Cucumbers

If you plants are starting to look like this, you're in trouble! This is a photo of some in my field from last year late in the season. Cucumbers are susceptible to a host of disease problems. Other vine crops like melons and squash have the same issues. The best defense is to buy disease resistant varieties. Vine crops are ALWAYS better plants when directly seeded into the garden.
Typically transplants are to weak and flimsy to withstand outside conditions, and after suffering & withering for weeks, they might eek out a cucumber before frost. Not that it can't be done....but why do it the hard way? Using a fungicide helps virus/diseases. Organically, you can spray 50% water & 50% skim milk every 2 weeks. Using any type of fungicide is a PREVENTATIVE. If you already have leaf/plant problems it's to late for fungicides. The striped/spotted cuke beetle is one of the worst vine crop insects. They carry disease in their mouthparts as they chew on your plants and spread disease. Dust plants as soon as you see these insects, re-dust as needed. We have picked a few this year, hopefully lots within a week. A little rain would be nice!

Wow it's hot already!

Already have a tornado watch going for our area. Yippee! Can't we just get a nice rain without the winds & hail? If it gets bad we will be closing w/o notice of course.
Potting up more beautiful daylilies everyday, come get yours!

FARM FESTIVAL AUGUST 8th

Reminder to get our farm festival on your calendar, Aug. 8th from 11-4. Please send our blogspot around to your email /FB/Twitter network. If you would like to volunteer some time to help us that day with parking etc., let me know asap. Call Diane at 507-382-9337. Remember to bring a lawn chair or blanket, we some available, but not enough for everyone! Info at link on right.
http://www.farmfestival.blogspot.com/

Saturdays & Sundays

Change of plans. Back to summer hours at the field: M-F 10-6.
Closed at the field on Sat. & Sun., but.....we are at the Farmers Market in Mankato Saturdays from 8-12, and starting Sunday July 18th, we will be set up at the Whiskey River parking lot in St. Peter on Hwy 99 from 9:30 - 2, with our market set-up of plants, veggies & bouquets! See you there =)

Those pesky bugs!!!

This is a photo from last year's invasion of the neighbors Northern Rootworm Corn Beetle.
They leave the acres of neighboring field corn, and flock to my place when the pollen on the corn is gone. Above is an re-blooming iris, Jennifer Rebecca. If you've heard me say, the 're-blooms' are never as good as the 'first blooms,' this is one of the reasons. They also dessimate my mums, and sunflowers. This is a real photo, I didn't add extra bugs! Some plants they leave alone, good thing!

Lilies......so fragrant!

Above is the 'rubrum' lily. It is sooooo fragrant, one can perfume the neighborhood. No kidding.
These are very tall lilies 3-4 ft., so back of the border for this gal. Needs full sun, which is 6 hrs between 9 am -4 pm somewhere. Rubrums bloom Aug/Sept. much later than most. Great late summer treat!

This one is 'Montana,' another oriental lily just starting to bloom in our 1 gallon pots, waiting to be at home in your garden. It will grow in full sun OR part shade. Huge flowers of heavy substance. Plants are 2-3 ft tall, blooming mid July.

This beauty has not started to bloom yet, it is 'Mona Lisa.' This lily is shorter, only 20" so good front on the border bloomer. It will grow in full sun OR part shade, blooming late July.

We have these 3 at the field and we also bring to the Mankato Market on Saturdays. We still have the red, orange & yellow asiatic liles potted, but they have bloomed already. All of these hardy lilies will give you years of flowers. Can dig & divide every 3-4 yrs., but not always necessary, give lots of room to begin with.