Grinder
Active member
06/09
Culled 30 dead/dying/damaged pepper plants, and planted Contender Bush Bean seeds in their place (2 seeds in each location, to be thinned to strongest seedling).
View attachment 12100
While there may have been additional issues, it seems clear that the frost had done far more damage to the pepper seedlings than was initially apparent; and there were a number that, while still in pots, had been particularly prone to being blown over in breezy conditions (perhaps due to weak root systems that had become compromised in some way), several of which had failed to achieve full health and vigor since being transplanted into garden, which pulled up easily today with few roots and same/similar discolored and bare (no roots) stem area just below soil level that I’d noted while dealing with those blown over seedlings.
Weeding and replenishing wood chips. With the herb plants having been relocated, and with thorough weeding of inner area of vegetable garden perimeter, began replenishing perimeter wood chips to help discourage weed invasion and make future weeding easier.
View attachment 12101
06/10
Continued replenishing perimeter wood chips.
Transplanted both rosemary plants into large enough pots to sustain them for at least the next couple years.
Began process of creating triangular carrot bed to the left of the garden gate.
06/12
Began the process of creating long, narrow bed to the left of the garden gate. Process ultimately consisted of the following: push larger surface chips to fence side, remove remaining chips down to soil level; sift all removed chips (0.25” mesh); remove upper 2-3” of topsoil; sift all removed topsoil (0.25” mesh); loosen soil in-place down to ~4” with shovel and then break up clumps and mix in some composted cow manure and some of the sifted wood chips; combine and thoroughly mix three parts sifted soil, two parts sifted wood chips, one part sifted composted cow manure and fill in prepared area to just above wood chip level; water thoroughly to settle soil; plant seeds the following day. Triangular bed had been prepared in the same way, but with about twice as much composted manure as the long, narrow bed.
06/13
Planted Scarlet Nantes Carrot seeds in triangular bed.
06/17
Planted seeds in long, narrow bed to the left of the garden gate: Scarlet Nantes Carrot; Nantes Coreless Carrot; Early Scarlet Globe Radish; Purple Top White Globe Turnip.
View attachment 12102
View attachment 12103
06/20
Bean seeds have sprouted over the last few days and are looking so-so.
By now the vast majority of squash, pumpkin, melon and cucumber seeds planted on the 4[SUP]th[/SUP] have either failed to germinate or were killed by striped cucumber, squash beetles, or some unknown pest(s) soon after germination. I highly doubt there will be any squash, pumpkins, melons or cucumbers at all this year.
Finished trimming lower growth on all tomato plants. Should have given them more of a trim while transplanting them into the garden, as it’s recommended to prevent foliage from touching the ground, and I wouldn’t have had to remove nearly so much low growth, and the plants could have focused their efforts on upper growth. It’s tough though, given both the average depth of wood chip mulch, and the need for sufficient depth of wood chips to anchor the tomato cages.
View attachment 12104
06/22
It appears that the majority of carrot seeds in triangular bed have sprouted by now. Similarly, it appears that the majority of radish seeds in the long and narrow bed have sprouted, with a few carrots beginning to emerge.
06/23
Bean seedlings aren’t looking very good. No idea what the issue might be. Appears to be some sort of leaf blight affecting first set of mature leaves. Newer growth looks okay so far, but will presumably be slow due to whatever the issue is/was with the first set of mature leaves. Weather has been unusually hot and dry for several weeks now, perhaps that has something to do with it. Fortunately, it appears that some relief may be on the way.
06/25
Replanted squash, pumpkin, melon and cucumber seeds (in spots where transplanted squash, pumpkin, melon and cucumber seedlings had been killed by insects and frost, and where subsequently planted seeds have either failed to germinate or whose seedlings have been killed by insects. As of today, with only 14 of those 86 planted spots having a surviving seedling, and with two of those 86 spots no longer available due to replenishment of perimeter wood chips, all 70 remaining empty spots were planted with leftover seeds):
14 Fordhook Zucchini
10 Waltham Butternut Squash
9 Tommy Apple Melon Cantaloupe
9 Strawberry Watermelon
9 Buttercup Squash
9 New England Sugar Pie Pumpkin
5 Connecticut Field Pumpkin
5 Marketmore 76 Cucumber
Transplanted four Greek Oregano plants into new flower and herb garden areas.
Tomato plants are doing very well, with only one (a Jet Star) showing serious signs of some sort of leaf blight. Bunches of tomatoes on each Jet Star plant are well on the way, with the Opalkas not far behind, and a few tiny cherry tomatoes.
All 52 remaining pepper plants are doing well (though some are now twice the size of others), and there are already a few peppers here and there.
View attachment 12105
06/26
Noticed this morning that some unknown creature has eaten nearly all of the radish sprouts. Not sure if turnip sprouts are up and/or affected yet. Carrots appear to be doing fine so far.
Both kinds of basil have not done well at all. I think it’s mostly because I planted way too many seeds, way too close together, and then failed to realize (until it was too late) that they needed to be thinned.
Received a bit of badly needed rain the last couple days, with temperatures down from crazy 90s to normal 80s.
