Applestar’s 2022 Garden

[applestar]

It’s time for the annual panic — it looks like we might get frost Tuesday-Wed … almost definitely Wed-Thurs.

I’m having so much fun planting in the Sunflower Hoophouse though —

Earlier this week, I dug up the rest of the sweet potatoes and prepped the far corner bed where they had been growing. (BTW, I got one of those “magic closing” doorway screen so I don’t have to worry about leaving the door open)

…Today, I planted the plastic-mulched bed with the Chinese cabbage Mini Kisaku 50 and Napa No.2 (started 9/22), Early Mizuna — these have been growing in the Garage V8 Nursery for a good head start since overnight temps have been too cold — as well as lettuce (Marveille de Quatre Saisons and Cimarron). Also sowed Winter Bloomsdale spinach and Kyoto Red carrots. Planted some of the German Giant radish starts in the very far corner, just because.

Also planted some garlic — I might regret this, but some of the bagged organic peeled garlic that hubby bought started to grow roots in the fridge so….

I spread out the WallaWalla onion seedlings and sowed some more seeds in the front bed.

You can see some of the daikon seedlings are growing well, and I had some older lettuce/mizuna cluster-sown starts, so I stuck them in available spots.


Here are the sweet potatoes and other harvest from this week (Pineapple tomato finally produced a ripe fruit. It’s gorgeous but evidently too late-maturing for my garden unless I want to use extra-ordinary early planting methods) —

[imafan26]

How many days do you have left before frost?

[applestar]

The problem we always have here is that “frost” and FREEZE almost always come at the same time. Current forecast shows 39°F Tues night and 36°F Wed night. Subtract standard 3° and we’re looking at 36°F and 33°F, so … yeah — imminent for the rest of the garden beds and container plants. There will now be a mad scramble to harvest and/or bring them inside.

But hopefully not the Sunflower Hoophouse. I intend to cover the sensitive and vulnerable ones with low tunnels of floating covers.

As per usual, we’ll likely have milder temps for another couple of weeks thereafter, so the question is also how much of the rest of the garden do I want to protect and prolong. But I’ll let the tomatoes go this year and leave the Vegetable Gardenbeds to die down so all I have to do is clean up and prep for next year, and I can concentrate on the Sunflower House.

Trying to decide if I still have time to dig up one or two peppers and eggplants to try and overwinter as a winter project….

[imafan26]

I grow my eggplant in 18 gallon containers for almost their entire lives which is about 2-3 years. I might be able to go into something smaller, but 18 gallons is the best size for most of my larger plants. They can live longer, but production drops, and they are easily replaced. If you grow them in large containers then you won't have to dig them up, just move them in.

The same goes for the perennial peppers. I can grow them in smaller containers a 10-15 gallon container for a big one. Both of these will handle severe renewal pruning if they are otherwise healthy. The peppers get cut down if they are not healthy because it is easier to let them grow new leaves than to try to cure the old ones. I grow the eggplant in containers because they get too big and would be in the way in the small main garden. The peppers are not all nematode resistant, so they are better off in containers and like the eggplant, the perennial peppers get in the way in the main garden. I will put the annual peppers in the main garden, but it can be chancy if they are not nematode resistant. Right now, I do have some perennial Thai peppers in the main garden. It was the only place to put them then. I may have to consider moving them if they get in the way.

[applestar]

Good to know they have the potential to live for several years. …but… Those are big containers!

I’m going to coax them into semi-dormant state, so they won’t need as much temperature, water, or root/growing space. I think the critical issue that I need to learn and familiarize myself is “how bare is too bare”….

[applestar]

* low vented poly tunnels covering most of the beds inside the Sunflower Hoophouse — recommended for keeping the late fall/winter crops actively growing in the garden once temperatures start falling below 10°C/50°F (or you start needing a jacket)

* Gave in and harvested some of the biggest sweet peppers — these are the Chocolate Cake cross segregates and Doux Long d’Antibes — I’ll have to pick all of the rest by Tuesday night. Also harvested remaining Myoga that still seemed worthy.

* Saffron crocus bloomed — only four today, but fragrance from just these is intense. More coming.

