N&C Midwest: June 2022

I'm sure different companies have different "standards", though I have always heard that it has a shelf life of 3 to 5 years.  Southern AG says their "Thuricide BT Caterpillar Control" is good for 3 years if stored at room temp (less than 90ºF) and out of direct sunlight.  Meanwhile, Natural Guard says their "Caterpillar Kill Spray BT" is good for 3-5 years if stored at room temp.

That said, a 16 ounce bottle of Bt concentrate will normally last one season if applied every 5 to 7 days to control cabbage eaters.

Side note:  Always apply  Bt in the evening, never in the heat of the day. The hot sun UV rays will neutralize the Bt if applied during high sun hours.

The Sun Gold tomatoes are beginning to show their color, and it won't be long before we are picking them.  Yum!


The Banana Peppers will soon be ready for picking, too.


Another nice picking of the Snap Peas.  The peas are about done for this spring. With the hot weather they have quit blooming, so the peas still hanging on the vines will be all that we get.

My peas are done, too.  I have one more picking, then I'll be removing the peas from the Arbor and planting cucumbers in their place.

That is always a challenge, Jam23, but we never give up.  I try to never have bare garden space, I don't like to have bare soil exposed to the elements any longer than necessary.  When the Spinach bolts, it is cut off at the soil level, and Swiss Chard is put in its place. The Snap Peas on the Arbor are almost done, and they will soon be cut off at the soil level and Cucumbers will be transplanted there.  Those cucumbers are a short-lived crop, and when they are done they will be cut off and the fall crop of Snap Peas will be planted. One of the beds is busy with carrots and beets, which will be ready to harvest around the first of August. When those are pulled, there will be some Brussels Sprouts and Cabbage plants ready to in. Yesterday I cleaned off on small bed that had lettuce and radishes, and topped it off with compost so that the summer squash can go in there in a few days. By mid-July I will be planting the winter carrots where the onions will be coming out.  A lot of the vegetables are full season, such as beans, tomatoes, peppers, and kale - they are all planted in spring and remain productive until fall frost kills them. When those crops are cut off, the beds are topped with new compost and mulched for the winter.

With experience you'll get the hang of it. It is important to know the number of days to maturity of the various crops so that you know how long a crop will be occupying a space, and how far in advance you need to plan on when to plant them.  For example, carrots take 90 days to mature, so if I want to harvest them in mid-October, I need to get them planted by mid-July. Snap peas take 60 days to maturity, so those need to get planted at least 80 days before the first frost date. And, so on....

Way too much Kale and Swiss Chard coming in now.  I called the woman that manages the local soup kitchen to ask if they could use some, and she said she'd love some Swiss Chard, but wasn't interested in the Kale.  So, I picked a grocery bag full of Swiss Chard and delivered it to them for this evening's meal. Growing Bright Lights Swiss Chard this year.

Glad you got some rain, Jam23!  We need some, I've having to water. Possibility of rain tomorrow, but only slight chance.  I was planning taking out the peas today and transplanting the cucumbers onto the arbor, but the heat index was over 100ºF - not a good day for gardening.  Maybe tomorrow....

You guys should post this valuable information in one of the rhubarb threads.

Picked the first Sun Gold cherry tomatoes today. How sweet it is?

Took out the snap pea plants and refreshed the bed with compost. As soon as the cucumber seedlings get their second set of true leaves, they'll be transplanted onto the arbor where the peas were.