This morning's talk by Todd Cutting really hit home how challenging it is to grow vegetables here in the coastal bend area. If the aphids, whiteflys, mealy bugs, leaf-footed beetles, or caterpillars don't get your tomatoes, root knot nematodes will. Between the heat of summer and the lack of a hard freeze to kill insects, it's a wonder we do as well as we do.
Basically, he said the secret to vegetable gardening here is to know when to fold 'em and go fishing. Which is about now. Maintaining large tomato bushes now with no hope of fruit until early winter gives insects and disease an opportunity to flourish with not much to gain.
Fall gardens should start in late August or September. Another helpful suggestion is to plant resistant varieties. For tomatoes, Celebrity and Big Boy are root knot nematode resistant and enjoy good success. There are powdery mildew resistant varieties of cucumber and squash. For zucchini, try the Spineless Beauty varieties.
Thanks and happy gardening,
Richard
Basically, he said the secret to vegetable gardening here is to know when to fold 'em and go fishing. Which is about now. Maintaining large tomato bushes now with no hope of fruit until early winter gives insects and disease an opportunity to flourish with not much to gain.
Fall gardens should start in late August or September. Another helpful suggestion is to plant resistant varieties. For tomatoes, Celebrity and Big Boy are root knot nematode resistant and enjoy good success. There are powdery mildew resistant varieties of cucumber and squash. For zucchini, try the Spineless Beauty varieties.
Thanks and happy gardening,
Richard
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