Weekly Gardening Outlook

This will be a continuing series. Each Monday we will look ahead at the coming week in gardening for the Northwest Arkansas area.

The lettuce is done for the summer, all of it having bolted due to the heat.  It's impressive that it lasted this long considering the heat we've had.  We will definitely be growing this lettuce mix again this fall.  Until then, our salads will consist of chard and kale.  The heat that we are experiencing has also temporarily halted strawberry production.

                                    

Things to be on the lookout for:

      Wilted vine in the foreground

Summer's little nasties are really starting to pop their ugly heads up now.  The newest arrival is the squash vine borer (SVB).  The first sign was one vine was noticeably wilting during the midday heat yesterday.  Upon closer inspection,  a small pile of sawdust-like frass (poop) was found near the base of a vine along with a 2" section turning brown.  The adult SVB lays its eggs on the leafstalk.  When they hatch out the small caterpillar burrows into the stem and grows rather large (1" to 1" 1/2" long) inside the stem.  The damage will kill everything on the vine past the caterpillar.

These guys will also attack other squashes and cucumbers, but they really seem to prefer the spaghetti squash.  This a shame because we LOVE spaghetti squash.  Here's how to treat the problem if this happens to you:  Go out at night with a strong flashlight.  Hold the light behind the stem where it is discolored and the caterpillar will appear as a dark spot in the stem.  Using a very sharp knife (be careful!) slice halfway into the stem lengthwise to open it up.  Cutting as little as possible and being very gentle, open the stem up and remove the caterpillar.  I've seen two caterpillars in the same stem, so use your flashlight to check thoroughly.  Now heap damp well finished compost or peat moss over the base of the stem and wound.  Keep it damp for a couple of weeks and more times than not, the vine will put down new roots and will start to produce fruit again.

How can this be prevented?  Placing mint cuttings near the base of the vines everyday is said to deter the adult SVB.  DO NOT plant mint here as it is very invasive and will take over.  Coating the base of the vines in diatomaceous earth is another option.  Sticky traps can work, but will also catch beneficial insects.

Perhaps the best option is a second crop of squash planted July 15th after the SVB adult has quit flying.  There is still time in the growing season for the vines to mature barring an early frost.

Weather outlook:
-Hot and dry, in the mid 90's
-No chance of rain
-Ten day forecast

What's being harvested:
-Green tomatoes

-Cucumbers
-Kohlrabi
-Broccoli
-Squash and zucchini
-Squash blossoms
-Celeriac leaves
-Basil, mint, and other herbs
-Radishes

What's coming soon:
-Red tomatoes
-Peppers