Squash Bug Life Cycle

Squash bugs unfortunately are one of our biggest pests at the garden. For some reason we have been afflicted with them in great numbers ever since the garden first started. Squash bugs are bad because they spread disease from one squash plant to the other and they also reduce the productivity of the squash plant.

It is easy to see the adults but not so easy to see the nymphs when they hatch out.  You have to really examine all your squash plants (leaves, stalks, base of the plant) on a very regular basis to control them. Usually the eggs are found on the undersides of the leaves however in one bed the eggs were found on top of and underneath the leaves.

Look for the adults and  nymphs down in the base of the plants, along stems and the undersides of leaves. If you hand pick (and kill) every adult you see, you won't have nearly as many eggs to remove. And if you remove the eggs as soon as you see them, you won't have any nymphs to deal with either.

Spraying with Azamax will help but you have to be careful not to spray any beneficial insects and to spray at the correct time of day as well as when it isn't windy.

Here is a very handsome specimen, lurking, waiting to find a mate.

Ah ha....several squash bugs have found significant others and are now mating

 

Squash bug eggs are really gorgeous however every one of these eggs will become a pest. All of these need to be removed. The best way to do it is to just cut off the piece of leaf and then take it home to put in the trash. If you just drop the eggs on the ground, throw it in the compost pile or in the woods, the eggs will STILL hatch out!

These eggs are very close to hatching. Notice they have

 turned very translucent and some are almost white.

 

Baby squash bugs that have just hatched out. Soon

they will be adults looking for mates.

Weekly Calendar Sat June 15 - Fri June 21

June 17 - 23
National Pollinator Week
Watch for a post about why pollinators are beneficial

Monday June 17
Mulch Moving Project
6:30 pm - 8:00 pm
We will only be working in the shaded areas! As the shade moves, we'll move.
Mulch moving project Details

Thursday June 20
MG's at the Garden
8:30 am to 9:30 am

Lovely mulch! Wonderful Mulch!

We have two huge piles of mulch to be spread in the garden. Thursday morning Wesley from RPM Tree Care brought us a HUGE truck load of chips. He was nice enough to dump them in two places so we don't have to move quite as much of it a long distance.

So...the bad part is that now that we have mulch, we need to spread the mulch. Monday evening from 6:30 to 8:00 pm we'll work on spreading the mulch. It will be hot but we won't be working in the full sun, only in the shaded areas.

The rule of thumb for spreading the mulch is if you see bare dirt, that area needs a layer of mulch that is 1.5 to 2 inches deep. If it already has some mulch a layer that adds an additional 1 inch will be sufficient. I know, picky picky....but if we put that mulch on thick enough we'll keep the weeds beat back and we won't have to go through what we did earlier this year!

The huge pile in front of the shed needs to be spread into the center aisle and under the pecan tree. Yes, we did just put some mulch under the pecan tree but it was more leaves than chips and won't last long. Another additional inch will help keep the weeds at bay.

The 2nd pile needs to be spread over all the big community paths. The section that goes from the center of the intersection to the gate has had mulch put on it before but needs another inch on top since that section gets so many people walking on it. The other two sections have lots of bare dirt so we need a good 2 inches spread on those sections.

To make moving the mulch easier we've bought another pitchfork and 2 more garden rakes to help spread the mulch. 

Ice Cream Social

We have been thinking. I know - beginners luck.
How about a Green Meadows Ice Cream Social gathering?

When: Saturday, June 29, 2013
Time: 11:30am to 2:00pm

The concept is simple. Bring your ice cream churn to the garden and your favorite recipe. We will happily supply hot dogs, buns, chips and water.

We will have a special guest to sample your churned ice cream and declare the best of the garden. Prizes to be handed out for best ice cream and most unusual ice cream.

If you want, you can churn your ice cream the night before and bring it to the party.

We hope to see all of our fellow Bedbugs that want to have a little garden fun before the holiday.

