I was just talking to a friend about the recent storm that has passed through town and how it has affected her little peppers in her own garden.This particular storm brought illuminating lightening and thunderous, well, thunder. And with it, hail. After that day's storm I went to inspect the damage the next morning. I noticed suspicious holes in the leaves of my tender little babies. My guess was that the snails came out in full force after the rains. It had been a few weeks since I had sprinkled snail and slug bait which are the white pellets you see here. I use Worry Free Feramol Slug and Snail Bait which is bio-degradable and non-harmful to pets and wildlife. So, back to my friend's garden, she thought the holes were due to the hail; we only live a mile from one another so that could have been the case with my babies, too. I guess we'll never really know.
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| Up close and personal. |
Overall, I'm really happy with the progress our garden has shown. The plants seem to be thriving and I am now noticing blossoms on the tomato, pepper and zucchini plants. I believe in the beginning that I was watering a little too often. White powdery patches were showing up on the leaves of my tomato plant and I read that over-watering could have that affect. Since then I have slowed down on the watering and the patches have disappeared. The weed barrier and cocoa mulch seem to be doing a very good job keeping moisture in.
I do have one question. I have dug around in the mulch a few times and noticed itsy bitsy silver bugs of some kind scurrying all over the place. Curious as to what they are, and if they came by way of the soil I purchased. I have scattered lady bugs twice and check my plants for aphids, knocking them off if I see them glomming on for dear life. Ick, those buggers just gross me out.
My seedlings are doing well and I'm juuuust about ready to pot my Juliet Grape and Brandywine Heirloom tomatoes. So exciting! Our Meyer Lemon tree has so many adorable green little lemons growing. I can taste the fresh lemonade popsicles now! And of course I have plans for a blueberry pie when all my plump little blueberries ripen.
Well guys, the sun is shining, so I'm going to take myself outside...toodle-loo!
You know, looking at the holes on your zucchini, it does look more like the work of some sort of slug, snail, or insect than mere hail damage. The damage to the leaves of my pepper plants looks different...more like long slits than holes, as if they were torn apart a bit in the storm. Nonetheless, I put some Sluggo down myself, just in case.
ReplyDeleteYour garden is looking fabulous! I LOVE the dark brown color of the cocoa mulch. It makes the green of the plants (and the yellow of the marigolds) just pop. So pretty.
The second to last paragraph made me anxious for summer...tomatoes fresh from the vine, lemonade popsicles, blueberry pie...bring it on! :)
Oh, and I have no idea what those little silvery bugs might be. Sorry!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Al.
ReplyDeleteAh, I have slits too....growing a garden is just like raising a child, so many unknown hurdles along the way. ;)
Also: I'm so surpised that the neighborhood cats have stayed out. Allie Cat is the only one I seen go into it and all he does is lay down on the mulch. Pretty soon there will be no mulch space available.
Keri, your garden looks so good! I can't believe how much it's grown, you're doing a great job with it! I don't know about the silver bugs either. And those holes are a mystery. It would be hard for a slug or snail to eat from the middle of the leaf and grab ahold, when not munching from the side of the leaf. Blueberry pie, yes please!
ReplyDeleteWow, amazing to see how much your little babies have grown...it's looking so great!
ReplyDeleteI'm really glad the cocoa mulch seems to be keeping the cats from using your planter as a cat box...cool find!