Cucumber Beetles!!!

It seems early, but apparently these voracious little beetles are already making an appearance in the garden.

You need to be aware of these little beetles if you are going to plant any member of the curcurbit family (more info below).  Last year they came out in droves. They prove troublesome to even the most experienced gardeners. A serious pest, not to be ignored.  I have found them on my emerging green beans already, whereas last year they didn't bother them.

We've compiled some helpful information and tips to help you protect your plants.

Per the Horn Farm Community Garden Rules:

• Herbicides are NOT permitted.
• If insecticides or fungicides are used, a 2 foot unplanted border must be maintained within the plot.
• Environmentally safe insecticides and fungicides are preferred.

Organic gardening is encouraged. Many of our community gardeners prefer to garden organically, please consider this as you determine the best plan of action for your fruits and vegetables.

CUCUMBER BEETLES

© The University of Kentucky College of Agriculture

http://www.ca.uky.edu/entomology/entfacts/ef311.asp

Striped Cucumber Beetles (right):  yellow and are 1/4" long with black heads and three wide black stripes on wing covers. Larvae: slender white grubs.

Spotted Cucumber Beetle (left):  greenish yellow and are 1/4" long with 11 black spots on wing covers. Larvae: white, 1/2" long grubs with brown heads and brown patches on first and last segments.

Last year, the Striped Cucumber Beetle was the most prevalent although I did see a few spotted beetles.

What they Eat

squashes , pumpkins, cucumbers, gourds, watermelons, and cantaloupes

BUT.. they will also eat beans, corn, peas, and blossoms of many garden plants.

They swarm on seedlings, feeding on leaves and young shoots, often killing plants; they also attack stems and flowers of older plants and eat holes in fruit.

They lay their eggs in the soil at the base of plants in clusters over several weeks. Larvae feed on roots of plants.

Diseases they Transmit

Bacterial Wilt

© The University of Kentucky College of Agriculture

http://www.ca.uky.edu/entomology/entfacts/images/bacwilt.jpg

Feeding beetles can transmit Bacterial Wilt and Squash Mosaic Virus.

Life Cycle:

One to Two generations per year.  One in spring, one in August. But depending on weather and temperature, peak activity can spike every 30-60 days as new generations emerge. Adults can live 60 days or more.

What to Do

1. If you see one, smash it. (Oldest gardening tip in the world.) 

2. Cover seedlings or plants with floating row covers (or frost blankets) until the initial emergence has passed or hand pollinate if desired.

These mesh covers allow sunlight and water in but keep bugs out. Unfortunately weeds will still grow under them too. Some beetles will still appear throughout summer but the populations are much lower. Cover again in early August before they reappear, or as populations start to rise, BE SURE to watch for trapped beetles under your mesh, inspect regularly!

3. Hold off planting your curcurbits until populations die down. Or start them at home in larger pots, replanting later in the spring.

4. Use Cucumber Beetle Traps (this is just one place to buy them, search around)

5. Attract beneficial insects by planting flowers and herbs that attract them.

6. Include plants that repel them in your garden.

Attract Beneficial Insects

Insects that prey on cucumber beetles and their larvae:

Tachnid flies, soldier beetles, parasitic nematodes and braconid wasps. Lacewings and ladybugs eat the eggs

Plant flowers and plants that help attract beneficial insects and also have repellent qualities.  Be aware that most sprays and chemicals used to thwart the bad insects also kill the good one's.

Here's a few:

Dill, Catmint, Gazania, Nasturtium, Yarrow, Sweet Alyssum, Dandelions, and any nectar producing plants with small flowers.

Plants that have repellent qualities:

Broccoli, calendula, catnip, goldenrod, nasturtiums, radish, rue and tansy. If you want to try marigolds to repel them use the more pungent varieties like African, French or Mexican marigolds. The more common marigolds may actually attract them.

May 15th Open House

May 15th, 2010 Horn Farm Community Gardens Open House

8:00 - 10:00 am

8:00-9:00 am  Farm House will be open

9:00 am Growing Tips Workshop - Heirloom Vegetable Patch

Official Opening of our Heirloom Garden Patches

On Saturday, May 15th, Horn Farm will host an Open House in conjunction with the opening of our Heirloom Garden Patches.

This would be a great time to come down, get some work done on your plot and meet and greet some of the other gardeners.

We'll have coffee and beverages and there will be an array of garden books from our library available for browsing.

June will be available to answer questions and we're hoping some of our more experienced gardeners will be there who are a great source of information and gardening know-how.

At 9:00 am there will be a Workshop for the Heirloom Garden patches on growing tips and a discussion on what heirloom plants are and why they are important. Community gardeners are welcome to attend.  Workshop will be held on the back porch.

Immediately following the Workshop, our Heirloom Gardeners will receive their seeds and plants and go to work on their patches.  We would love to have some of our community gardeners there as mentors and helping hands.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Planting Time - Cold Weather Crops

If you're new to gardening you're surely excited to start planting. But it's good to know what and when to start sowing seeds and starts.

Many gardeners have already been working hard at their plots and there are little sprouts of green everywhere.

When it comes to vegetables there are some that grow best in the cooler weather of spring, commonly referred to as cold weather crops, and some that prefer the warmth of summer.

Here's a handy list of some plants and seeds you'll want to get in as soon as possible and some you should hold off on for a little bit yet.

Seeds and starts you can be planting now if you haven't already because they love, love, love the coolness of spring:

• lettuces, spinach, kale, swiss chard, collards, leeks, kohlrabi
• peas
• beets
• carrots
• radish
• turnips
• broccoli
• brussel sprouts
• cabbage
• cauliflower
• onions
• garlic
• shallots
• celery

The majority of the above can easily handle a light frost, although you might want to cover delicate seedlings on a night with a frost warning.

Newspaper, frost blankets (a white mesh material made specifically to protect plants from frost), plastic containers, etc. can be used. 

Although we've had some incredibly warm weather already, be patient with plants that require warm weather, such as:

• tomatoes
• peppers
• squashes
• melons
• cucumbers
• corn
• eggplants
• pumpkins
• green beans (see note below)

While they may grow and seem fine... cold nights could cause your plants to delay production or have decreased productions.

Most likely you've purchased some these plants already (and if you haven't you might want to seek them out as they will quickly sell out as warmer weather approaches), be sure to put them outside on nice days to start to harden them off (acclimate them to outside temperatures) prior to planting.  Warmer nights they can be left out, but if temperatures drop at night into the 40's and 50's you'll want to bring them inside (a garage is fine) to protect them.

Now, as for green beans.... technically, they are a warm weather crop. But you'll find most gardeners have already started sowing seeds to get a jump start (me included). Warm soil temperatures (60 or above) are needed to germinate most seeds... and with the warm weather bursts we've been having, these seeds are probably off and growing. Just be aware of the night time temperatures, if it's going to dip down into those 40-50's or they are calling for frost, be sure to cover the seedlings that have emerged.

Still not sure when to plant?  Read your seed packets or the handy tag that comes with the little pots of started plants for the best time to plant.

If instructions state to plant after danger of frost, you'll want to wait until at least mid to late May to put them in the ground.  Or take measures to keep them warm, such as planting under a frost blanket or plastic jugs (cut off the bottom, be sure to remove them or remove the cap on warm days to let heat escape).

Still not sure?  Visit other gardeners and don't be afraid to introduce yourself and ask for guidance. Remember we are a community garden and fostering relationships with other gardeners will ensure success for all as well as make the gardening experience even more gratifying.

Now get out there and plant, plant, plant!