coordinator, there are 28 STEM certified schools in Georgia at this time. There will be many, many more applying for certification. The certification process is very involved and once a school is certified it will need to be recertified every five years.
I am celebrating with the butterflies and bees! As the force behind the Pollinator Spaces Project I decided I needed to step up the pollinator habitat in my own garden in time for Earth Week 2016. In one part of the garden I added three baby sage (Salvia microphylla ‘Hot Lips’) plants. I have always loved the bi-colored flowers and they really attract butterflies.
Plant your choices of the following “warm-season” or “frost-tender” crops: beans (snap, pole and lima), cantaloupe, corn (sweet), cucumbers, eggplant, okra, field peas, peppers, squash, tomatoes and watermelon.
Plant tall-growing crops such as okra, pole beans and corn on the north side of other vegetables to avoid shading. Plant two or more rows of corn for better pollination.
Make a second planting within two to three weeks of the first planting of snap beans, corn and squash.
Within three to four weeks of the first planting, plant more lima beans and corn. Remember: for better pollination, plant at least two or more rows.
Be sure to plant enough vegetables for canning and freezing.
Cultivate to control weeds and grass, to break crusty soil and to provide aeration.
Maintain mulch between rows.
For the crops planted earlier, side-dress as described above.
Plant tender herbs.
Remember: Do not work in your garden when the foliage is wet to avoid spreading diseases from one plant to another.
This week we are happy to have UGA Hall County Extension Agent, Michael Wheeler, as a guest blogger to give us a refresher on growing tomatoes. Michael writes….
Homegrown vegetables are a must have for many Southerners during the summer.
The one vegetable, well technically a fruit, which makes everyone’s mouth water in anticipation is the tomato. The folks I know always say the first tomato of the season is the best.
It is a known fact that homegrown tomatoes are much better than anything you can buy from the grocery store. Nothing can beat it.
Whether or not you are trying to grow tomatoes for the first time, or this is your 30th season, there are some tips to follow to make sure your harvest is plentiful.
Tomato seedlings ready to go in the ground.
Before you plant, incorporate four inches of new organic matter. This will encourage the plants to explore and get established quickly.
Plant your tomatoes deep. At planting, remove the leaves from the bottom of the plant and bury about two-thirds of the stem. This deep planting causes the plant to grow roots up and down the stem that is in the ground. This extra root system will make the plant stronger and more stable as it matures.
As a UGA Extension county agent, I always tell my clients to use mulch when you plant anything. Well the same goes for veggies. A good 2- to 3-inch layer of wheat straw will go a long way to hold back weeds, keep the plants clean from rainfall and keep the soil moist in the middle of summer.
Speaking of rain and moisture, what if we don’t get any during the summer? This is where many of the problems in growing vegetables come from — improper watering.
Water your plants so the soil stays fairly evenly moist, avoiding the extremes of it being parched and then flooded. When you do water, keep the water at the base of the plant. Wetting the leaves will only encourage diseases.
Give your tomatoes fertilizer when they are first planted. After that, they do not need much fertilization until the first tomatoes are the size of a dime or so.
Pushing your tomatoes to grow will only encourage the growth of leaves and stems, but not much fruit.
If during the summer you have problems growing tomatoes, stop by your local UGA Extension office for help identifying pests or diseases.