[imafan26]

They can probably go into smaller containers. 18 gallon containers is standard for my long term plants but the kaffir lime has been in the same pot for almost 30 years, and I will keep eggplant about 3 (they potentially can live over 8 years), some hot chili peppers have lived 8-10 years. If you don't keep them that long they could go into smaller pots. Eggplant will fruit in smaller pots but will need to be watered more than once a day that way at least for me. A 5 gallon bucket would probably work. Minimum size for a hot pepper is 4 gallons and it will live about 4 years in that small a pot.

I'd love to have a hoop house, but there isn't any room in my yard and it could only be covered in shade cloth or insect netting and maybe a tarp or heavy plastic on the roof would be possible to keep the summer sun or the rain out. It is why I opt for the tree and fruit bags. I can put acryllic panels on top of the orchid shade benches to keep the rain out. They have gotten more expensive since the pandemic. I could try to see if I can get phylon and see if I can cut it to smaller sections to make it easier to move. It only needs to be on when there is a lot of rain.

[applestar]

Thanks @imafan

I was thinking that the type you might find beneficial might be an insect-free screened “house” with rain shelter solid roof or shade cloth roof (and maybe side).

If not enough space for a walk-in, maybe one or more of those mini-green house shelving units? If you set one up back to back, that might allow them to stand-alone. Otherwise, you need to stake them down so they don’t fall over.

You could also DIY an open wire shelving unit as an alternative.


…also… You might find this useful if you can obtain the cylindrical fine mesh blanket washing bag — maybe you can in Hawaii.

They — as well as the collapsible laundry baskets — are apparently readily available in “100 yen” — their equivalent for “dollar” — stores. But I can’t find the cylindrical washing bag on-line at all, and the laundry baskets seem to cost closer to $10….

https://youtu.be/BcwevbXYfWg

[applestar]

I’m not up to going outside this morning after yesterday’s all-day trampling around the garden to prep for possible frost.

But I can see some frost on the exposed front yard lawn from the window.

DDs and I dragged most of the container plants into the house in mandatory, forced Fall migration.

Some that can be allowed to go dormant before bringing inside were left out in sheltered locations and covered (or not), and some spent the night in the Patio Hoophouse.

Dd1 helped me secure another side-wall layer of thin poly on the Sunflower Hoophouse, and layer/cover all the vented poly low tunnels with floating covers for extra protection.

I had pain shooting down my right thigh to my knee yesterday evening, but I think I dodged straining the hip joint again — unless I’m still operating under pain remedies this morning…. Will try to take it easy today.

* Sunflower Hoophouse on left, Kitchen Garden Patio Hoophouse on right

Here are some photos from yesterday —

- Greek Sweet Red squashes are still very dark green. Larger tone may turn color in the house in a month or so — some moschatas do, but I usually harvest them after they start changing color, so I might be better off eating them early and not count on them to sweeten up in storage.

- There was one female and one male blossom that I plucked as well (I had them in an omelette this morning)

- You might be able to see that I covered the pepper row (after harvesting all the fruits and digging up the Rocoto Olive F6 which had only just started setting fruits). If they survived and endure the next couple of patchy frost and near freezing temps, I’ll consider potting up and saving a few more to try to overwinter.

- I did dig up three of the eggplants from the Spiral Garden and one more from VG.SIP. They spent the night draped with a floating cover in the Patio Hoophouse

I ended up with nearly two gallon bucket-full of green tomatoes, which couldn’t accommodate all of the peppers piled on top. You can see them all spread out on the patio table.

[imafan26]

You got a lot done. I like the laundry basket screen. That might be something workable depending on the size and how it opens up to access.

I need air circulation in summer and when it doesn't rain. That is why I have the plastic panel that I can put on and take off. I can only cover one bench now. The frame for the cover is pvc pipe. and it is covered on three sides with 50% shade cloth. I could probably get away with a tarp instead if I can find a way to secure it and it would be cheaper. It would not let light in and that would be the biggest downside. The benches provide shade for the orchids.

The vegetables can use insect netting to let more light in. Although, when it rains for weeks. It would be nice to have a tent to cover some things like the cucurbits, eggplant, tomatoes and peppers so they won;t be rained on 24/7. Humidity would be something I still would not be able to control I would have to have a large enough space to set up the tent and have all the plants basically stationed together so the tent can go over them. The tent would not let any light in, that might be a problem when the tent is taken down.

