The Official Newspaper for Foster County
The Official Newspaper for Foster County
There’s a 50/50 chance that we still have 60 frost-free days ahead of us. That’s enough time to plant and harvest some garden crops.
Plants grow more slowly as the days grow shorter and the nights become cooler. But any vegetable that can reach maturity within 45 days of planting is likely to succeed.
Lettuce, spinach, radish and turnip are good crops in fall gardens.
The back of the seed packet has information about the time it takes for a variety to reach maturity.
Here are some questions that I have encountered during the last two weeks:
Q: What can I do to keep my tomatoes from rotting on the bottom?
Blossom end rot is a common problem in tomatoes. The disorder, which is caused by a calcium imbalance in the plant, also occurs in peppers and squash.
The internet is filled with home remedies claiming to prevent blossom end rot. None of the remedies are proven reliable.
To reduce the occurrence of the disorder, the recommendation is to water plants regularly. Avoid the extremes of either waterlogged or droughty soil.
Over-fertilization also contributes to the occurrence of blossom end rot. Leaves compete with the fruits for calcium. Lush, leafy vines “steal” the calcium ions before the fruits can get them.
The good news is that blossom end-rot most often affects the first fruits of the year. If you keep a regular watering schedule, the problem is likely to diminish as the growing season progresses.
Q: I am finding white grubs in the soil of my raised bed. How can I get rid of them?
The “white grubs” you observed are most likely the larvae of May and June beetles or masked chafers.
The grubs are whitish in color, with brown heads and legs, dark stripes on their backs, and bristles on the undersides of their posterior abdomens.
Pesticides are available to control white grubs in lawns, but the chemicals must be applied at exactly the right time.
In a raised bed, my recommendation is simply to remove the larvae from the bed as you find them. Your plants are unlikely to experience significant damage.
Q: Part of my cucumber plant died. What’s going on?
Bacterial wilt is common in cucumbers and muskmelons. It’s rarely seen in squash.
A common symptom is that one vine wilts or dies, while the rest of the plant looks okay. Leaves on the affected vine also may appear “toasty brown.”
Bacterial wilt is spread by two types of cucumber beetles. The spotted cucumber beetle has 12 black spots on its back. The striped cucumber beetle has three black stripes on its back and a black underside.
Bacteria spread by the beetles plugs the vascular system in the vines.
Two steps are necessary to control the disease. First, remove infected plants from the garden. Second, control the beetle population by applying pyrethrin, neem or spinosad.
Spinosad should be applied in the evening to avoid harming bees.
If you have questions about your lawn or garden, you can contact me in the NDSU Extension Office (phone: 652-2581; email: jeff.gale@ndsu.edu.)
