Page 40 - Discover Fall 2020
P. 40
Weeder’s Digest CONTINUED
W eeder ’ s Digest CONTINUED
Aside from some cold crops that can begins to mature, it requires constant
be started outdoors in April, the bulk attention or it can get away from you
of veggies that most of us grow, such quickly. So remember: plant those
as tomatoes, squash, zucchini, etc. things that you really like to eat so
are susceptible to death by frost. If that your crop doesn’t go to waste.
planted too soon, even if the frost Lesson III:
doesn’t get them, the chill of the soil
as it’s warming slowly from winter You planted it, and then some
may keep these plants from actively varmint came in and ate it. We
growing. This may cause them to die certainly live in a region with lots
from root rot. In most years, May of hungry critters who will take full
1st is a good target date for getting advantage of the buffet that you so
started, but as was the case this year, painstakingly cultivate for them.
we had a frost on May 9th, which Whether they are four legged or
damaged much of our investments. I multi-legged like the tobacco horn
heard of some gardeners who had to worm, each can do a lot of damage in
replant as many as three times this the blink of an eye, so be vigilant and
year, so planters beware: if you take proactive to protect your investment.
the risk, be prepared to protect your Lesson IV:
plants so that they are not relegated
to the compost pile. The condition of the soil in your
garden, and how you fertilized your
Lesson II: plants, will have a considerable
Most people find it quite easy impact on the outcome. If you
to start 20 tomato or cucumber planted in our beautiful red clay,
plants, under-estimating just how which has a low PH in the 5 range,
much room they’ll take up, or just and did not adjust it up, perhaps with
how much work it is to keep up with lime, you may have suffered from
them. Training, pinching, and weed blossom end rot. It’s a condition that
control can quickly overwhelm you, can affect your tomatoes, squash,
and then the crop comes in. How zucchini, and others, in which the
much did you really eat? Did you get bottom of your maturing fruit turns
to your cukes before they were 2 feet brownish and is soft and mushy.
long after a good rain? Once a garden If that was the case, be sure to add
38 Discover Smith Mountain Lake FALL 2020