[Gary350]

I don't see the laundry basket screen? Last time win10 forced me to update words got smaller and I don't know how to make them bigger. I have to get my face right up in the monitor to read it.

[applestar]

@Gary350, I hope someone can help you with increasing the Windows system and browser font sizes. I increased my iPhone system/Safari browser font sizes so I don’t have to squint.

In case the video wasn’t showing up in the post above, I’ve edited to display its link. Hope that helps.

[applestar]

Photo collage from today.

* I finally recovered enough to go out and check on how the protected outside plants are doing. Managed to uncover and look at everything except for the pepper bed and container citruses.

* Forgot to take a pic before removing the floating covers from the plants inside the Patio Hoophouse and low tunnels inside the Sunflower Hoophouse — I *thought* overnight lows are supposed to be higher from tonight one for a while, but now the forecast is showing 38°F and it would have been better to leave them covered one more night. . The vented poly will continue to stay on from here on out though.

* I think they mostly look good but the back bed looks maybe somewhat spindly due to the blocked/diffuse light…. I harvested a few leaves of lettuce and mizuna. The Kohlrabi are starting to bulb up.

* The size scale is a bit hard to discern next to a pic of the Sunflower Hoophouse, but I did cover the small 2ftx3ft bed where I’d sown carrots and beets + lettuce. Carrots and beet seedlings had just started to sprout sporadically. Very slow going, so hoping the insect mesh+vented poly tunnel will help keep them warm and speed things along a bit. Not sure if I saw any lettuce (which really should have sprouted first. These seeds may have lost viability.)

— I still have a tray of extra Chinese cabbage and Mizuna + a few lettuce starts in the Garage V8 Nursery, and now that the bed is covered, I could plant some of them in what appeared to be empty spots with expectation to harvest baby/young leafs rather than as mature heads.

* Harvested the last 2 largest Bull’s Blood beets (which turned out to be not that big …and starting to get corky/woody?) and one Kyoto Red carrot that felt big but turned out to have stubby split root.

* Two more saffron crocus with maybe 4 more buds waiting to open in this cluster.

[applestar]

In the collage above, top center two photos are my mini chinese cabbages: Mini Kisaku 50 and Mini Napa No. 2.

According to Kitazawa Seeds site,

Mini Kisaku 50 Chinese Cabbage | Vegetable Garden Asian Hybrid – KitazawaSeed

50~55 days. Note: Chinese Cabbage requires vernalization. Bud differentiation and bolting results from low temperatures of 41°F for a week or 50°F for two weeks. For spring harvest, transplant seedlings with 5-7 true leaves raised at 73-75°F during the day and over 53°F at night.

(…In my area, it’s difficult to get these kinds of temperatures to line up in spring — more like freezing days to summer in matter of days to a couple of weeks)

Mini Napa No2 description calls for 8~12 inch spacing, and my notes say 55~60 days for this variety — I’m going to thin them to proper spacing when the leaves start to touch.

Currently, I see at least some with 5~7 true leaves though some have less, and here are the relevant temperature data:

Does it look like if these forecast temps hold true, I might be in luck?

[Gary350]

In the collage above, top center two photos are my mini chinese cabbages: Mini Kisaku 50 and Mini Napa No. 2.

According to Kitazawa Seeds site,

Mini Kisaku 50 Chinese Cabbage | Vegetable Garden Asian Hybrid – KitazawaSeed

50~55 days. Note: Chinese Cabbage requires vernalization. Bud differentiation and bolting results from low temperatures of 41°F for a week or 50°F for two weeks. For spring harvest, transplant seedlings with 5-7 true leaves raised at 73-75°F during the day and over 53°F at night.

(…In my area, it’s difficult to get these kinds of temperatures to line up in spring — more like freezing days to summer in matter of days to a couple of weeks)

Mini Napa No2 description calls for 8~12 inch spacing, and my notes say 55~60 days for this variety — I’m going to thin them to proper spacing when the leaves start to touch.

Currently, I see at least some with 5~7 true leaves though some have less, and here are the relevant temperature data:
8CDA89F9-C170-49DA-88A8-9D91A570B5CE.jpeg
Does it look like if these forecast temps hold true, I might be in luck?