Culled 30 dead/dying/damaged pepper plants, and planted Contender Bush Bean seeds in their place (2 seeds in each location, to be thinned to strongest seedling).
View attachment 12100
While there may have been additional issues, it seems clear that the frost had done far more damage to the pepper seedlings than was initially apparent; and there were a number that, while still in pots, had been particularly prone to being blown over in breezy conditions (perhaps due to weak root systems that had become compromised in some way), several of which had failed to achieve full health and vigor since being transplanted into garden, which pulled up easily today with few roots and same/similar discolored and bare (no roots) stem area just below soil level that I’d noted while dealing with those blown over seedlings.
Weeding and replenishing wood chips. With the herb plants having been relocated, and with thorough weeding of inner area of vegetable garden perimeter, began replenishing perimeter wood chips to help discourage weed invasion and make future weeding easier.
View attachment 12101
06/10
Continued replenishing perimeter wood chips.
Transplanted both rosemary plants into large enough pots to sustain them for at least the next couple years.
Began process of creating triangular carrot bed to the left of the garden gate.
06/12
Began the process of creating long, narrow bed to the left of the garden gate. Process ultimately consisted of the following: push larger surface chips to fence side, remove remaining chips down to soil level; sift all removed chips (0.25” mesh); remove upper 2-3” of topsoil; sift all removed topsoil (0.25” mesh); loosen soil in-place down to ~4” with shovel and then break up clumps and mix in some composted cow manure and some of the sifted wood chips; combine and thoroughly mix three parts sifted soil, two parts sifted wood chips, one part sifted composted cow manure and fill in prepared area to just above wood chip level; water thoroughly to settle soil; plant seeds the following day. Triangular bed had been prepared in the same way, but with about twice as much composted manure as the long, narrow bed.
06/13
Planted Scarlet Nantes Carrot seeds in triangular bed.
06/17
Planted seeds in long, narrow bed to the left of the garden gate: Scarlet Nantes Carrot; Nantes Coreless Carrot; Early Scarlet Globe Radish; Purple Top White Globe Turnip.
View attachment 12102
View attachment 12103
06/20
Bean seeds have sprouted over the last few days and are looking so-so.
By now the vast majority of squash, pumpkin, melon and cucumber seeds planted on the 4[SUP]th[/SUP] have either failed to germinate or were killed by striped cucumber, squash beetles, or some unknown pest(s) soon after germination. I highly doubt there will be any squash, pumpkins, melons or cucumbers at all this year.
Finished trimming lower growth on all tomato plants. Should have given them more of a trim while transplanting them into the garden, as it’s recommended to prevent foliage from touching the ground, and I wouldn’t have had to remove nearly so much low growth, and the plants could have focused their efforts on upper growth. It’s tough though, given both the average depth of wood chip mulch, and the need for sufficient depth of wood chips to anchor the tomato cages.
View attachment 12104
06/22
It appears that the majority of carrot seeds in triangular bed have sprouted by now. Similarly, it appears that the majority of radish seeds in the long and narrow bed have sprouted, with a few carrots beginning to emerge.
06/23
Bean seedlings aren’t looking very good. No idea what the issue might be. Appears to be some sort of leaf blight affecting first set of mature leaves. Newer growth looks okay so far, but will presumably be slow due to whatever the issue is/was with the first set of mature leaves. Weather has been unusually hot and dry for several weeks now, perhaps that has something to do with it. Fortunately, it appears that some relief may be on the way.
06/25
Replanted squash, pumpkin, melon and cucumber seeds (in spots where transplanted squash, pumpkin, melon and cucumber seedlings had been killed by insects and frost, and where subsequently planted seeds have either failed to germinate or whose seedlings have been killed by insects. As of today, with only 14 of those 86 planted spots having a surviving seedling, and with two of those 86 spots no longer available due to replenishment of perimeter wood chips, all 70 remaining empty spots were planted with leftover seeds):
14 Fordhook Zucchini
10 Waltham Butternut Squash
9 Tommy Apple Melon Cantaloupe
9 Strawberry Watermelon
9 Buttercup Squash
9 New England Sugar Pie Pumpkin
5 Connecticut Field Pumpkin
5 Marketmore 76 Cucumber
Transplanted four Greek Oregano plants into new flower and herb garden areas.
Tomato plants are doing very well, with only one (a Jet Star) showing serious signs of some sort of leaf blight. Bunches of tomatoes on each Jet Star plant are well on the way, with the Opalkas not far behind, and a few tiny cherry tomatoes.
All 52 remaining pepper plants are doing well (though some are now twice the size of others), and there are already a few peppers here and there.
View attachment 12105
06/26
Noticed this morning that some unknown creature has eaten nearly all of the radish sprouts. Not sure if turnip sprouts are up and/or affected yet. Carrots appear to be doing fine so far.
Both kinds of basil have not done well at all. I think it’s mostly because I planted way too many seeds, way too close together, and then failed to realize (until it was too late) that they needed to be thinned.
Received a bit of badly needed rain the last couple days, with temperatures down from crazy 90s to normal 80s.
