Breaking in some new gardeners today at Davies PAR.

Hi Everyone,

HARVEST TODAY 43 lbs.          YTD 362 lbs.

There was a good group of gardeners today with some new folks and two long lost friends...Virginia and Bob. Also present were Joyce Carter, Dianne Campbell, Jeanne Courtney, Steve Brown, Martha Montesi, Greg, Susan, Melba, Rita and myself.

Marilyn and Jeanne weighing in the produce.

Harvest today included fennel, tomatoes, strawberries, beans, eggplant, squash, beets, peppers, cucumbers, okra, carrots and herbs.

Two more fennel bulbs this week, with more to come.

We were surprised that we had okra already on tiny plants less than 2 ft. high! What is going on? In the meanwhile, the peppers are slow, slow, slow. This year is certainly quite different from last. We got a nice tomato harvest today, and have not been bothered by raccoons so far....also unlike last year.

Maters.

Susan and Greg planted a bed of beets (two varieties), and Virginia and Bob planted three rows of potatoes. The seed potatoes were given to us, and we used as many as we could. As long as we have 90 frost free days, we can plant a late crop. I am concerned, however, that the insects/disease may pose a bigger problem at this late date...in addition to the voles. We hated to turn down something free.

Susan and Greg planting beets.

The squash were sprayed with Bt. The cantaloupe, squash and cucumbers were sprayed with the insect deterrent witch hazel mix. The butternut squash were full of squash bug eggs, which Greg squished. The other squash are relatively clean. The Minnesota Midgets are looking good. I believe it will be a good idea to start putting bird netting around them within the next week as they start to ripen to deter the raccoons.

Two of the biggest Minnesota Midget Cantaloupes with many more smaller on the vines.

Tomatoes were tied up and cucumbers trained on the trellis. No more horn worms were spotted on the tomatoes. Our pretty yellow Italian Pole Beans were few because of the voles getting so many vines, but those we got were beautiful.

Yellow Italian Pole Beans.

Rita pulled scads of carrots and also planted sunflowers. Our zinnias are looking great, and we sent a bouquet along with the delivery today. They love getting the zinnias, and we should do another planting so we can have zinnias all summer long.

Zinnias planted under the muscadine vine.

The garden is looking pretty good at present. I'd like to see more peppers, but I guess we were spoiled last year with our super abundant pepper harvest. Everyone worked hard today, and we were glad to see all the new folks.

'Til later,
Dianne