DIY Projects

Update your Sidewalks and Pathways

One of the most important design elements in a garden is structure. It’s easy (with a little bit of work!) to add structure by adding paths and garden walkways and certainly the sidewalk coming to your front door. They give the eye a place to rest, follow, and let you lead visitors to the front door and throughout the garden. Classic DIY garden walkway ideas & projects can be done in a weekend and can seriously up the stake on any garden design. Even adding a simple DIY pathway from the street to the front door adds value. You can direct the garden wanderings or keep visitors out of specific areas. Also, garden walkways can lead the eye to the important focal points and recreation areas of your yard.

Sidewalk using wood pallets

We’ve done a few posts on casual garden paths, but it was time to make sure you all had the classic options as well. Here are some ideas for projects to give your garden a smart framework and foundation.

Garden Pests

Watch for Cucumber Beetles

In the upcoming weeks, be on the look for cucumber beetles because they are a difficult pest to manage. Several cultural practices can be applied to prevent infestations from becoming severe. At planting time, you can place mulch around cucurbits (cucumber, melons, and squash) to deter cucumber beetle adults from laying eggs near the plants. Removing mulch and debris after harvest can reduce the number of overwintering sites for striped cucumber beetles in the fall. If you detect signs of bacterial wilt where the cucumber plant wilts and does not come back, be sure to remove the infected plants quickly so that cucumber beetles are unable to feed on them and spread the disease. Destroy the infected plants.

Early detection is critical, so be sure to regularly scout throughout the growing season. When you detect two or more beetles per plant or when estimated defoliation of leaves reaches 25%. Once cucumber beetles reach threshold levels, management action should be taken to avoid extensive injury to the infested crop. Organic options include products such as neem oil, spinosad, and pyrethrin. These products can reduce populations or at least deter feeding; however, they do not have long-lasting residuals. Conventional products like carbaryl (Sevin), permethrin, and pyrethroids can be effective. When using any insecticide in the garden, be sure to time applications for when pollinators will be least active toward evening, and read and follow the label directions

Vegetable and Fruits

When Rhubarb Seeds

Rhubarb plants will occasionally send up seed stalks with flowers in the middle of the plants. These stalks can occur due to natural maturity of the plants. Some varieties of rhubarb are more likely to flower than others. Victoria is known to be a flowering type. Flowering will reduce the vigor of the plant. Energy is funneled into the stalks instead of new growth for rhubarb growth as a vegetable. If the plant is grown as an ornamental the tall stalks of flowers (Victoria has white (greenish)) is quite impressive. The flower and seed stalks should be cut out as soon as they start forming to the base of the stalk. The plant may continue to produce the flower stalks so keep cutting. The plants do NOT become poisonous after flowering starts. The leaf stalks can still be cut and used and the leaves themselves are always poisonous.