Also, the bed checkers will be looking at the four quads of the garden and declaring garden beds of the spring/summer. Four Best of show ribbons will be handed out to the garden beds that have the following:  Best looking over all, pest free, and full of garden whimsy.

Cheese Muffin Recipe

The Anniversary Pot Luck Supper was a success.  We had a great turnout and the food was outstanding.  The weather was beautiful as well and that is always a good thing.  There is talk about having another get-together this summer.   Maybe something planned around ‘tomatoes’.   We will keep you posted.   

There were a number of great dishes Saturday night and recipes were asked to be shared.  Below is the recipe for Cheese Muffins.  They are full of calories as they are made with real butter and good cheddar cheese.  Not for anyone watching their diet but definitely for anyone that likes yummy food.

MOLLY’S CHEESE MUFFINS

Servings: about 36 mini-muffins.  I usually end up with about 40-42 mini-muffins.

The recipe as it appeared on Walter Reeves’ website:

His wife's friend Molly Wilson makes the best muffins and brings them to garden club functions.  There are never any left over.

2 sticks (1 cup) very soft butter (it needs to be very soft to mix easily)

1 cup (8 oz.) of sour cream (at room temperature, don't use right out of the fridge)

2 cups self-rising flour

2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated (buy it already finely grated at Costco)

        (if you use regular grated cheese it does not melt into the muffin as well,

         but still good)

Add ingredients in order, ‘hand stirring’ after each one, in a big bowl. (I never stir by hand, it’s too hard.  I use a large mixer on low speed with a paddle blade and then switch to a dough hook when I add the cheese.)

Spoon into mini-muffin cups, ¾ full. (I use silicone bake ware, mini-muffin pans—nothing ever sticks—they are worth the extra cost)  Bake at 400 degrees for 18 - 20 minutes or until the tops are beginning to brown. 

Make four times as many muffins as you have guests coming.  Serve warm.  You can also let them cool and then freeze them in zip lock bags.  When ready to use, wrap in foil, put in oven (350º) and heat until hot. They taste as good as if you just baked them.

Serve immediately.  They are best when hot, or at least very warm.  As they cool down, they are not nearly as tasty.  And for goodness sake, don’t ruin these by using fake butter and fake sour cream.  Just make something else!

Carol

Trellising in the Garden

Hey Everyone,

Trellis is made from trimmed
Crape Myrtle branches!

Is our garden not absolutely amazing?  I love walking through and seeing all the different ideas, that everyone is coming up with to trellis their vegetables.  Jim, in beds 34 & 35, has a re-bar and fence material structure that is so far in the ground that he can pretty much guarantee it is not going anywhere.  This structure to the right was erected on Memorial Day in bed 39 for trellising their tomatoes.

For anyone needing inspiration or for those unsure of what they would like to try, Google Images has a wealth of ideas.  Just open the Google search engine, click Images on the black toolbar at the top, and type trellising in the garden.  Press enter and voila!  As if the first page isn't enough, if you click show more results at the bottom, well let us just say a trip to Lowe's or Home Depot may be in order.  I'm sensing a conduit run, grin!

Rita & Elise's creative pot structure!

The creative projects also popping up show a wonderful display of thinking outside the box! From Jane's pitchfork and antique bottles to Rita and Elise's new pot tower, I am inspired to take the time and enjoy the pure beauty of being creative in the garden once again.

For those wishing to explore their creative side, many of the DIY stores have wonderful ideas on their websites.  I love the project found below on the Lowe's site and it will be one of my next attempts at doing something artistic for trellising peas, or should I say Rick's attempt.  Where's that Honey Do List?

http://www.lowes.com/creative-ideas/lawn-and-garden/easy-garden-trellis/project

backyarddiva.ca - located on Pinterest

I ran across this project to the right on Pinterest and for some reason it really catches the eye.  Does anyone have some good ideas for anchoring it down?   I'm thinking if I were to use fiberglass doors for longevity, that while sturdy, it would be rather lightweight for heavy winds.  I would really enjoy some suggestions.

