While you’re in the vegetable garden, check your tomato plants to see if they need pruning. I cropped all of my last weekend. Pruning increases airflow and removes leaves that touch the ground; All of these can help minimize the damage from diseases such as Septoria leaf spot, early rot, and bacterial stains. When pruning, remove any leaves that would touch the ground and remove any suction cups. Also, tie the tomato plants together as they grow. If you haven’t already, mulch under these tomato plants to reduce splashing when it rains or when watering, and to retain as much moisture as possible.
In June, the dreaded pumpkin vine borer visits the garden. When I lived in Missouri, these made a number of my zucchini and other pumpkins. Be on the lookout for an orange and black daytime moth near your vines. They lay their eggs at the base of the vine. Check the base carefully and look for eggs. smash everything you find. If you see sawdust-like material at the base of your vines, the drill has already entered your vines. You can cut the tendrils lengthways and remove any holes you can find. Then bury the vine, water to keep the soil moist, and hopefully the vine will develop new roots. It worked for me in Missouri; I hope I don’t have to deal with them this year.
There is also a lot going on in the flower gardens. I started a shade garden about three years ago and it is slowly filling up. Last weekend my daughter and her best friend from kindergarten came to help me plant and they spotted some snails. There are several ways to control snails. You can set up boards in your yard or place small, shallow beer containers around your hostas and other snail-sensitive plants. If you use beer, the snails will crawl into the containers and drown. When you put boards down, they crawl under them at night. Come on tomorrow, you can turn the boards over and destroy them. I don’t share my beer so all I have to do is put down a couple of boards. Start looking for Japanese beetle scouts and be ready to destroy them. They’ll show up soon, and if you stop the scouts from telling the rest of their friends about your yard, you’ll be better off. I’ve never been successful, but I keep trying. Of course, you may need to do some weeding in your gardens at this point. The best way to keep weeds in the vegetable garden is by mulching. I have raised beds so that I can mulch easily. If you haven’t already added some mulch, weed and then immediately add some mulch for what you just weeded. My flower beds always need some weeding and I have a great way to do this. I always have plants that need to be divided or I’ve bought some to put in my beds; So I find a “weed spot”, weed it and then put my new plant in place. I like to think that I’m particularly efficient because I can weed and plant at the same time. Overall, it’s a great time to be gardening in Sauk County.
For more information or gardening questions, please contact the University of Wisconsin Madison’s Extension Sauk County Office at 608-355-3250 or email trripp@wisc.edu.
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