July 25, 2016

Avalanche column 

July 21 2016

Yes it has been nice to get the recent rain but it is not a time to be complacent in the garden. Many other things are enjoying the moisture too!

For starters it is nice to see a little greening of the hill sides and one just might start to see a little greening in the garden besides the preferred veggies. Weeds at a 1/16 of an inch do not look imposing but they will not stay small for long.

I have frequently heard “I sure have a weed problem in my garden” Oh but the question should be; did you notice the problem when the weeds were 1/16 of an inch or when they became much much bigger?

Myself, I like to use what is called a hula hoe. It is also called a stirrup hoe or even a swivel hoe. Any way they cut in a push and pull motion. I go through the paths and beds, preferably of an afternoon  when the sun is out and the soil surface is dry. The cut tiny weeds desiccate in minutes and die. To do this when it is overcast and the soil is moist, a large portion of these weeds will reroot.  Don’t worry about getting 100%, the next day you can quickly go through and do a cleanup. This is very important for a couple reasons.

After spending effort to build soil fertility in your beds, allowing weeds to use this fertility is not a good thing. By keeping your paths clear of weeds, makes a clear zone that potential insects must cross to get to your veggies. With weeds, bugs have no problem making it to the “dinner table”.

It is very important to notice insects when they first hatch, this is especially so with grasshoppers. The smaller they are the easier they are to control. There are a lot of organic controls to use on grasshoppers. I must say the fear that I once had with the sight of grasshoppers hoards is a thing of the past.

Some of these controls are: Nolo bait, fabric covers over veggies, a solid fence around the garden, 10 foot clear zone outside the fence, then as a last resort the use of cold pressed neem oil.

 I make a 1% solution by adding 1 1/3 tablespoons of cold pressed neem (not clarified hydrophobic neem) to ½ teaspoon of liquid soap mixed with ½ cup water. Shake vigorously then mix with 1 gallon of water. To prevent leaf burn, spaying is done of an evening when the sun is not as high or hot and the beneficial insects are less active. Always read the label and WEAR appropriate clothing.

Cold pressed neem oil can control a lot of harmful insects. Good luck and happy gardening!!!