Beyond Freezing Temps Warning

Here is another HEAD's UP that we are going to have beyond freezing temps for the next few days. The only good thing is that everything is extremely well watered at the garden.  Cover as soon as possible on Thursday to trap as much heat under your frost cover to get through Friday and Saturday.

Friday am - 29 with a high of 38
Saturday am  - 22 with a high of 49
Sunday am - 35 with a high of 55
Monday am - 30 with a high of 54

After Monday morning it looks like we won't have any super cold temperatures for a few days.

Army of Armadillo's

I've been slow posting the pictures from last Saturday's workday, I plead...rain delays. Grin. 

We had a great group of 13 people show up and we got tons of weeding done while talking up a storm. The winners of the weeding prize drawings were Vann, Amy and Jim.  Plus we had very tasty treats as well. All under a sunny sky. What more can you ask for! Well besides no weeds.

Denise contributed the treats and the "weeding" prizes and Mike brought one of his pottery pieces for another guessing game.  Dalita was the grand prize winner of the guessing game this time. Vann was very lucky because she was the runner up for the guessing game and ended up taking home two prizes.

 The Treats

 

The players

 

The Pottery Girls

 

 At the end of the Day, the major paths were weed free. Now we all have to be like chickens spotting a June bug - jump on the weeds before they get too established and pull them out.

Mike's Pictures from the Thursday Workday

Rita and Elise digging weeds

Carol moving dirt to top off a bed

Dalita supervising Vicki's weed pulling



Hard at work spreading mulch
 



Lost & Found Box

We now have an official Lost & Found Box in the shed. It even has something in it! The tools in the Lost & Found Box were originally found on Dec 20 near Bed 17. 

What the Lost & Found Box looks like

 

 

What is in the Lost & Found Box

Question on Corn Seed

Hey Everyone,

I have a really stupid question that I seem to see mixed information on.

I am looking at Sugar Buns Hybrid Corn Seed which states it contains sugar-enhancer endosperm.  If it is endosperm enhanced, is that the GMO seed? 

Also on a funny note the endosperm comes up as a misspelling and blogger wants to replace it with the word spender......Maybe it is the late night on the computer, but spender and endosperm in my corn is certainly tickling the ole funny bone.  That would be a conversation piece in the garden, lol!

Denise, Beds 25 & 29

Super Sow Sunday

I received this email for a good chance to get some early spring planting knowledge. Super Sow Sunday at all Pikes Sunday, February 3, 10am - 3pm Start your seeds now so they are ready for spring. Join us for this hands-on event at all Pike Nurseries locations. We will have everything in stock you'll need, and of course plenty of expert advice! No registration needed.

Bluebird Trail - Labor of Love

All it takes is one person taking one small action to make a difference. The Green Meadows Preserve Bluebird Trail is a perfect example of that statement. (You can follow Jim's bluebird adventures here - Green Meadows Bluebird Trail)


Male Eastern Bluebird 

I'm sure most of you have met Jim (he has beds # 34 & 35) at some point when he comes out to Green Meadows to walk his two golden labs Daisy and Abbi, work in the garden and work on the bluebird trail. Jim has helped build the Community Garden from the ground up. He put in over 200 hours of volunteer work before he got his two beds in July of 2012!



Jim pounding in rebar

While Jim was helping to build the garden he noticed bluebirds flying around everywhere. Shortly after that, he and Kathy (his wife) bought a bluebird house to put on the fence to provide a home for the bluebirds. The more he watched the birds and read about them, the more he wanted to help provide nest boxes for them.  Green Meadows Preserve has lots of choice habitat for bluebirds but lacked one essential thing - spots for bluebirds to build a nest.

The Community Garden is lucky enough to have 3 bluebird boxes nearby. Two of the boxes are in the small clearing behind the shed. Lucky, because not only are bluebirds fascinating to watch, but because bluebirds eat lots and lots bugs. In fact, 60-80% of their diet consists of bugs!

Box # 1 is the original box Jim had on the fence. Box # 20 is the

box that Jim and Kathy gave their grandaughter for Christmas.

 

There are 20 nest boxes on the bluebird trail. Jim's human assistants installing the nest boxes have been Kathy and Mike (bed #30). Daisy & Abbi go along as needed.  Four of the nest boxes on the trail were donated by community gardeners - Kitty & Harvey, Jim & Kathy, Vicki & Victor.