I hope you have better luck growing Napa Cabbage than me in TN our day temperatures are up & down too much in winter. Best time to grow Nape in TN is Jan 15 to March 15 even then if temperature goes up to 75° for only 1 day my Napa bolted. When I lived in AZ day temperature all winter are 65° full sun with no clouds and night temps in the 20s. Napa did good at 21°F at night in AZ and 15 in TN. My plant spacing was 18" for full size napa plants did good crowded. I love Napa but can't figure out how to keep day temperatures from going above 65° all winter.

[applestar]

I feel like Napa is a tricky one to grow, too. I’m going to try different temps and environments in addition to the Sunflower Hoophouse.

Today, I trimmed/harvested the biggest Mizuna leaves, and then uppotted some of the Mini Chinese cabbage starts I had in the seed starting tray into 5” tall 4” square pots (4) and a 7” tall 6” round pot. The square pots went back in the Garage V8 Nursery and the round pot has been brought in the house (Winter Wonderland).

I took out 6 of the Early Mizuna and 3 of the German Giant radish starts and transplanted them in empty spots in the little 2’ x 3’ bed.

There were less spots than I thought since more carrots and beets had sprouted.

I gave the rest of the starts in the tray a sprinkle of home made bokashi fertilizer (rice bran horse feed/used coffee grounds/fish meal/kelp meal/fish one meal + natto powder, yogurt, dry yeast, eggshell vinegar, fruit scrap culture, etc.) and dolomitic lime each. Rearranged the 24 remaining rectangular cells for better light exposure, and back to the Garage V8 Nursery.

…To my surprise, there were 11 more saffron crocus flowers today. I managed to harvest them just as rain was starting.

[applestar]

…I used to try to just harvest the threads (and felt like I was appreciating the reason why saffron is so expensive) but that got “old” real fast. . This isn’t the only time they’ve chosen to bloom … in dribs and drabs … at the most inconvenient time of the season. I no longer have time or energy to fuss with individually harvesting those threads.

Only reason I can think of for leaving the flowers in place is if they somehow restore some of the nutrients to the bulbs as they very quickly — same day or overnight — wilt and more often than not turn into mush … which seems unlikely since I’ve heard that flower bulb nurseries mercilessly behead blossoms while fattening up the bulbs during their growing years.

Of course, blossoms if harvested whole in commercial volume and allowed to wilt before the threads are extracted, would end up impossible to process. It’s probably BECAUSE I’m growing at kitchen garden level quantities that this works for me.

You can definitely delicately deconstruct the blossoms better when you are not crouching in the garden, fighting fatigue, wind, chilly temperatures, or autumn rains … and trying to figure out where to safely keep those threads.

I save both the precious red threads as well as the yellow pollen covered anthers since those also carry modicum of the aroma. Stripped, the petals while lovely have no scent whatsoever.

[imafan26]

I have Napa cabbage seeds but I have a lot of big plants in the garden like the broccoli, so I don't know if I have room for them. I grew Michili before, and I think they needed quite a bit of space. It has been awhile. I don't get any sudden changes in temperature or wide fluctuations from day to day. But I did not realize Napa required vernalization. Or maybe Micihili does not need as much.

[applestar]

I saw a Mississippi gardener posting about growing good Michihili crop before, so maybe they ARE suited to more moderate temperatures?

Apparently, the parent variety that Michihili (mi chi hi li ) was originally developed from is called “Chihili” (chi hi li) and there is a new hybrid by Takii Seeds called (pu chi hi li) — this would be a name combined form of Japanese “petite” (pu chi) + Chihili (chi hi li). Since this is a Japanese phonetic naming design, I don’t know what it would be called if exported for sale… “Petite Michihili”would be a mouthful (would they go with “Petihili”? “Petithili”?)


It’s early maturing 55 day from seed and 45 days from transplant, described as for Fall crop with a different sister variety that does not bolt easily for Spring crop.

[applestar]

To my even MORE surprise, there were 15 more saffron blossoms on Wednesday.

…and what was probably the last cluster harvest of a handful of raspberries. There were enough for everyone to savor 2 each.

— I trimmed a bunch of Early Mizuna leaves, culled some lettuce, Early Mizuna, daikon, and mini napa cabbage where there were multiple per mulch hole. Also culled some extra side branches from lower stems of the AspaBloc broccoli. Upper branches are starting to form heads and were about nickel sized.

