The action right now has moved from the side, bale garden to the driveway, as eggplant, peppers and tomatoes are ripening and giving up their various mysteries of colors and flavors.
I would say that the side yard, straw bale garden bullet points are:
Rabbit, slug and, occasionally, deer issues - These pests are taking the fun out of one of the beet bales, all of the beans, and some of the summer squash. I've actually decided to plant beans and squash in some large containers in my driveway, just so that we get to eat some! More on this challenge in a future blog.
Collards and Kale are under attack from cabbage looper larva. Thuricide is working pretty well, but the cabbage family really gets hit hard - those white moths flitting about are not at all welcome!
Chard is thriving and we got a pretty good beet harvest from the bales that the deer didn't nibble.
Summer Squash is growing extremely well and we are harvesting some delicious white turban variety. The zucchini are getting nibbled, presumably by the rabbit.
I am not pleased with those crops that need earlier planting - peas (for shoots - gone), radishes (ravaged by the looper larva - gone), leeks (a few growing well, too many blank spots, more on the way), potatoes (spotty emergence, need to fill in the blanks), and carrots (three solid sweltering weeks took its toll). Cukes also germinated poorly and fell victim to slug attack.
I will shoot a few pics when I can....but it is time to deal with the driveway, which I will report on tomorrow.
I would say that the side yard, straw bale garden bullet points are:
Rabbit, slug and, occasionally, deer issues - These pests are taking the fun out of one of the beet bales, all of the beans, and some of the summer squash. I've actually decided to plant beans and squash in some large containers in my driveway, just so that we get to eat some! More on this challenge in a future blog.
Collards and Kale are under attack from cabbage looper larva. Thuricide is working pretty well, but the cabbage family really gets hit hard - those white moths flitting about are not at all welcome!
Chard is thriving and we got a pretty good beet harvest from the bales that the deer didn't nibble.
Summer Squash is growing extremely well and we are harvesting some delicious white turban variety. The zucchini are getting nibbled, presumably by the rabbit.
I am not pleased with those crops that need earlier planting - peas (for shoots - gone), radishes (ravaged by the looper larva - gone), leeks (a few growing well, too many blank spots, more on the way), potatoes (spotty emergence, need to fill in the blanks), and carrots (three solid sweltering weeks took its toll). Cukes also germinated poorly and fell victim to slug attack.
I will shoot a few pics when I can....but it is time to deal with the driveway, which I will report on tomorrow.
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