Garden Journal July 27, 2009 - July 31, 2009

Gardeners' notes compiled August 5:

July 27 - With rain predicted for tonight and tomorrow, harvested approximately 4 lbs. of Sun Gold cherry tomatoes. Cherry tomatoes tend to split after a rain. Rain came by late afternoon. Nine grades campers harvested in the garden: yellow crookneck squash, cucumbers, and the first yard long pole beans. Students found a tree frog in the pole beans!

Tied up tomatoes. Tried bamboo supports and twined the corn. Weeded and mulched corn/gourd row; lemon cucumber and two kinds of beans doing well in same row. Stink bugs--adult vine borer?-- abundant in the row, brown jewel-like eggs on underside of leaves. Yellow and black (both striped and spotted) cucumber beetles also present in that row but not causing damage. Plants seem more susceptible to them when they’re young. (The Japanese delegation visiting on Jun. 29 recommended using a reflective material to deter them next season.)

July 29 - Merc delivery: cucumber, cherry tomatoes, pole beans, squash.

July 31 - Foliar-fed everything except the cherry tomatoes. The corn row needs t-post reinforcement; the bamboo isn’t strong enough. The birdhouse gourds are growing rapidly, some already 4” long. This is a very productive plant.
The squash row is covered in borers in all stages/generations. The transplanted squash seem more susceptible than direct-seeded squash.
Harvested the last few (small) yellow crookneck squash.
Harvested yellow onions. Tops were dead, but all were fine, good sized.
The heirloom tomatoes have a lot of fruit! They have come a long way since our wacky late spring.
The peppers are setting small fruit and more blossoms; relative low amount so far, about four per plan.
The zinnias and cosmos are looking good.
Pulled out all the squash.