Jim showing Avery and her father Jed

the bluebird nest box she got for Christmas.

On the first terrace up from the garden you can see a bluebird feeder and a birdbath that have been installed.  If bluebirds eat insects, why have bird feeders you ask?  They also eat suet, cracked pecan meats, sunflower meats, dried and live mealworms and any live grubs we happen to dig up in the garden. (Denise has donated dried mealworms to feed the bluebirds.)

Jim is going to put a small feeder on the fence so we don't have to leave the garden when we find grubs to feed the bluebirds. Providing more food sources means the bluebirds will stay around, have babies in the nest boxes and eat our pestiferous bugs as well.

Where is the food? Where are those humans that are

bringing the bird seed out? Mike? Jim?

 

Be sure and watch all the activity around the bird feeders and birdbath! There is already lots of action to watch around the 2 boxes near the garden. The males are investigating the houses and trying to get females to accept check them (and the nest boxes).  In another 6 weeks or so they will get serious and start building nests. 

Saturday Weeding Party & Door Prizes

Hey Everyone,
 Don't forget that we are having the Saturday version of the Weeding Party/Workday from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm Saturday the 26th.

   The main tasks for the Saturday Weeding Party:

•  weeding the two big main paths
•  weeding where the Sunflower/Good Predator Borders are going to go in
•  finish pruning/cutting back the pollinator beds

Be sure and bring your favorite weeding tools and possibly something to kneel or sit on, as the ground is going to be soggy after the rains on Friday. Rain makes it easier to weed but unfortunately much wetter and messier.

I've also been informed that there will be DOOR PRIZES for Saturday as well!

     See you there if you can make it.

              Vicki

Thursday's Weeding Party Accomplishments

Thank you to everyone who came out and worked -we had a great turn out and a lot of fun.

For January you couldn't have asked for better weather. Thank goodness it was sunny because it was very chilly at 10:00 am! Even though we worked hard for two hours there is still lots left to do at the Saturday Weeding Party.

A special Thank You to Dalita for bringing the delicious Bits-o-Brinkle Cookies for us to enjoy which were made with pecans collected at the garden.


The mulch loaders and wheelbarrow pushers

 

Part of the weeding crew

The mulch spreaders

 

These pictures don't show all the action because 2/3rds of the pollinator beds got pruned AND there were 7 more people weeding!

 

 

Door Lock has been Moved!

The lock on the shed door has now been moved.  Be careful when you use it so you don't pinch a finger. There is a piece of nylon cord hanging from the lock - use it to open and close the bar and you won't shed any tears.

Victor Williams moved it down so
all us vertically challenged people can reach it.

 

Spotlight on a Vegetable - Kohlrabi

Hey Everyone,

I do not know if anyone has ever grown Kohlrabi before, but it has to be one of the best kept secrets out there.  This winter it has proven itself as the most pleasant surprise in my garden.  It has the texture of an apple when eaten raw and a flavor that is so unexpected.  I taste a hint of cabbage to it, but the rest I still need to determine.  It is juicy, mildly flavored, and oh so very sweet. 

  

 Purple Vienna Kohlrabi

My understanding is that Kohlrabi is a European delicacy prized by chefs for its versatility in the kitchen.  Let alone the fact that it is low in calories, high in fiber, and a good source of several vitamins and minerals.  It is also a member of the brassica family for those who enjoy eating foods with anti-cancer properties.  While I enjoyed the first of my bulbs raw, grated on some Lolla Bionda greens (specialty Italian Loose-leaf), there are a host of recipes easily found for boiling, braising, roasting, sautéing, steaming, stir-frying, stuffing, and even throwing it on the grill.  Simply impressive!  My next bulbs will be sautéed with carrots in a little olive oil and garlic butter, and then tossed with fresh parsley for a side dish.  I cannot wait to try this, yummy!

The link below is to Renee’s Garden, which always has a wealth of good information.  Renee grew up in the same part of Ohio where I was raised and she has been such an inspiration with her journey to obtain some of the best seeds out there.  She has a wonderful article written on Kohlrabi and a few recipes posted as well. 

http://www.reneesgarden.com/articles/kohlrabi.html - link to Renee's article on Kohlrabi

For any of those wishing to try Kohlrabi as something unique and versatile now would be the time to sow seeds indoors for transplanting into the garden the first part of March.  Purple Vienna has won a place in my garden for years to come and I cannot wait to try some of the other cultivars.

