Friday, June 18, 2010

Brassicas & grapes

I'm trying to get an idea if its normal for my brassicas to be drooping in the hot sun. I got a minute or two to sneak outside and i noticed the leaves are droopy and soft.  The peppers and eggplant are in the same row and acting fine. We have been overcast for the last few days and now its 83 out, breezy and brightly sunny. They may just be having a hard time coping.  I might grow my cabbage next to the asparagus and JA's next year. They might get some shade out of it. They will need to be rotated anyway. I am tempted to water them, but we got around 2 inches of rain in the last couple days, it might not be a good idea.

I looked up a couple wilt diseases, but according to what i found, the leaves yellow before the plants wilt and i see no yellowing. Its been a long time since i successfully grew brassicas since the woodchucks always ate them. So i have no memory if this is somewhat normal on hot days that are preceded by cool and wet ones.

The striped cucumber beetles have arrived.  I saw a few trying to get through the row cover.

Marechal Foch and Reliance grapes have opened leaves now, i'm less enthusiastic about the Frontenac, i may have gotten a dud, or its really slow in breaking dormancy. It looked live when i got it, but maybe it was at the end of itself. The 2 Edelweiss still look dead as ever.  Burpee hasn't returned my email yet.  I'll have to contact Stark's now too if the Frontenac does not start doing something soon.