I’ve been spending more time in the garage organizing the space surrounding the Garage V8 Nursery as well as pruning the hurriedly brought in container citruses and peppers, and spraying them with home made soap, a bit of neem oil, and potassium bicarbonate solution to keep down pest infestation in the warmer and dry indoor conditions. I’ve also started setting out borax ant bait in case of stowaways, and I have to set out slug bait still.


Here is a collage with photos of ‘Winter Wonderland’ though there are likely to be more changes made as they settle in for the long winter months….

* Harvested and drying threads from 15 saffron crocuses on a bread plate on the left *

… The mini napa in 6”x7”H pot on the right.

[applestar]

We had another scattered frost Sunday morning and I covered the tunnels inside the Sunflower Hoophouse, pulled up the cover for the pepper row, and covered and closed up the Kitchen Garden Patio Hoophouse as well.

But, things are going to warm up for the next several days with milder night time lows, so those extra covers were removed again today, and hoophouses have been opened up a little more so they won’t overheat, and the high humidity will be somewhat relieved.
- all except one garlic are up. Spinach have sprouted among the lettuce, mini napa, and mizuna.
- I noticed some slug damage the last time, so I scattered Sluggo bait and some Sluggo+ to keep down the pill/sow bugs, and also sprayed with mild neem/hot pepper solution (aphids and cutworms preventative) + x500 dilution vinegar (mites, etc. preventative) and then applied foliar fertilizer.

There had been one more saffron crocus on Saturday, and I really thought that was the last one … but there were two more today.

[applestar]

I like taking photo records — the photos give me a chance to review the condition of the garden, zoom in and examine in the way I couldn’t have out there, etc. and ponder about what I might want to do next….

Looking at the photos above, I think I will cull some of the every-other the mini napa’s tomorrow, especially ones that are overlapping their biggest leaves, and some of the ones to give the sprouted spinach seedlings a better chance to develop.

[applestar]

Culled bed of mini napa’s at bottom, with a photo of the culls (mini napa, mizuna, lettuce)— they were added to okonomiyaki style pork and veg “pancakes” for lunch along with some of the previously harvested peppers.

…Also three Aspabroc sprouting broccoli side buds that were not included in the lunch.

Will have to review those other beds next, particularly the kohlrabis that are starting to bulb up and the daikon in the front that were randomly sowed rather than in plastic mulch holes.

[imafan26]

Your zucchini looks better than mine. Mine will rot unless I pick them small.

I trellis sweet potato vines because they would be all over the place if I don't. I do actually poke the vines in to the pot in several places.That is supposed to increase yields. Usually vines will produce one or two large potatoes, but a lot of small fingerlings. The fingerlings are actually easier to cook more evenly. Somebody also told me to plant the sweet potatoes deep but not fill up the pot all that way. As the vines grow, I should fill in and cover more nodes. The more nodes in contact with the soil, the more potatoes I should have. The vines in my pot has rooted in several places but I planted it very late so the leaves are not really growing that vigorously. Unlike the sweet potato leaf vine that I grow for leaves. That is trying to take over. I have to find a place to put a pot of it. I tried rooting cuttings. They made roots but all the tops died back. I have more vines to practice with.

So you actually plant in the ground inside the hoop house?

[applestar]

I’m DEFINITELY repeating the zukes and the sweets inside the hoophouse next year.

I used to think greenhouses and by extension hoophouses are for container plants, but have been influenced by Elliot Coleman season extension methods as well as seeing UK and European gardeners here and elsewhere posting about their growing experiences.

The Japanese gardening methods to provide overhead rain shelters as well as the prevalent low tunnels with insect mesh for growing brassicas and my own attempts to grow C.pepo under mesh cover have influenced me to think bigger and accept the idea that even here in NJ, summer nighttime temps can be just shy of optimum.

So I’ll be continuing to experiment with “screen house” “rainshelter house” as well as “season extension house” and “overwinter-able crop house” concepts and methods with my hoophouses.

The Kitchen Garden Hoophouse on the patio will be my container house. But that one is totally unusable for growing during the short daylight hour period post mid-Autumn to early-Spring since direct sun is lost to the lower sun angle. Mostly for season extension purposes to maintain survivability. Gets WAY too hot during the middle of the summer, too… though I’ll be trialing different container plants in it.

