Field Update: Weeds, Heat and Weeds

Week 16, June 25- July 1, 2012, Week 26 of the Year

It is hot and getting hotter.  This heat is not ideal to transplant into, but in the long term forecast it looks like we will be hot for a few weeks, so plant we will.  We have row cover on order to protect our cole crops from cabbage moths and rabbits.  Tina Turnip is working on modifying the ant trap design as we speak.  She has made a few models.  One problem we ran into is that the depth at which the hole punch works is a limiting factor.  The ants cannot climb the slippery sides.  She is experimenting with turning the traps upside down and she is also trying a dry mix alongside the moist one that seemed too thin.  The dry mix would save time and energy.  She said the ants wanted the bait so badly they were lifting each other up to the high opening in the first models!  She was sitting watching the ants use the different models this morning and I suppose feeling a bit like Darwin.  Last year ants killed over half our Brussel Spouts and Cabbage so we want to make sure the ant traps are in place.  We will put the priority on planting the fennel, chard, and last succession of tomatoes.

We will begin harvesting garlic and shallots as soon as we get them weeded.  It is much easier to find the crop once it is weeded and then we are not leaving any behind in the field.  Believe me we tried it both ways last year.  This is a priority this week.

At this point I imaging you guys are a little overwhelmed by the weeds.  We have weeded many crops 2-3 times now and they still need weeding!  I want to let you know that the weed pressure we are experiencing is not the same on every farm.  These fields have a large weed seed bank and it will take years if not a decade or more to get under control.  Control can be helped by 1. not adding more weed seeds, 2. turning the soil to germinate weed seeds and killing them via weeding, fire, spray, 3. cover crop will starve them, among other strategies.  Please don’t be disheartened by the weeds, fall is around the corner.  In the fall the weeds slow down and the harvest increases.  The next 2 months usually prove to be intense in terms of watering and weeding, but it will be worth it come September, trust me.

Most of you noticed that our squash and cucumbers were uncovered and most of it was weeded.  They are huge and beautiful, but fragile.  Please use care when weeding around these plants and take time to cover the stems with soil to protect them from squash vine borers.  In these hot temperatures we will need to water plants we pull weeds around to keep them hydrated.  Sadly, this is the best the squash and cucumbers will look so take pictures now.  From the moment they are uncovered they begin to go downhill due to cucumber beetle, squash bugs, and the like.  We found squash bug eggs on them already, please squish them!  I attached a picture to remind you what the squash bugs and their eggs look like.  One issue we face every year is that, while we can spray to control these insects it is so hot that the spray vaporizes and defeats the effort.  We will attempt to spray at night to help, but temperatures over 90 degrees really limits effectiveness and longevity.  Here is a reminder of what we spray and the goals of each…

Bt– Bacillus thuringiensis kills caterpillars when they ingest by infecting the insect and as well as preventing it from eating, effective only when on the plant

Insecticidal Soap– suffocates soft bodied insects and many kinds of eggs on contact

Neem– acts as a deterrent (insects avoid the odor), and upon ingestion it is a a hormone disruptor which prevents them from reproducing, laying eggs, and in some cases eating all together, so it is only effective while it is on the plant, which is UV light or heat it doesn’t last long.

With this heat we will work hard to keep all of our new plantings watered.  FYI- okra and winter squash have germinated and Red Noodle Beans are 4″ tall and reaching for the trellis.

Wildlife of the Week– Common Purslane, Portulaca oleracea

Purslane has begun to surface in the garden.  My god-daughter likes introduce it to people as Gandhi’s favorite food.  It is a weed I do not mind in the beds.  It is tap-rooted, succulent, annual, and edible.  Some consider it a beneficial weed because it is adapted to penetrate deeply into compacted soil, bring minerals and moisture up as well as creating paths for other crops’ roots to follow through compacted soil.  Purslane has smooth, reddish, prostrate (horizontal) stems, will elongated rounded leaves.  The stem, leaves and flowers are all edible and it is eaten in much of the world.  It has been in the US since pre-columbian times in exists all over the temperate world. It has a slightly salty and lemony flavor and is used fresh or is soups and stews. Purslane contains more Omega 3 fatty acids (especially alpha-linolenic acid) than any other leafy green as well as a lot of EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) which is unusual for a land vegetable.  Most Americans look to fish, flax, or algae for Omega 3 and EPA supplementation.  Like many other arid, hot climate adapted plants Purslane uses a different photosynthesis system than most plants. CAM.  It traps carbon dioxide at night instead of the day, converts it to malic acid and in the day the malic acid is converted to glucose.  Because of this leaves harvested in the early morning will have a lot more malic acid and a tangier taste.  Purslane also contains vitamin A (one of the highest in leafy greens too), C, B, calcium, potassium, minerals, and it has several uses in natural medicine including it cools you off!  Like spinach and sorrel it also contains oxalic acid, so if kidney stones are a concern, eat in moderation.  Here is some more info. http://recipes.howstuffworks.com/is-gandhis-favorite-food-in-your-yard.htmhttp://www.nutrition-and-you.com/purslane.html.  So take a snack break while you are weeding.

Thank yous- Thank you Evan for bringing mulch to the farm on Wed.  We really appreciate it!  Thank you Tina for making ant traps!  Thanks Rachel, Nancy and many more volunteers for making EarthDance summer camp a huge success!

Needs:

A source for weed-free, spray free, delivered manure for this fall.

More Kitchen Scraps– come one come all kitchen compostables!  Please share your compost with the farm instead of the trash.  We will take all non-meat, non-dairy items (egg shells okay).  Please be sure to bury any items you put into the compost pile.  There is a fork up there for your convenience.  If anyone has an “in” into getting more scraps through a school or restaurant please let me know.

City Compost for Mulch– We will need mulch throughout the season.  We get mulch from U. City but there are other free pick-up areas around the city.  If you would like to do a mulch pick-up we can arrange for a few folks to meet you at the mulch pile for loading.  Mulch pick-up is not ideal for harvest days, but since we have so many people on Wed. we could try and make it work if needed.  No mulch deliveries on Friday please.

Push Mower