Hope you enjoy as well,

Denise, Beds 25 & 29 

Serious COLD Tues AM & Weds AM

Just a heads up that Tuesday morning the low is going to be 26 and Wednesday morning the low is going to be 24. If you have anything the least bit tender it is most likely going to be hit hard. The extremely heavy frost on Saturday morning did damaged most of the lettuce that was still in the garden and this freeze may finish them off.

You are Invited to a Weeding "Party"

This month, our Community Garden workday is going to concentrate on removing winter weeds and onions that are taking over.  The workday will make the task much more enjoyable since there should be plenty of people to talk to while you are working. And it certainly won't hurt anything if you get distracted and chop through the middle of the weed while you are socializing!

 

We have too many weedy areas like this!

 

There are two "parties" so everyone has a chance to join in the fun.

Thursday
   Jan 24 10:00 am to 12:00 pm

Saturday
  Jan 26 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm

Bring your favorite weeding tools, water and something to sit on in case the ground is still wet.

 

This is what we want the garden to look like!

No Longer Left Behind

I've felt like I was getting left behind but I finally found something I liked to put in my bed. Sue asked me what I was going to name her so I said Posey...one because she has flowers and also because that was the name of the little black puppy we had back in the early '70's.  Now when Caully wants to go visiting she can go visit Posey instead of that rough and tough Rocky over at Denise's.

 

But I think I need to make her a hat as well because even though she does live in a  nice frost cover house it gets really cold up there. 

 Poor Caully had a frozen head Sat morning even

 though she was under the frost cover!

Parsley, Parmesan Cheese & Garlic Fries

Baked French Fries with Parsley, Parmesan Cheese & Garlic

I made this recipe with fresh parsley and garlic from the garden and wow, they were wonderful.  It was so yummy; I felt the need to share!  Originally it appeared in Bon Appetite Magazine and came from the kitchen of Cookin' Canuck.  Sometimes I even change it up a bit and make chips for a party tray that is always a hit!

Ingredients:

4 - 5 medium russet potatoes

3 tablespoons extra light virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

1 - 2 cloves of garlic, finely minced (one large or two small)

Parchment paper required

My Guilty Pleasure!

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Wash and peel potatoes.  Cut into 1/4-inch julienne style strips.  (See my photo above)   Dry the potatoes between paper towels.  

In a large bowl, combine the olive oil and kosher salt.  Add the potatoes and make sure they are coated well.

Divide the potatoes between two baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spreading into a single layer.

Bake until the potatoes are golden brown, about 35 - 40 minutes, turning the potatoes every 10 minutes and rotating the racks halfway through baking time.

Place the cooked potatoes in a large bowl and toss with the garlic, parsley, and Parmesan cheese. Season with additional salt if necessary.

Makes 4 servings

Hope you enjoy!

Denise, Beds 25 & 29  

Pecan Picker Upper at Lowe's

Today I went up to Lowe's on Dallas Hwy to get some basil seed for the garden and to meet Bill to look at tools for the garden. Amazingly enough, I found Lowe's carries the exact same kind of pecan picker upper that I have! (Though they do call it a nut picker upper.) They had 7 or 8 of them for $10.98 which is a good price. They are in the Tool section on the wall, kind of at my eye level.

Now true, pecan season has ended but if you go ahead and get one now, it means you will be on a more equal footing with the other obsessive/compulsive pecan gatherers.  Ahem....I'm not naming names to protect the innocent but we all know who the obsessive/compulsive pecan picker uppers are.  And we all know who started them on the path towards owning their own pecan picker uppers. Ahem.....

 

Here is the link to the one Lowe's has -  Pecan Picker Upper. When you click

on the link you can see it is just like the one I have in this picture.

Frost Cloth at Pike's

Looking at the long range (10 day forecast) there is going to be a serious dip in the temperatures next week.

If anyone is looking for Frost Cloth/Blanket material, the Pike's on Barrett Parkway (near the Lowe's/Home Depot) still had two rolls of the material on Sunday morning. If you want to call before you go - 770-423-1650.

