There was a time in my life (before knit addiction) that I was an avid reader, always having my nose in a book, but these days not as much. I do however try to spend a little time each night before going to bed reading, if even for 15 minutes. This month, the book I have been reading is "The Secret Life of Bees". Interesting that this was the book I chose for summer reading, and also the summer of the Bee Shawl, which I hope to work on this fall. I have found a new appreciation for Bees……..and Beekeepers.
Early in the summer I was a bit worried that I did not have enough Bee activity in my garden, which of course is not a good thing. However, as the summer has progressed, my squash flowers have become havens for the Bees. Many mornings I find a Bee sleeping in almost every flower.
I do have some garden quandaries however that I am hoping that some of you more experienced gardeners can help me with. This garden patch has been a learning experience for me. Having only used raised beds in the past, I find that a patch has a few more challenges. I’m not sure why, but it has.
Squash….As you can see, I have beautiful winter squash plants with tons and tons of big yellow bee filled flowers, but yet, I am not getting many squash fruit (vegetable) from these flowers. I think maybe 10 altogether. With all the flowers and bees, why so few squash?
Basil….we had quite a few good harvests from the basil plants, but over the last week, they have become discolored and less hardy looking. Could this be from the cooler temps…or is is due to something else?
Red Onion……this was a very new to me thing to plant and I guess I didn’t thin out the seedlings enough….I had no clue how to grow onions, but next year, I will know better as these onions will not get big enough for much 😦
Bugs…..uggh! Anytime I have a garden, I plant Mammoth Sunflowers, both beautiful and a source of seeds for the neighborhood birds, but this year we have visitors on the leaves. Does anyone know what these are? Usually with this cluster of bugs on a leaf, I will find a big black ant as well. I don’t know if the ant is eating or nurturing the bugs……..either way, I don’t want them…uggh!
Tomatoes….. No problem, other than our cooler than usual temps…..yikes, with they ever turn red?? I know there is no help for these other than a couple of good hot days 🙂
Thanks in advance for any suggestions :-). On another note, I had quite a few people ask me if I were getting out of the dyeing business and I want to assure you that I am not 🙂 I will be dyeing full steam up until Fryeburg Fair and then I plan to take a few months off to recharge before vending at Spa. Everything that I have will be available now in both the wool/nylon blend and my normal merino/nylon blend up until the fair, then I will shut down for a little spell to spend some time working on the homestead and playing with these things…
The Woolen Rabbit 
I see some fried green tomatoes in your future;-) Sorry I can’t help with the garden. Bee things seem to be the theme around Blogland this summer!
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I had the same problem with basil this year as well and we hardly used any of it. THe color was yellow and not as robustly green as it had been in years past. Any ideas, let me know!
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First, the squash. You are lucky…around here the big problem is a vine borer that kills off the plant! Give the plants a bit more time and you will start to see fruit. I have the same issue with my gourds and pumpkins, but they are starting to set fruit which then triples in size on a daily basis! The basil…same thing here. It is small and funny looking, whereas by now the basil is usually waist-high! I haven’t a clue what those bugs are, but try squirting them with an insecticidal soap. With your tomatoes, next year try that red plastic mulch under them (Norma gave me the idea)…it works! You also don’t want to fertilize them too much from this point on, or you’ll just get leaves. Another trick is to water with a solution of Epsom Salts….and hope for more hot weather. Now, as for your “toys”….are you kidding me? You got the machine that I went and looked at this morning! And that costs more than my first new car did, eeek! Is it new? Do you love it? I’m just ripe for convincing here!
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Marcia gave you great advice. And you know how it is with tomatoes – one day you have one and the next you have one thousand.
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You know, you could always make green tomato relish, or perhaps a green tomato salsa. Both are really delicious (my husband hates relish, but raves about relish made of green tomatoes).
Good luck with your garden!
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The gardening? Yeah, no advice from this corner.
Secret Life of Bees-I loved that book.
Ooooh! I love your new sewing machine. Does it have the stitch regulator? I’m a little jealous over that, and I have a great sewing machine. Show us what you are sewing!
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Your garden looks very inviting. Re:the basil, I always have this problem and it seems to be due to too much watering and too little sun. This year I fertilized too which has really helped. I’ve been drying what I can upsidedown hanging on a little towel rack I rigged up in my coat closet in our apartment. So far so good.
