Mild winters are like junk food. Sure, it's good at the time, but the end consequences are dire. Winters lacking the usual bite allow nefarious bugs of all sorts to overwinter easily, creating mass hysteria in gardens once late spring and summer are in full stride. Nothing is more discouraging than walking out to discover a prized brussel sprout plant decimated in a day by a harlequin bug, or the prized cabbage for twenty hungry mouths crumbled by an invading aphid … [Read more...] about Warriors under the Microscope: The Lion-esque Lacewing
Dill
Bugging Out: Part Four
Do they ever stop? Harlequin Bug The Lowdown: Why are the beautiful ones the most evil? These tiny Picasso paintings will lay waste to all cruciferous vegetables. If these types of veggies are scarce, the Harlequin will turn to valuable edibles like asparagus, corn, beans, squash, and tomatoes. Young plants will die with a heavy infestation, and older plants will become stunted and less productive. According to NC State's Ag extension, female adults will lay approximately … [Read more...] about Bugging Out: Part Four
Bugging Out: Part 2
The tirade on bad bugs continues... Mites The Lowdown: Mite's microscopic size cause consternation with the naked eye. More frustrating is the fact that if mites go unchecked, they can produce 16 generations in a season! The most common interloper in indoor and outdoor gardens are spider mites. They cause damage by piercing plant cells to feed. The adults spin webs to protect from prey (thus the name). Broad mites can cause more hair pulling thanks to even being invisible with a … [Read more...] about Bugging Out: Part 2
Bugging Out: Part 1
The advent of summer brings many positives: vacations, warm weather, and a new found appreciation of karaoke bars. It also brings negatives: Hangovers, sunburns, long car rides, and most of all, bugs. These summer delights infiltrate every aspect of human life. Ants create colonies in sink drains, roaches wait for the lights to dampen, and aphids suck the life out of that prized heirloom tomato that would have won first prize at the state fair. Gardeners, more than any breed of hobbyist, … [Read more...] about Bugging Out: Part 1
From “How the @#$% Did they Grow That?” Page: Culinary Herbs in the Deep Water Culture Update
Several weeks ago we began an experiment at the Fifth Season Asheville store incorporating several different herbs into a deep water culture system. We're happy to report that we succeeded in not killing anything. In fact, the herb variety (cilantro, dill, marjoram, and thyme) are thriving in the environment. During week one, the infant herbs were moved to the DWC and given the Canna nutrient line with a PPM of 250 (see the first installment of our culinary herb experiment for a precise … [Read more...] about From “How the @#$% Did they Grow That?” Page: Culinary Herbs in the Deep Water Culture Update
From “How the @#%$ Did They Grow That?” Page: Culinary Herbs in Deep Water Culture
Note: For a complete set up and explanation of the nine site deep water system, go to part one of the hydroponic chronicles. Winter can be rough on the gourmet palette. Folks used to enhancing their food through fresh herbs can find the dried counterparts to be unsexy. Options exist if the taste buds scream for fresh year round. One is windowsill herbs, which will provide growth although winter daylight can be insufficient in length. Another solution (one resolved in the Fifth Season … [Read more...] about From “How the @#%$ Did They Grow That?” Page: Culinary Herbs in Deep Water Culture