Make Your Own Seed Tape

Pine Tree Seeds sells tape that you use to make your own seed tapes. Just peel back the backing and stick on the seeds.  Seed Tape

Seed tape picture

from Pine Tree Seeds

 

If you want to go the really cheap route and make your own without buying anything special - here is a link to do that from the Instructables website. Be sure to read the comment section as there are many good hints to increase your success. It might be worth trying with some carrot or raddish seeds.  Make-Your-Own-Seed-Tapes

Items need to make a seed tape using the Instructables tutorial

The Garden Betty Blog had a great blog entry on making seed tapes too. Lots of step by step pictures of how to make the seed tapes, what patterns to use, and then how to plant the seed tape. Garden Betty.make-your-own-seed-tape  A nice rainy day like today would be a good day to make experimental seed tapes to use this spring.

 

One of the seed spacings demonstrated by Garden Betty                       

 

What to Plant and When!

Hey Everyone,

Knowing what to plant and whether to start the seeds indoors or direct sow in the garden can sometimes be a challenge.  In looking for some charts to help develop my seed starting skills, I ran across this link and thought many would find it beneficial.

If you scroll down a bit and utilize the link on the page, they even have charts for each month of the year.

http://www.motherearthnews.com/What-to-Plant-Now-Southern-Interior-Gardening-Region.aspx  - link to Mother Earth News

Looks like I am going to be busy, although starting seeds now is always such a joy!  What a nice reminder that spring is just around the corner.  I don't know about you, but for me, gardening tends to be much more fun when it is warm!

Collecting Seed From Broccoli

How would anyone feel about growing certain cultivars specifically to save seed and then setting up a system where we could actually collect and grow our own plants or have a seed exchange among the garden?  Could be a fun party!  Planting or swapping!

Thoughts and opinions?

Denise, Beds 25 & 29

Carrot Top Flower Arrangement

I was cutting off the tops of my carrots the other day when I said this foliage is too nice to throw out. So I stuck it in a blue tea pot. After a couple of days, I decided I'd find some flowers to stick in as well.  Voila...a beautiful arrangement. Next time I'm going to cut off a tiny bit more of the carrot top so it stays in the teapot better.

Even more amazing, 2 weeks after I took this picture, the arrangement is still looking pretty good.

Self Centering Tape Measure

Denise & Rick,
  Here are two pictures of the Self-Centering Tape Measure Vic got me. He says he got mine from Sears but he also saw it yesterday (Sat 12th) at the Ace Hardware Store in the Seven Hills Shopping Center on Cedar Crest Drive in Paulding County. There is a Publix and a Wild Birds Unlimited in that shopping center. But he says he bets you could find it at any Ace since Ace Hardware carries Sears tools.

I can see why a self centering tape measure would be handy! I never knew there was such a thing. Nothing like creating a little tape envy.

 Vicki

Squirrels for Peace

In your dreams buddy!  I owe you big time!

Denise, Beds 25 & 29

Compost Stew; An A to Z Recipe for the Earth

I received a children's book to pass on to a school in Belize from the Master Gardener Volunteers of Cobb County Education Chair, Linda Hlozansky. Before the book gets away, let me share some of the story in Compost Stew; An A to Z Recipe for the Earth. It's a bit long, and sorry I cannot share the pictures! Here goes . . .

"Environmental Chefs,here's a recipe for you

 to fix from scratch

to mix a batch

of Compost Stew.

Ingredients:

Apple Cores
Bananas, bruised
Coffee grounds
with filters used
Dirt clods, crumbled
Eggshells, crushed
Fruit pulp left behind, all mushed
Grass clippings
Hair snippings
and an Insect or two
Just add to the pot
and let it all rot
into Compost Stew.Save:
Jack-o'-lanterns
Kitchen scraps
Laundry lint
from dryer traps
Mulch removed
from garden beds
Nutshells
Oatmeal
Paper shreds
Quarry dust
Rye bread crust
and Seaweed strands (a few)
Just add to the pot
and let it all rot
into Compost Stew.Take:
Teabags plucked from
long, hot swimmings
Underbrush prunings
Vegetable trimmings
Wiggly works with compost cravings
Xmas tree needles
Yellow pine shavings
and Zinnia heads
from flower beds
whose blooming days are through
Just add to the pot
and let it all rotinto Compost Stew.
Moisten.
Toss lightly.
Cover.
 
Let brew.
And when the cooking is complete,
Mother Earth will
have a treat,
dark and crumbly,
rich and sweet . . .
Now open the pot
and what have you got?
Compost Stew!
















Finished Compost Stew - Black Gold  for the Garden

Let's Talk Lettuce

Hey Everyone,

I thought with the amount of bolting we experienced growing lettuce this past fall; it might be nice to write a post to assist us in achieving greater yields this spring.

