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Greetings!
It's good to talk to you again! I saw many of you during our goodbye sale and again during the very last "garage sale," but if I missed you, let me thank you again for your support of Papershell during the past three years. I do so appreciate it!
This is the first newsletter in the period of whatever-comes-next and I think you'll find the same good gardening information. I hope that since I'm no longer tied to the garden center (night and day) I'll be able to do a few different features from time to time.
I'm working on a few ventures that will allow me to grow and sell plants (and see you all again!) but still spend time at home with my family. I'll keep you posted but meanwhile, here's a little hint:
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If you'd rather not receive this email, please use the SafeUnsubscribe link at the bottom of this email to remove your name from the list. It's okay! I understand most of you signed up for a garden center newsletter, and it's not quite that anymore. But if you decide to stay, hang on! There's no telling what's coming up.
Thanks again and garden on! |
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What's Going On In The Garden?
Well, how does your garden grow? Mine is full of leaf-footed bugs! I took my eye off the ball while we ran the clearance sales and huge colonies of these stink bug relatives moved in. It's so disheartenening. I'm tempted just to abandon them and try again in the fall.
The best control for leaf-footed bugs is really hand-picking them. If you go early in the morning, they aren't moving very fast. Grab them between your thumb and index finger and drop them into a cup of soapy water. They won't be able to climb back out and you can wreak havoc before they are fully awake. I've heard people use small handheld vacuums on them too but I never have. Truthfully, I get a little thrill out of meting out their punishment directly.
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It's hard to spray an insecticide on them that is powerful enough and persistent enough to deter them but I've had good luck with synthetic permethrins like Bug Buster II from Monterey Lawn & Garden. It's not an organic product and you'll have to reapply every 7-10 days but you can eat the tomatoes one day after application.
The main problem with my squash and beans has been keeping things evenly watered. We're back to our good old summertime patterns: warm windy days growing hotter and more humid until finally we get a drenching downpour. Water when your veggies are dry about 2 inches below the surface. If plants are wilting during the heat of the day, but perk up in the evening, they may not need more water. To be sure, check with one of your ten hand moisture meters!
If you haven't planted your summer garden yet, there are still a few things you can plant. Here's the list of summer veggies, flowers & herbs you can plant now.
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Time To Put The Petunias To Rest
Seriously. I've been driving around looking at landscapes and those sad, tired petunias have earned their retirement. It's true they lasted quite a long time, thanks to a long, cool spring. But the leaves are fading, the flowers are getting smaller and they're starting to look a little, well, spent. They won't live through the summer in most cases. |
Green Tip: Install A Rain Sensor
This drives me nuts! Watching the irrigation system send all that precious water right down the drain, because it's raining.
If we don't prepare for water shortages, we Texans will be in for quite a shock someday soon. Over the next 50 years, our municipal water use is expected to almost double. Currently, irrigation (agricultural and otherwise) accounts for more than 60% of the water used in the state of Texas.
Using an irrigation system can be the most effective and efficient way to water your landscape if it is set up correctly. For best results, water deeply and infrequently, rather than every night for a brief time. And install a rain sensor! This may require upgrading your controller but it's well worth the cost. A good rain sensor is easy to install and deactivates the irrigation system if there is water in a tiny reservoir. The one I installed at home is wireless - and the install, including the controller, was less than half an hour.
Read more about installing rain sensors here.
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Thanks for reading,
Elizabeth Barrow
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