So many ideas,

Denise, Beds 25 & 29

Weekly Calendar May 31 - June 8

Saturday June 1st
Garden Party to Celebrate our 1st Year
6:00pm - 8:00 pm
Bring a chair and a dish to share!
Enjoy the beautiful garden.

Tuesday June 4
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Gardeners on Duty

Saturday June 8
9:00 am to 11:00 am
Saturday workday
We are almost done but there are a few more things to do to be all set for the summer.

Is this real?

So do you think this dove is real or part of the shepherds hook?

Why have a windsock?

Besides being fun and pretty, our windsock does have a purpose. I don't know about you, but I like to know which way the wind is blowing before  I start to spray Azamax, compost/worm tea, Actinovate, fishy stuff or mist my plants with the hose.

Spraying in a gale force wind means you end up spraying your neighbors plants instead of yours. Now it is easy to stay up wind just by keeping an eye on the windsock!

Way too windy to spray anything! Even watering with the hose
will get you wet.

Starting to get better but still too windy.



Much better! Anything sprayed will
go on the plants now.

Deformed Carrots

These carrots had a very hard life! They are gnarly and full of cracks.

What do you think caused it? I have my ideas but what are yours?
And no...they aren't my carrots.

North Marietta Community Garden

Several of us went and visited the North Marietta Community Garden on Monday. Their garden is really cute! They don't have as many beds as we do but they have lots of great art in their garden. Here are a few pictures from the day.

This is a view of a part of the garden. It backs up to the Head Start
and has lots of space to expand up the hill from this picture.

This is the cutest gnome! But it wouldn't work in our
garden as it is tied to the sign so it won't fall off.

I LOVED the hubcaps!

Close up of the bejeweled hubcaps.

A trellis structure with a hubcap and a pretty
sign personalizing the bed.

Fun paintings on their storage shed.

Grilled Chicken with Fresh Grape Glaze

Hey Everyone,

What a nice way to use some of those
fresh garden onions, garlic, and
rosemary!

Nothing says summer is here like trying new things on the grill! While this recipe does take some prep time, it is simply delicious and always a hit when entertaining.  A friend of mine gave it to me years back from her Cooking Light Magazine.  I enjoy making the glaze a day ahead and then marinating the chicken for a few hours before grilling the next day.

Ingredients:  Serves 6 at 2 pieces each

Glaze:

4 cups red or black seedless grapes
2 teaspoons Bertollini Extra Light Olive Oil
1 cup chopped fresh onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 - 1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary

Chicken:

3 - 3 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless, chicken breast or about 12 pieces mixed
1 tablespoon Bertollini Extra Light Olive Oil
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Cooking spray
Fresh rosemary leaves for garnish (optional)

Preparation:

Clean, remove residue, and place grapes on paper towels to dry.  Place the cleaned grapes in blender; process until smooth. Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a saucepan over medium heat.  Add onion; cover and cook for 10 minutes. Add garlic, cover and cook 3 minutes, stirring often.  Add the pureed grapes, vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon of finely chopped rosemary.  Stir well and bring to a slight boil. Reduce heat, simmer for 10 minutes or until slightly thickened, making sure to stir often.  Cool somewhat, then place grape mixture in a blender and process until smooth.

For the juiciest and most flavorable chicken, marinate for 2 to 4 hours before grilling.

Prepare grill.

Clean and skin all chicken.  Brush 1 tablespoon of oil over chicken; sprinkle with 2 teaspoons of finely chopped rosemary, salt, and pepper.

Place chicken on a grill rack coated with cooking spray.  Baste, cover and grill for 25 - 30 minutes, turning and basting frequently with the grape glaze mixture.  Garnish with fresh rosemary leaves to serve if desired.

This recipe freezes exceptionally well for extra batches when grapes are in season.  It also doubles quite nicely for those times when the gang's all there.