[imafan26]

I don't have much use for a glass house. It is too hot here for plants or people inside one. Mostly, we would use shade houses to mitigate the summer sun, insect fabric instead of plastic for the coverings to let light and air through. They still don't keep spider mites out, but they can keep out bigger things. Rain covering is good for the rainy season.

I have 50% shade cloth on my orchid benches. It is doubled on some of the benches to increase the shade to about 70%. I order the shade cloth online. I bought most of them over 25 years ago from the one store that sold 12 ft sections in bulk. I also bought all my bench masters from them. Now, I cannot find shade cloth locally in the right size and they are expensive, so I get my shade cloth online. The cloth is not that bad, but the shipping kills. The only shade cloth that is sold by the box stores are the 90% patio covers and that blocks too much light. If I had the space I would like to get a hoop house too. I can make a portable hoop house out of pvc. It is actually the only kind that would be allowed.

I don't need the cover to extend the season so much as for a barrier to insects and birds. A rain cover is useful on the orchid benches. The summer shade will help some plants, but the heat would still get to them, and it is actually warmer inside a shade house than outside because it traps humidity.

I tried growing cool crops under my squash trellis, Even though it is open on the sides and it did not have the heat problem, the squash vines blocked out too much light and very little would grow under it. I had more luck planting the shade tolerant plants in the shadiest parts of the yard or under taller plants. This works with things like parsley, and culantro, but not with coriander because it still cannot handle heat. The University garden does grow heat tolerant lettuce in static hydroponic tables in sun in the "desert". They look good and are heat and tip burn resistant and are ready in about 3 weeks from transplants. However, in summer the lettuce is tough and bitter.

I use the shade benches for orchids, anthurium, and for cutting containers. They don't mitigate that much of the sun since the 50% shade only delivers 50% shade when it is 5 ft or more above the top of the plants. I have more like 2 ft, but it does keep them from getting sunburned. The orchids in the sun do get sunburn in summer.

[applestar]

I feel for you about shipping costs. I can relate when it comes to some things I’d love to get from Japan, but shipping is prohibitively expensive. (I AM halfway around the world … or on the other side of the planet …after all - or so I tell myself)

It’s a bit unkind to mention this, but following up on what I declared elsewhere, that I’m ordering mite predators, it turned out that one of my favorite sources is having a site-wide 15% off sale, with free 2day air shipping for some of the items.

Mite predators are mandatory overnight shipping from there, but they had assassinbugs (shipped as eggs) which met the criteria. So I ordered them yesterday, and expected them to arrive tomorrow. BUT, this morning, the tracking showed that fedex was somehow ready to deliver TODAY.

Here they are and I’ve situated three of the cards — Winter Wonderland, Green Room, and the Garage V8 Nursery. (I’m putting the the other two cards in the hoophouse)

According to the instructions, they should hatch within a week and start active duty munching up in two more weeks.

The smallest quantity for the californicus mite predators I wanted were already sold out, so I went to Amazon, and resigned myself to the trade off of affordable price vs. slow shipping which may mean less vigorous little buggers.

Original expected arrival was on Monday or Tuesday, which was pretty bad — but tracking for this one too (UPS in this case) was revised to tomorrow — 2 days …which is well within tolerance, I think.

—

We are going to have at least 5 days of weirdly warm/hot weather — 78°F for high tomorrow. I’ll see how the predatory mites+assassin bugs combo plays out and then decide about ladybugs.

[imafan26]

Amazon has been shipping much faster. I have also had things with revised dates that arrived earlier. I think their distribution centers have been restocked or stocked up for Christmas and they have hired more seasonal help so that is moving things along at least for items that are don't require computer chips or Chinese components. The items that are shipped directly from the sellers are a little bit slower. But the priority items are shipped out the same day if the order is put in by a certain time. I have also had orders cancelled because the shipper refused to send the product here.

That was really good time on your live bugs.

[applestar]

Good point about the holiday shipping readiness.

The predatory mites arrived a little after 3pm — I’ve had them arrive after sunset and roamed around the garden sprinkling them, but I didn’t have to do that today

I ordered 10 hanging release pouches supposedly filled with 250 each. The pouches were packed inside clear on one side, breathable nonwoven fabric on the other side envelope, and I could see some feisty little buggers that had already crawled out of the little pouches rapidly patrolling around.

