2023 Gardening (outside)

[jjannie]

I've never heard of a round zucchini, is it something new, do they taste the same? Wow, bell peppers already, that's impressive. Do you know if there is a limit on how many years you can over winter them? We have had a down turn on our green beans, I think it's the heat we are getting down here or maybe the bees aren't out pollinating them but out number went from 150 every other day down to 35 yesterday, hope this trend doesn't continue.

Picked another 200 beans yesterday and another round zucchini.  The round ones taste just like long zucchini do. 

Noticed evidence of those bad squash bugs arriving so I started spraying the soapy water on them once the sun had set. Saw some adults and some newly hatched ones and did my best to crush any eggs I found on underside of leaves so all got the spray. Will do again this evening so hopefully we've caught it at right time because we knew what to look for. 

I started some new bush beans in GH and outside and all have sprouted up nicely so once the originals aren't producing very well those 2nd ones will be starting up.

Wow, that's amazing, sounds like this warm weather is really helping your GB grow. That's too bad about the squash bugs, so you just spray the soapy water on the bottoms of the leaves or the whole plant?

Once you load your sprayer 1 Tablespoon dish soap per gal of water, then you shake it to get it well foamed up, then you spray away. Squash bugs breath from their sides so once they get coated with the soap they suffocate typically within seconds, 30 at most. I spray the bugs when I see them but also coat the surface of the sole for any I didn't see. 

Spray in evenings when they are most likely to be out, they don't like the sunshine. Last night I only found 1 adult and NO new hatches. They'll lay eggs on underside side of the leaves in little rust-colored clusters, you can smash (kill) them by supporting the front side and using flat stick or wide depressor to minimize any more damage to the leaves and press. Hoping this evening to see new arrivals/hatchings.