Deer trouble
July 23, 2011 | 
Author I ran out of the garlic-smelling Deer and Rabbit Repellent from Sweeney, so I switched up. I purchased Havahart “Deer-Off” which is supposed to repel deer, rabbits and squirrels for “up to 3 months” and be weather-proof. So far, that is not the case. The midnight raiders have eaten the tops off of the Asiatic lilies, munched the holly hocks, day lilies, petunias, callirhoe, and Missouri primrose in spite of the spray. I am going to have to try another deterrent, although the fact that I spent nearly $17 on the Deer-Off makes irritates me.
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Green beans
I love green beans. The grudge match this year is between bush and pole varieties. The bush bean I chose is “Speedy” from Territorial Seed: as of today, I have picked two pounds of lovely little beans from two four foot rows. They have had no pest problems at all. They definitely will make my list next year.
The pole beans are easily five feet tall, full of blooms and robust. They wound around the tomato cages I used for supports. I have yet to get a bean, but that’s okay since I just picked all those bush beans.
I think next year I’ll stick to the bush beans and just plant at two week intervals. The shorter plants are less troublesome to cover against our frequent hail storms, and I really like the yield of Speedy.
Pepper Problems
Neither the greenhouse peppers nor the two in the garden look good. They are pretty pathetic, in fact. I think the combination of Miracle Grow and SuperThrive that I have been feeding may need to be increased. The plants are green and appear healthy, but they are small. Over the last week, the jalapeno pepper actually dropped the two blossoms it had. Perhaps they don’t appreciate all the rain we’ve had lately.
Hail Safe
I have covered my garden against hail for eight days in a row. I have it down to a science: when I hear thunder, I race out to the garden and yank the tarps over the plants and bungee in place. Viola: Peace of mind. The tarps are the 10 by 12 feet, blue, medium duty ones. I used bailing twine to anchor the east side of the tomato tarp at three places, then I bought these nifty bungees specific ally for the purpose of anchoring tarps. They have a ball at one end which slips through the metal tarp ring, eliminating the chance a bungee hook will come undone. The other end is adjustable and has a latch over the hook. Great invention.
Score card
Outside garden:
Peas – Super harvest so far: the kids picked and ate four pints this week.
Pole beans – they don’t like climbing anything but the bamboo stakes; I’ve yet to see a bloom.
Bush beans – 8 inches tall and bushy; lots of blossoms, but no pods yet.
Onions – the red onions are doing well; I’ve pulled some for green onions, and today, I picked four handball sized bulbs for salsa. Yahoo.
Peppers – nothing yet. They are spindly and unproductive.
Carrots – over 7 inches mostly, and I’ve thinned pretty well.
Cucumbers – pretty pathetic.
Spaghetti squash – plants are robust and beginning to vine really well! What do I do with them?
Zucchini – Smallish, but I saw a bloom today. Come on!
Tarps vs. Hail
I have covered my garden against the threat of hail for the 10th time today. Of course, each afternoon on the Front Range brings a threat of severe weather. I just have to be prepared for it. I plan ay appointment around it, and the Minion checks the weather forecast constantly to see if tarping is imminent. Yesterday, I purchase two replacement 10 x 12 tarps to cover my raised beds. The tomatoes are, of course, the first priority, but the peas and beans are close second. The average-use, $17 tarps withstood the pea-size hail. I hope they don’t see anything bigger. They seem kind of flimsy.
Drip Irrigation
Chores
Today, I crossed several things off my list:
I went to Home Depot and bought a replacement cucumber plant. I felt smart, buying one pot for $2.84 which had 5 good sprouts. I separated them, and now have two cucumber sets for the garden. I planted them in 85 degree weather, and they promptly wilted. I gave them a shot of Shultzes fertilizer, so I hope they live!
I also bought a Big Bertha bell pepper (again, two plants) and separated them. I put them in where the radishes had phased out. They are currently flanked by carrots. Cross your fingers.
We have a winner…
It is official. A tomato plant from the greenhouse was the first to fruit. The Stupice plant has a quarter-sized tomato on it! I have checked it at least three times today. I can’t wait to taste it.
14 of the 17 tomato plants in the greenhouse have blossoms; shouldn’t be too long. The three stragglers are all planted in the same type of soil: potting soil that I got at the local garden store and mixed with a little bit of peat moss. These seem much heavier, and they definitely don’t dry out as fast. In contrast, all the other plants are in the mix of peat, vermiculite, potting soil and compost. Their growth is robust.
I set all the plants outside in the sunshine yesterday; I didn’t see any pollinators in the greenhouse, regardless of having the door open all day. Call me paranoid.
In the garden, I removed the Wall O’Waters from the 16 plants out there, and I replaced the tomato cages. Right now the 54 inch cages dwarf the plants. They also show great growth, but seem way too small for the supports I put them in. Reminds me of a two-year-old wearing Dad’s shoes.
The tomatoes planted with a handful of wood ashes don’t seem to be any bigger so far. Maybe that will be a taste issue. I also pinched back the axil buds on all of them. I want them to thicken up so they can hold all that fruit.
