Canastota corner: Grandpa knew top-rated the way to tackle garden

This column became in the beginning published on July 9, 2015. Please take pleasure in this oldie however goodie whereas Carol is out ailing.

A file on the "north 40." folks who study my columns and beauty how it's doing (i am speaking of my vegetable garden and want to call it that), we "farmers" have pet names for things.

As i'm going about doing my errands round town, I sometimes run into somebody who wants to know how the backyard goes. i want to record as of this writing i'm hoping all is smartly.

The weather seems to have had gardeners in intellect and as of this writing cooperated. Watering hasn't been rather as integral as final yr was, and i hope that there won't be any disturbances when it comes to animals.

The last of June, as I stood by means of my kitchen window, I took place to appear out and on the other facet of the creek that flows along our property i noticed stream of an animal that wasn't a dog, cat, or different 4-legged animal that i will determine, but a groundhog. accept as true with me, i know what they look like, as I had several years of fighting them on our property, many years calling for the exterminator to come back and capture them and take them away.

I even have been free for a number of years and that i believed that possibly the remaining woodchuck had left a warning sign to any beginners to go away because it wasn't a safe area to reside.

neatly, my blood ran bloodless after I saw one throughout the creek and i notion only of it staying there. To this date, i'm hoping it hasn't determined to cross the creek or, with a bit of good fortune, it was only in transit to yet another vicinity. no longer simplest can it smash your garden, however can can charge a few dollars to movement it to one other territory.

The backyard looks to be flourishing, but one disappointment turned into my cucumbers that did not make it. They have been searching sickly once I put the vegetation within the ground and i didn't have a fine feeling.

a few days later, the plants had now not most effective expired but disappeared utterly. It turned into simply as if nothing had ever been planted there; the stakes were additionally long past. A secret.

i am instructed that cucumbers are a really delicate vegetable to carry, and that i trust this as I won't have very first rate luck. final year I decided to purchase the flora as a substitute of trying to sow the seeds, and that i did have effects, however now not considerable, so? probably it's me.

I should call the Horticulture Hotline provided with the aid of the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Madison County. I have a problem with the rhubarbs that I have moved from one spot to a different.

They went to seed as they were arising and that is rarely regular. possibly there are others with the issue this year. And, they've saved going to seed as a substitute of maturing.

this is a problem.

together with the many different inquiries to advisors who have calls from people akin to myself, it maintains them busy with the correct solutions and we are so completely happy that there are such areas to make these queries.

When the leaves on the squash vines appeared to wilt, my grandfather all the time knew simply what became inflicting it.

One time when i was within the backyard with him assisting out, this happened and oh, how I wish now I had discovered how to cure it. Out got here his jackknife, which he in no way gave the impression to be with out. just beside the wilted leaves, he "operated" on the vine. He made a slit, gently opened it, and picked out the worm that changed into making the problem. He sealed up the vine and everything turned into all correct.

In my backyard this same aspect came about, so i tried my grandfather's cure. Did it work? No.

either I did not locate the right location, or there was no worm, and the vine died.

journey is the teacher.