Each summer we plant a modest garden. Matt built us a 6'x12' raised bed garden about 3 years ago. We plant cucumbers, zucchini, yellow squash, and green bell peppers. This year we added a tomato plant (at Porter's insistence), Blue Lake bush beans and Pink-Eye Purple Hull Peas. In the past I have also always had an extensive herb garden. This year I opted to omit that for the plantings and just use my dried herbs.
We were very excited as the yellow squash started growing. We love squash cooked in a variety of ways but the family favorite is fried squash. We had a few opportunities to enjoy this treat. Then Matt began to notice the squash started rotting before it was ready to pick. We also noticed hundreds of bugs....and eggs everywhere. I quickly consulted with my garden expert...my dad. He had lost his entire crop of yellow squash and had not planted any zucchini. Matt next consulted our local extension agent to find out if there is a treatment. The sad news is that our plants have been attacked by "squash bugs" and "squash vine borers". These nasty bugs/worms have caused the death of my beloved squash plants and today it appears that they will be the death of the zucchini plants and cucumbers as well.
We are tempted to treat the soil and then replant but can't decide if it is worth the effort and expense this late in the season. Matt starts back to work on Tuesday. In all honesty, he is the one that keeps the garden beautiful. I just prompt the planting and cook the harvest! :)
The rest of our plants are doing well. Especially the monster tomato plant! We do not even eat tomatoes!! We planted it to please Porter, whom insisted he would eat these tomatoes. We have also learned that you need a lot more than 5 pea plants....we only get about few tablespoons of peas at a picking. Very frustrating when they are one of my favorite veggies! I guess I will have to raid Mom and Dad's freezer...they have several quarts put away already.
I am also wanting to add zipper peas next year....anyone have any seeds they want to share?
Here is the monster roma tomato plant....we had it in a tomato cage and added 2 additional supports to keep it off the dirt!
Here is the last of my cucumbers and zucchini plants....RIP my once beautiful and prolific plants!
2 comments:
Happy for your tomato plants, but sad for the rest...i'm sorry to hear that. Oh my mom fries tomatoes and they are YUMMMMMY!
I feel your pain. It seems the same has happened with my once thriving squash and zucchini plants. Amazingly, the watermelon plant we planted from last year has come back from the dead and regrown again this year so, hopefully we'll get some watermelon.
~Stephanie :)
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