Saturday, April 21, 2012

 Just a quick update today. We are finally getting a little rain which hopefully will help out the drought situation.

My cucumbers are all doing real well this season so far. What a contrast to last year when they just wouldn't fruit. All I was getting was male flowers. While out checking on the cukes the last couple of days I found the pickle worms had discovered two of my plants and began laying eggs on them. One day when I went out to look for the worms I found a little helper had nabbed one of them.
The focus on the little guy isn't too good but a wasp is seen here with his victim. Nice!!


These cucumbers are called "Mici Hybrid" This is the description from Ferry-Morse seed company:

"A very hardy, hybrid variety. Resistant to cold weather. The fruit has a long, straight shape about 14 inches long and has green rind. Average weight per fruit is 7 ounces."

They sure seem to be larger than any I have grown before.




My other bed with cukes and butternut squash in it is really taking off. Lots of blooms can be seen on the cuke plants with a lot of female flowers too which means cucumbers.


Some have already been pollinated.



The butternut squash has been blooming but just the opposite of the cucumbers. Several female flowers bloomed and now I am starting to get the males blooming also.


Here is one that bloomed before the males opened up. So it didn't get pollinated.


My corn has germinated real well. It is a bi color super sweet hybrid from Johnny's Select Seeds. The seed quality from that company is always top notch and I have bought lots of seed from them.


Here some purple bush beans are ready to pick


Next we get to the Celebrity tomatoes. Notice the bags over some of the tomatoes. I covered them so the birds would not see them turning red. It's working pretty well so far.


My next broccoli crop is beginning to head up. Just in time because my sweet potato slips arrived today and need to be planted. Some are going where this broccoli is and the rest are going where the first crop of bush green beans was.


The Colorado Rose potatoes are beginning  to bloom. Maybe I might get a potato or two so this might not be a total disaster after all.


Here the Fordhook lima beans are full of blooms.


Lastly my onions are all forming nice bulbs. I have bean eating a few by making tomato and onion sandwiches on sour dough bread. Mmmmm good. Some have also been cooked in spaghetti sauce.


Now on to working more on the drip irrigation system. It's a bit slow going but it works real well.