Problem: Potential Pests



Good thing I decided to do my background check, I've turned up some more information. I have a new lead on potential pests that could harm our garden. Here's the scoop:

 ** I have featured pictures of some of the many pests I plan to control/prevent with organic remedies**



Harlequin bugs


 Broccoli: aphids, cutworms, harlequin bugs, larvae of: cabbage maggots, cabbage mothers, cabbage loopers and white butterflies, slugs, & mites.



Flea beetle

 Carrots: larvae of carrot rust flies, parsley worms**(see Note)**, nematodes, rabbits, deer, gophers & woodchucks.

   Tomatoes: aphids, flea beetles, fruit flies, mites, nematodes and tomato caterpillars.

   Zucchini: aphids, pumpkin beetles, squash bugs & vine borers.

Aphid

**Note**: DO NOT KILL, this "pest" will become a black swallowtail butterfly. Parsley worms are green caterpillars with black stripes, white or yellow dots and little orange horns that feed on carrot foliage. Move these caterpillars to carrot family weeds, such as Queen Anne's Lace and wait for their cocoons to hatch.



The Plan: Create organic remedies to prevent and treat this arsenal of potential pests. I have gathered information and will begin preparation ASAP (which really means on my next day off from work). These are the concoctions I am going to attempt to create:

Stay tuned for....

• Basil Herb Tea Spray
• Essential Oil Spray
• Sugar Spray
• Pepper Spray

All recipes were taken from How to Garden Advice/Challenges/Organic Insect Control





Featured Farm: Stone Gardens

Cucumbers, zucchini & squash

Stone Gardens is a family operated farm nestled in the White Hills (or the White Hills/Huntington border) of Shelton. Started in 1998, Stone Gardens provides fresh vegetables, flowers and fruit. I visit them weekly to sort throught their fresh assortment, currently of veggies and herbs. Stone Gardens also features a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), which we are thinking about joining because our garden is going to need some more time to grow.



The Farm Stand @ Stone Gardens Farm





Fresh vegetables picked daily



Although Stone Gardens is not organic, it practices Integrated Pest Management which entails strict monitoring of pests and intervention when the documented threshold is noted, preventing or minimizing damage to the crops. *Note: That's about all I understood, so please visit their website for detailed information ;-)


 

Another perk, Stone Gardens Farm offers fresh poultry, pork and beef: all are pre-order. The chicken is farm raised, antibiotic and growth hormone free and are available all year. Pork, Turkey and Beef are by pre order only. Please visit Stone Gardens Farm for more information.  

Check out what I picked up today!

Romaine lettuce, cucumber, snap peas & a basil bunch.

Farmers Market Finds

Last saturday's farmers market was a bust for me (Unfortunately, the life of a nurse & working every other weekend). Thank goodness for my boyfriend (he's a scenic design draftsman) and his weekends off. So, with his assistance I bring you the inside scoop on last weeks farmers market.

 Visit Shelton's Farmers Market Webpage Here

Who can resist the beauty of farm fresh produce and farm made baked goods?! This was Kurt's first visit and it turns out he is as much in love with the farmer's market as I am! His farmer's market finds included:

Cherry Tomato Seedlings

Farm Fresh Eggs

Strawberries

Squash & Zucchini

Garlic

Fresh Clams

Guy, the organic farmer

 He also claims that the Guy, the organic farmer we bought most of our plants from, is his "boy" now. They talked about how to control pests and diseases that could hinder our crop. Kurt even got a personal invite to Guy's Eco Garden, which may include a private tour of the garden!

Background Check

Seeing as this is our first vegetable garden,  we obviously rushed into it. After the fact, I thought I better do a background check if we plan on keeping these plants alive. Turns out, we are going to have to make some changes. Here we go:

Carrots: Grows in partial shade but prefers full sun. Carrots prefer cooler garden zones and do not grow well next to dill plants. Seedlings should be thinned out when 2" high and again when 6" high. Loose soil with good drainge is also important. Only small amounts of water are needed, as too much water will cause the roots to crack. Harvesting is based on size preference. So, these veggies are going to be relocated.

Zucchini: Grows best in full sun, but can tolerate partial shade. Leave 3ft of space between mounds: 3 plants per mound. Watering should be up to the plant but NOT directly on the stems or foliage: avoid handling when wet (this will help prevent  powdery mildew and bacterial wilt). Harvesting begins when the Zucc is 4" long and when the skin is still tender. Again, these veggies will be relocated.

Broccoli: Grows in full sun and prefers beds that are well drained. Plant in beds 20" apart. Water constantly to keep soil moist because plants grow quickly. Harvest when buds are large and firm but not yet flowering. Cut the large central bud leaving 6" of stalk attached and any small branches alone. Smaller branches will produce smaller harvests throught the season. We did okay, Broc can stay close to home.

Tomatoes: A warm weather crop that grows in full sun. When plants are 10" tall they can be transplants to an open garden, but also grow well in containers. Water regularly to keep the soil moist and avoid un evenwatering that can cause blossom-end rot. Pick when ripe on the vine but tomatoes will also ripen indoors. These veggies are staying put for now, atleast until they get a little bigger.

The plan is to transplant some of the vegetables into the larger garden in the backyard (see below). I was nervous about this to begin with. Out of sight, out of mind-ya know? Well, here goes nothing- you gotta do what ya gotta do.

But first, there is a farmer's market tomorrow and I'm excited to see what this saturday will offer.



The Start of Something New

Well, here goes nothing! I am starting this blog in hopes that it will encourage me to continue to care for my new garden...instead of getting all fired up for about two weeks and then fizzling out, as usual. We are starting to eat organic and being that its summer, I thought why the heck not start our own garden?

Maybe that fact that I constantly joke I have a BLACK thumb?! Despite my track record with plants, I started to visit local farms and discovered Community Supported Agrictulture (CSA) groups as well as our town's own  farmer's market. This small idea exploded into a garden that will most likely feed more than two. And, so the Kneen St Apartment Supported Agriculture (ASA) was born; putting our own twist on a CSA!

Our garden consists of: Basil, Oregano, Chives, Parsely, Broccoli, Carrots, Zucchini, Plum & Burger Tomotoes-so far. Seeing as we will probably have more than we can handle I plan to disperse the extra among my apartment-mates, friends and family. Wish us luck and lets hope this black thumb turns green!