The old-time Italians in my family could grow a pot of basil year round on their dining room table. . .I think it takes somthing more than I have!
:O)
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For the tomatoes, pick some of the leaves off around the tomatoes to let more sun in. Leave the leaves that are farther away from tomatoes, so you don’t denude the plant.
Never thought about the basil. Will have to research it.
Agree with insecticidal soap.
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The internets, bless ’em, say this:
Chilling sensitivity, in some fruits and vegetables, is a major limitation in the use of low temperature for fresh produce storage, especially in tropical or sub-tropical crops. Chilling injury is manifested differently in different plants such as membrane collapse and superficial browning in basil leaves or texture changes such as wooliness in some peach varieties. The physiological, biochemical and molecular basis for the acquirement of resistance toward chilling by different postharvest treatments or due to genetic variation is investigated mainly in basil leaves and peach fruits.
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The light green bug is a leaf hopper and they eat lots of stuff. I believe the others are immature ones gathered around- squish them please or if you’re squeamish, cut the leaf off and put it in a ziplock and toss it. Momma leaf hopper will get away unless you pounce on her and squish her.
When you see ants traveling up and down a plant that’s a dead give away that you have aphids- the ants protect the aphids as they secret a sticky like dew that the ants love to eat. So in essence the ants “farm” aphids. I usually have a healthy crop of ladybugs that will eat the aphids up especially in their larval stage. The larva molt about 3 times before finally emerging as a ladybug.
Your garden looks great. I adored The Secret Life of Bees.
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Oh, and there are male and female flowers on squash plants. The female ones produce the fruit- the others are male and attract bees in order that they pollinate the female flowers once they open up. So there are always an inordinate number of male flowers. Those are the ones that people in some cultures pick and stuff or just dip in batter and fry.
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Wish we had some of your cooler temps – we’d happily export some warmer ones your way (from Southwest VA)…Bees in many areas have been stricken by mites; normal pests but for some reason the bee hives have not been able to resist them and so many hives have been killed off; I haven’t seen many bees in my area at all this summer. Your pics are beautiful compared to my overheated and dry patch!
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Green tomatoes are also wonderful for piccilli relish. I am not a big relish person, but I LOVE piccilli. There are a lot of recipes on the net.. usually from the rural extension service recipe books!
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I am at a loss for some of the garden issues… all I know is that is has been a bizarre summer for gardens. Our average temperature has been about 70 , and one of my rhodedendrons bloomed last wek (yes, it’s normally a May blooming plant)
glad to know you’re still dyeing fiber and yarn! you do such a lovely job.
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The basil looks like what happens when it gets “cold” it just doesn’t like those cold temps. If it stays cold you can pick the tomatoes and wrap them in newspaper and store in a closed paper bag…then do turn red in time, you have to check them periodically. My local farmer (now retired) taught me that one. He used to do it at the end of the season with the left over green tomatoes. You might also try picking a couple and placing them on a sunny window ledge…that as also worked in the past. What I would give for a couple of cool days here in North Carolina…we are wilting. Re: reading, I find that I have a need to read and turn to it as a break from other projects. I enjoyed The Secret Life of Bees.
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The onions are scallions I think. I grow the purple scallions myself (aka “bunching onions”) and we dredge them in olive oil and soy sauce before grilling them. they don’t get big, and that’s s good thing. Other than thaqt, you have good advice here. Happy eating.
x
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Looks delicious – yummy homegrown veggies. Enjoy playing with your fun tools! I have a Bernina too although mine’s a little dusty from non-use.
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our squash did the same thing . . we had tons of flowers but not many squash. and especially no yellow or zucchini! we did get some of the heirloom types (maybe they are more hardy). i believe a blight is to blame . . i see little yellow squash forming, then when they are about the size of my pinky, they die off.
still we had nice ronde-de nice, patty pans, starship, and a few others i don’t know the names of. but not as many as i expected!
and the basil looks like it has black-spot . . a common basil disease caused by too-cool temps and too much water. sometimes it only affects the lower leaves, where the earth is damp and cool.
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Oh I love that book. It was the first book I listened too on my iPod and wow I was hooked. What a great reader for that one.
I’m also getting ready to buzz along with the bee shawl. That will be a delight for sure.
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