First, it is important to note that all lettuce will eventually bolt, as its life cycle will be complete. However, most lettuce should not bolt as rapidly as what many in the garden experienced. Furthermore, the lettuce grown during the cooler temperatures of brisk fall days should be different to that chosen for the warmer weather that will rapidly approach in mid-spring and early summer.

 

Lettuces that bolted this fall at the garden

How to Choose the Correct Variety

Choosing the appropriate varieties that can take some heat, having a few tricks up your sleeve, and avoiding the common mistakes which lead to premature bolting, can go a long way to increasing your yields for a wonderful harvest.

Selecting the right variety to plant on a scale of 1 to 10 importance's, is a 10.  I love the resource comparison charts on High Mowing Seeds.  The High Mowing Seeds Lettuce-comparison-chart has lettuce listed by variety and type, days to maturity, disease resistance, and tolerance to heat and cold.  
 

The second link from High Mowing Seeds is a direct comparison of how well the special characteristics of one variety (such as Nevada Summer Crisp) will perform against others within the same type or class. (Click on a variety and then click the second tab, comparison chart.)  High Mowing Seeds - Organic Seeds Nevada

Much like we look at cars in the same class and weight, one may have a timing chain, one might have a drive belt, and one may get better gas mileage over and above the other.  Each vehicle will have certain characteristics that may stand out and be more desirable.  Okay, so I threw this analogy in there for the guys!  Lettuce is much the same and it is amazing how different many of the varieties are.
 

In choosing a lettuce variety for spring and early summer planting, it is imperative to look at varieties touting things such as bolt-resistance, heat-tolerance, and resistance to tip-burn, etc.  Any downy mildew resistance is a plus for some protection against warm and damp weather.  Keep in mind the darker color the lettuce, the more heat it will absorb.  The darkest reds and greens should be grown in the fall.  The more subtle reds and limey greens are a better choice for spring plantings.  Looking at these simple characteristics starts stacking the deck in your favor for success at a wonderful and lengthy harvest.  

This picture has unbolted lettuce in the first bed and the bed in the background

has bolted lettuce. Notice how deep red the lettuce is as well.

In doing any research you will see many of the loose-leaf varieties recommended to be the best for growing in the spring and early summer.  However, it is important to note that there is a wide range of heat-tolerances within those varieties.  This is where the comparison charts will come in handy at helping you to choose the more appropriate ones for our climate.

This year I want to try some of the more heat-tolerant Batavian's from Kitchen Garden Seeds and see where that takes me.  I cannot wait to challenge myself and get these seeds going for a spring trial run. Once you have a type in mind, it is important to understand what causes the bolting process and then utilize some tricks up your sleeve to get around it.  This enables you to get as much out of your lettuce as possible and then let nature take its course to give you some viable seed for a few years to come. Remember only to save the seed of non-hybrids.

Bolting is the term used when the plant is past its prime, starts to send up a stalk, and goes into seed setting mode (see picture below). Dreadful, of course, as this renders the leaves bitter and inedible unless using some of the bitter lettuce recipes found in Asian cuisine.

  Common Mistakes that Cause Bolting &

  Tricks to keep your lettuce producing as long as possible.

