By: Jannie Vaught

June has come in with a lot of growth and heat!

The tempature and sun are giving us a really interesting end of spring.

With the record breaking amount of storms and flooding rain the result for many gardners are leggy plants. Small or muchy onions and endless pests. This is definitely challenging and takes lots of learning.

This evening I noticed some of my large green tomatoes have sun scald. A sunburn that looks like a pale yellowing circular place where the sun has literally scalded the tomato. So tomorrow the sun shades are going up and a re-tying of the plant so the fruit has protection in the leaves as shade. I have been keeping my hoops that I use for winter plastic covers up all year round. I use any shading I can find.  I have even found bamboo window shades from the thrift store which work well. I will uncover in the morning and cover before noon. Sometimes I uncover in the evening if I am out working. But! The mosquitoes have been brutal in the evening so I limit my time outside.  As it dry’s evening work is more tolerable. The leaf legged stink bugs have arrived. I carefully used an organic treatment. DeadBug. And put gloves on and squish (oh my they stink when you smash them). Or use a coffee can with lid or jar with soapy water and catch them with a quick snap of the lid. Which ever way you choose just get their numbers reduced. They will start on your tomatoes and suck all the juice out, leaving a dried scared sad fruit!

Next step is to reduce grass and under growth and mulch. Keeping the splash from watering off the leaves and reducing mold and mildew. Also all the old lettuce and problem plants are going out to the chicken pen. Dig all the potatoes and turn the soil with some compost. Let it rest or plant in some lettuce, radish and spinach. I keep beet, lettuce radish always on the garden bench to fill in when things are pulled out. This has been a great blackberry and raspberry spring. Many u-pick places are sold out fast. And the peaches are excellent also. I have found a new favorite peach. Sam Houston. Juicy flavorful and the color is yellow to pink. We were eating peaches outside and when a peach is so good you lean over take a bite and the juice run’s off your elbow! Something can never be beat. I hope your end of spring garden challenges are met with enthusiasm and a learning curve.

Summer is just around the corner and my corn is getting tall. Time to remember corn borers and get them ahead of time. Here’s to gardening in a humid wet spring. It’s gong to be memorable.

Growing Green With. Jannie