This is a new method for me, and it worked out very well for distributing most of the mite predators among indoor overwintering container plants, and then inside both hoophouses and the remaining excess on some of the more mite-prone plants like strawberries, rose, lavender, and other berry bushes, etc. that still had leaves and may still have infestations that the predatory mites could feed on.

(When you have a vial of “2000” that is filled with carrier — vermiculite, saw dust, etc. — you kind of have to trust that they are evenly distributed among the carrier material … yes you are supposed to shake first but even then. )

I did cut open some of the bags and sprinkled where they may be most effective, or where target plants were too far apart and would not be able to spread from the single release point.

There’s no point in trying to save any in the package (unless you have the right kind of storage set up, you’re supposed to release them all within 24 hours), so I was overly generous inside, and somewhat cavalier by the time I was distributing them outside.

Hopefully, this weeks warmer weather will give them a chance to settle and perhaps be able to overwinter….

No movement among the leafhopper assassin eggs, but some of the accompanying predatory wasp eggs (which is described as supplied for the baby assassins’ snack) have started to hatch. It doesn’t say what kind of predatory wasp I think, but maybe they will find some of their own larval hosts

[applestar]

Haha, here is the requisite photo collage for yesterday’s activities. (COUNTER CLOCKWISE FROM BOTTOM RIGHT)

— turned into GIF today so lower photo quality, but you might be able to see the tiny predatory mites? (Realize their prey mites are even smaller and even less visible to naked eye — one of the reasons for deploying Garden Patrol rather than blindly spraying and dipping which was not very satisfactory — you can’t detect them until finally being able to see after mass infestation has already significantly weakened the plants, and whether treatments are effective/they’re gone or not except by observing the condition of the plants growths and looking for clean new growths. Always a step behind….)

* One of the assasinbug cards that is hanging in the coffee tree was hatching this morning. They’re not moving very fast so you may not detect their movement. Coffee has some leftover mealybugs/wooly aphids that I have been hand treating, as well as some signs of mite infestation so this is a good start.

* The small bed sown with lettuce/spinach, beets, carrots, and transplanted German Giant radish and Early Mizuna extras — there had been a full stand of sprouted carrots but they have mostly disappeared along with the lettuce that should have sprouted first and spinach. Beets are still standing but only maybe half dozen or so. I suspect slugs based on munched radish and mizuna leaves. Area surrounding the bed was treated with Sluggo+ several days ago, but not sure if effective. Suspect I need to clear away lthe weedy debris and scattered pots and buckets, etc. where they are probably hiding and trekking over for the smorgasbord.

0803F3AB-8D56-40BC-99CA-2FFF6A7EAA5A.gif (3.46 MiB) Viewed 397 times

* My Goldfish — a Fish sport with orange fruits — waiting in the Patio Hoophouse to be brought inside to overwinter as usual.

* CENTER — three out of 4 pots of sweet peppers prepped and ready to bring inside for the overwintering experiment.

* I did find some carrots (Kyoto Red) have finally sprouted in the center row holes of the mini napa bed inside the Sunflower Hoophouse

* An assasinbug egg card and californicus predatory mite pouch hanging in the lone Aspabroc that had overwintered in the Sunflower Hoophouse last winter and have now began producing in earnest (has leftover infestation of mealybugs and possibly some other issues, but hoping the mealybugs will provide the initial babyfood for the assasinbugs and possibly predatory mites, too).

— It turns out that natural range for these leafhopper assasinbugs only extend to Tennessee or so, so they are not likely to be hardy outside in the NJ winter … but maybe if the Sunflower Hoophouse is sufficiently protective, they might make it? I think I was able to achieve borderline Zone 7 last year … hoping to ultimately up my game to Zone 8.

* ALMOST FORGOT *
Bottom Left phot of last harvested tomatoes that had been all green, slowing ripening and turning color on the basket tray and covered with tea towels.

[applestar]

More assassinbugs are hatching. I’m flicking the card to distribute them among the plants since, by design, the indoor container plants are arranged so they make minimum contact with each other.

— This is an ingrained habit that normally is intended to minimize pest infestation from spreading, and also to make maximum amount of light available to the plants….


They were also hatching in the Sunflower Hoophouse.

…I got confused and went out just before sunset to cover the low tunnels … but it’s actually TOMORROW night that we’re expecting frost.

