We’ve been pretty busy in the garden harvesting lettuce, spinach and arugula. The carrots, beets and peas look healthy and are growing well. The garlic looks like it won’t be too long until we can pull it. Bush beans have been planted and on Saturday, June 16th we companion planted the summer vegetables into the beds. We’re growing various kinds of tomatoes, bush cucumbers and peppers. To protect our Cucumber plants from the Cucumber Beetle we’re using kaolin clay made into a slurry to coat the cucumber plant. Cucumber beetles are voracious eaters and spread disease decimating a beautiful cucumber crop quickly. The kaolin clay gets all over the beetle when it lands on the cucumber plant causing it to constantly clean itself to get the pesky clay off of it. While it’s grooming itself, it’s not eating or making little cucumber beetle monsters and will soon lose interest and go away. One of the beds is not being used this year. We’re solarizing that bed. Solarizing a garden bed is a summer long process. The reason we’re doing this is because we believe that bed has a disease in it. Prolonged, high heat will kill that disease. In case anyone is interested in the process; you first remove all vegetation, then thoroughly saturate the soil with water. Place a fairly heavy sheet of clear plastic over the bed and secure it well so that little to no air gets in or out. That’s it for garden news.
Thank you, Ginny
UUFP volunteers and friends grow organic vegetables from April to December and donate the harvest to the Pottstown Cluster of Religious Organizations.
Our mission is to promote, support and advocate the use of heirloom seeds and non GMO organic food for all. Volunteers are welcome. Please consider joining the garden group. If you are busy during the week and can spend an hour before or after service working in the garden please contact Ginny @ gardens@uupottstown.org