Happy Grilling,

Denise, Beds 25 & 29

Serious Squirrel Defense Structures!

Yes....squirrel defense structures are popping up left and right!

If you are lucky, they only dig deep holes that dry out the ground and cover up the plants like in this bed. If you are unlucky...you lose the plants like I've lost a number of carrots in one corner of my bed.

There is no way the sunflowers will survive if we didn't create a structure to keep the squirrels from digging in the bed. They've already destroyed the one sunflower plant we had! This will also protect the seeds and seedlings from the birds as well.

I ramped up my squirrel repelling cage because I didn't want them to destroy my newly planted tomatoes or tear up my lettuce and carrots while I'm gone. Once I'm back I'll put the cages on the tomatoes themselves and figure out exactly how I'm going to protect everything until the plants are bigger.

 

Jim's First Tomato of the Season

I think Jim beat us all getting the first tomato and pepper of the season! Tuesday he harvest 2 tomatoes and 2 peppers.  He did start off with very large plants with tomatoes on them.

 

So did it go in a salad or did you have a tomato sandwich?

Weekly Calendar May 23 - June 1

Saturday May 23
NO Gardener on Duty
Have a great Memorial Day weekend

Tuesday May 28
Gardener on Duty
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Thursday May 30
Workday
10:00 am to 12:00 pm

Saturday June 1st
One Year Anniversary Celebration!
6:00 pm to whenever
Details in email sent on May 21

Mini-Bluebird Muffins

 KC Bearden made some scrumptious blueberry muffins for the Bluebird Trail Tour back in March. They were incredibily good because of the surprise in the middle.

Mini-Bluebird Muffins

Ingredients:
Use any blueberry muffin recipe or boxed blueberry muffin mix that contains canned blueberries or fresh blueberries.

1 additional pint of fresh blueberries is needed as well

Topping:
1/4 cup of oats
1/4 cup of brown sugar
1/4 cup of butter
1 Tablespoon flour
Shake of Cinnamon
Shake of Nutmeg

Grease the mini-muffin tin with cooking spray.

Mix the topping ingredients and set aside (feel free to add a bit more of any of the topping ingredients to suit your taste).

Mix the muffins as directed and fill each hole in the muffin tin 3/4ths full of batter.

Add 3 fresh blueberries to the center of each muffin and push them lightly into the batter.  Put a small clump of the topping on each muffin over the blueberries.

Bake as directed for your recipe.

Here is the special surprise:
The blueberries form a berry center in the middle and the topping also follows into the middle of the muffin. When you bite into the muffin, you find the sweet oat topping and fresh blueberries in the center of the muffin.

Totally delicious! This will delight, surprise and make your family and friends happy.

Sunflower Seed Planting

Looking for Volunteers to help plant sunflower seeds in the sunflower border on Tuesday May 21 from 5:00 until done.  It shouldn't take very long to plant the sections with sunflower seeds. If you are interested in helping, just show up at 5:00 to help. We already have a variety of seeds bought, ready to plant.

I'm hoping we won't have any critters come get the seeds or the newly sprouted plants.  But if we start having issues there is plenty of wildlife/bird netting that can be put over them until they are tall enough.

Weekly Calendar May 17 - May 18

Saturday May 18
NO Gardener on Duty

Tuesday May 21
Gardener on Duty
5:00 - 7:00 pm

Sunflower  Border
(plant sunflower Seeds)
5:00 - 7:00 pm

Happy Mother "Nature" Day

Happy Mothers Day to all the wonderful moms at the garden.

Weekly Calendar May 10- May 18

Saturday May 11
MG Plant Garden Tour and Plant Sale
10:00 am - 5:00 pm
Cobb MG Garden Tour Info

Gardener on Duty
10:00 - 12:00

Tuesday May 14
Gardener on Duty
5:00 - 7:00

Saturday May 18
Garden Party!
Celebrate our 1st Anniversary
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Details of the party