Organic Squash Bug Control

photo courtesy: Whitney Cranshaw, Colorado State University, Bugwood.org

Let me share with you our squash bug control plan. I am not, I repeat NOT going to be overrun again this year by squash bugs! Young squash plants (especially zucchini and pumpkin) are generally more susceptible to damage by this pest, and if you don’t squish the squash bugs, young plants will die. They …

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Watermelons and Cross Pollination

watermelon growing

Do you have to separate watermelons (Citrullus lanatus) from other types of melons to keep them from cross-pollinating? No, other types of melons like cantaloupes or honeydew (Cucumis melo), and cucumbers (Cucumis sativus) can all be grown close together without fear of crossing. However, each of these items will cross within their own species. So, …

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Monoecious Cucumbers

grow cucumbers in your organic garden

Cucumbers and other vine crops are monoecious. Monoecious plants have separate male and female flowers on the same plant. Male and female flowers are similar in appearance. However, the female flowers have small, immature fruits at their base. Pollen is transferred from the male to the female flowers by bees. When properly pollinated and fertilized, …

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Green Run aMUCK.

Okay, so last year I was begging for rain. They said Oklahoma was the driest it had been since the dust bowl. But THIS year, oh my… like they say, be careful what you wish for… The two raised beds are entirely tooo small to grow all this ‘big stuff’ zucchini, tomatoes, cucumbers, all my …

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