Heat & humidity are great for our gardens but can also trigger the appearance of numerous pests and diseases. Along with the great growth we’re seeing and early harvests of greens, peas, & summer squashes it’s time to keep a keen eye to detect and control any problems before they become serious issues. Healthy, well-watered plants can tolerate most pests and diseases, but plants may need our help when conditions in mid-summer are ideal for unwelcome insects or plant disease…
As plants enter their peak vegetative growth phase in June their nutrient requirements increase so they can get bigger and prepare for fruiting (tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash, etc.) or storage (carrots, beets, onions, etc.). We’ve had some badly needed rains and things should start to look good out there. Also, this can be when plants in deficient soils run short of essential nutrients and show signs of poor health. In order to promote strong growth and avoid nutrient shortages now…
The end of May has brought almost ideal gardening weather, what a welcome change! Although it’s been a bit dry for Vermont spring, it looks like a great time to get all those ready-to-go plants into their new homes for the summer. It’s still a little early for some heat loving plants like basil, tomatoes, beans, artichokes, okra, & peppers, but almost everything else can move out. Some adventuresome gardeners have already planted out their tomatoes and they might do…