[imafan26]

O.k. I have a stupid question. What do all these predators feed on if there aren't that many pests around? Or, are there always going to be something for them to feed on?

[applestar]

Well, that all depends. The thing is if you wait until the pest population is untenable, the slower life cycle predators can’t catch up, and they won’t be effective enough, leaving you with choice of doing nothing and hoping the predators manage to surge OR using products/treatments that will kill both the pests *and* the predators.

So the timing of predator dispersion is a bit different from naturally occurring predatory cycle in which you might notice pest infestation and force yourself to hold off treatments because you know the predators won’t be far behind.

That’s why the predatory insect sources that supply some form of intermediate food with the predators have the right idea IMHO — ladybugs that come with supplemental food is another example.

As for my indoor garden, I bring my plants in without the full fumigation treatment some people advocate. So there ARE usually both some kind of pests and predators already present.

During the 6 months (plus odd couple of weeks) of cold season we have, there will be the several inevitable mites, scales, mealybugs, and aphids infestations … and ant invasions which may or may not be the source of the new pests. There are the usual stinkbugs and moths, and fungus gnats. And maybe a few other bugs, good and bad. (Good ones include spiders, predatory wasps, and most likely some resident predatory mites, etc.)

For the most part, with a few exceptions, they all stay in the plants. And the predators will help to keep the pests in check until the plants can be sent back outside in the Spring mass migration to be guarded by the resident Garden Patrol.

[applestar]

A little harvest of Early Mizuna and lettuce, with a few sprigs of green onions from the Garage V8 Nursery

…DD2 immediately made a lettuce, mizuna, and cream cheese sandwich, I had some in my own sandwich. So nice to have sandwich fixin’s so close — in some ways this is more convenient than during the summer

[applestar]

Got the Sunflower Hoophouse battened down for the winter with DDs’ help today, securing the side panels to the ground and wrapping with the 2nd roof layer from front gable, full length of the roof, and down to the ground in the back, tightening the tie-down straps, etc. — ahead of the Nicole remnant heading our way, followed by sudden dip into daily wintry subfreezing overnight temperatures in the coming week.

[applestar]

BTW last card of leafhopper assasinbugs hatched in the shipping delicup (with breathable lid) yesterday, so I distributed them among the last of the container plants that were brought inside yesterday ahead of the impending freeze this coming week, including the eggplants and peppers for overwintering and big pot assortment of small coffee, ginger and Maid of Orleans jasmine plants, as well as the two big jasmine pots.

[imafan26]

Mizuna tastes much better at this time of the year crisp and not bitter. It lasts a long time too since it is cut and come again. It is always great to have fresh fixins from the garden any time of the year.

[pepperhead212]

Mizuna is a fantastic green! I grow it both outside, and in the hydroponics, and this summer I had both a green, and a red "Beni Hoshi", which grew huge, from just one plant - they spread out, at the base, when cut, and grow back with a vengeance. Other red mizunas I have tried would bolt very quickly, even inside, with no heat, but this one was almost as long as the green, before bolting. And I never noticed any extra bitterness in them, even after bolting.

The one green mizuna outside this season went the entire summer without bolting - and that was the second hottest on record. The red one finally started to bolt in early August. It goes 6 or 7 months in the hydro.

[Gary350]

How are you eating mizuna? Online says, mizuna mustard greens.

I have seen this & eaten this in restaurant salad bars but never know the name. I need a duel purpose green for lettuce on, sandwiches, salads, tacos, Enchiladas, etc. that I can grow in the garden.

One year I grew pac choy seeds plants did not freeze in winter and did not bolt in 100° summer heat. I ordered new pac choy seeds they much be different type pac choy they bolt early in 80° weather?????

[applestar]

I’m finding Early Mizuna to be very mild when picked young like I have been. (I’m currently cutting them individually when they start falling over and getting tangled when raising lowering the low tunnel poly or when they get big enough to get jammed up on the lights when trying to rotate the trays. Stems are probably about 1/16” to 1/8”)

“Mild” meaning easily substituted for lettuce with just a little “mustard green” flavor att the end that is not enough to be over powering and easily be salad or sandwich accent.

I’ll try to get Benihoushi. Right now I have a couple of “Red Streaks” mizuna growing that was part of a mixed Asian greens packet, but haven’t had the chance to assess separately.