1. Choosing the wrong variety for the season - See discussion above.
2. Mishandling of seedlings - Lettuce will bolt more readily if exposed to temperatures below 50 degrees during the first few weeks of germination and growth.  Keep all seedlings growing at temperatures above 50 degrees and transplant into the garden at 3 - 4 weeks.
3. Purchasing stressed seedlings - Has anyone walked by the seedlings at a big box store or nursery and seen them completely wilted and limp?  Unfortunately, more often than not, this happens on a daily basis.  Seedlings are set out on concrete lots with intense full sun, they wilt, and then someone will eventually douse them with a hose and they are ready to go.  It is wise to call ahead and see when the deliveries arrive to get them fresh off the truck or grow your own from seed. Stressed seedlings tend to bolt more rapidly no matter how heat tolerant the variety. 
4. Improper transplanting - Make sure your lettuce is properly hardened off before moving to the garden and avoid transplanting in the morning or heat of the day.  Transplanting your lettuce during the late afternoon or evening allows the most time for plants to settle in before faced with the next day's sun and heat.  This avoids transplant shock that leads to plant stress and setback.
5. Spacing - It has been shown that lettuce can bolt when overcrowded.  Keep lettuce well trimmed and leave a little space between plants.  Most varieties will tolerate 5 to 6 inch spacing in intensely planted beds if they are maintained properly.
6. Temperature - The upper end of temperatures that most lettuces will tolerate is the low 80's.  When exposed to this temperature for a week, lettuce will start the bolting process.  To get around this keep the air temperature around your plants cooler.  Full sun is only essential when it isn't too hot. Mulch your plants well to keep the soil temperature cooler and tuck your plants either behind or under some taller ones to cut temps 5 to 10 degrees.  One trick I use is to put some type of shade cloth over the area to dapple the light.  Simple cheesecloth, window screen, and bait netting all work incredibly well.  
7. Water and nutrient stress - Lettuce is shallow rooted and can dry out easily.  In addition to providing a steady supply of water, it also needs to have a consistent supply of nutrients.  Any lack of water or food will cause stress and setback.  As I am sure you have picked up by now; stress and setback only lead to two things in lettuce, premature bolting and poor quality eating.  I often use water retention crystals when transplanting to have a steady supply of moisture available or I water my plants every other day if they are mulched well and protected from intense sun.  I provide nutrients on a systemic approach that is repeated small doses of a fertilizer with lower numbers on a strict schedule.  
8. Lack of proper harvesting - Trick your loose-leaf lettuces into thinking they haven't matured yet by continuously harvesting the outer leaves when they are 4 to 6 inches long.  This keeps the plants focus on producing more food and not seed. 

Park Seed Company has a general seed starting guideline on their website Park Seed -Seed Starting for those that may need some help. 

I hope this gives some insight on how to achieve a longer and more bountiful harvest from your lettuce.  I cannot wait to see what we all grow.  If I missed anything, or if anyone has some additional tricks up your sleeve that work well, please let us know.

Take care and strive to eat healthy this New Year!

Denise, Beds 25 &29

Water, Water, Water and more Water

We have been getting rain over the past month but not enough for those of us wintering plants for spring production. I know it's cold out but that is one of the best reasons to water. The ground stays warmer and the plants still need water and food. So get out there and water. Your plants will love you now and in the spring.

Yeah for Melon and Squash Cradles

 Hey Everyone,

I got these in the mail today and am so pleased I had to share a picture.

Melon & Squash Cradles

I have grown watermelons and cantaloupes the last two years and have been looking for a product that will prevent the rotting on the ground that can occasionally occur.

My first year out I turned cool whip containers upside down and put holes in the bottom.  While it did drain incredibly well around the base of the melons, mold and mildew formed under the containers due to a lack of airflow.  Eventually it did have an impact on the underside of a few melons just as they were ripening.  The melons were still good for fresh off the vine eating; however, they lacked the storage capability I strive to achieve.  In addition, it made a wonderful safe haven for the most undesirable of insects. 

Last year after doing a little research into some alternative ways of growing watermelon, I decided to trellis the watermelons and cantaloupes on a tall pea fence I have from Gardener’s Supply.  Aside from being a little taller, it is identical to the one in bed #29. This worked extremely well as I just made little hammocks for the melons out of fishing bait nets and zip ties.  Cheap and resourceful! 

Sugar Baby Watermelon at 11 Days

The only downside to this method was that some growth points of the melon vines still ramble about and I needed something for those that ultimately end up on the ground.  Back to square one and trying several different methods.  Out of trying numerous things, I ended up placing squares of black landscape fabric under the melons on the ground for a protective layer against the earth that would drain well.  This is what I seem to see in many of the videos on field production.  I only lost a few melons to any type of rot from ground to melon contact and did not have any issues with garden insects.

This year, I cannot wait to try the melon and squash cradles to increase yields.  They are sturdy and should solve all common problems from having fruit in contact with the ground. I plan on using the trellis method once again as you cannot beat vertical growing for small spaces, but for those that end up on the ground, crises adverted!

Sugar Baby did quite well on a trellis.  The vines were six feet at their max.  Four vines (one hill at the base of a trellis) yielded seven edible melons ranging from four to seven pounds each.  The others (five or six) were lost due to inexperience with their growth habit and handling those on the ground.   

I put a link below if anyone is interested as these are nice quality supports that will last for seasons to come.  They ran me $9.95 for a set of six.  I hope to put all 12 to use! :-)  

http://www.gardeners.com/Melon-and-Squash-Cradles/8586837,default,pd.html?start=13&cgid=NewProducts_Dept

Denise, Beds 25 & 29