The morning of Dec. 12th, 2008 isn't that long ago so if you are tired of the rain, remember the crippling ice storm in Central MA. Mother nature is one of those things that remind us that working with the elements is tricky. The heavy rains continue to raise havoc on this year's growing season, and in New England, it is a short one. There was an article in today's T&G that strawberry picking season will come to an end this weekend so stop by your local 'you pick' grower or a farmer's market to scout out the last of the berries. We did have to break down and get some fungicide sprays for the tomatoes and our newly planted grapes, yet when to apply is tricky because you need to spray when it is not raining. We do have the copper, which is the organic way to treat, but as you can tell from the alert yesterday, it is not effective on late blight. We've already stocked up on replacement plants in case the ones growing take a nose dive. If a plant goes down, do not replant the same species of plant in the same location. The pathogen is in the soil and will infect the new plant. Learn as much as you can about proper crop rotation to keep your garden productive for the long run. Post and let me know your particular questions and/or concerns and, of course, any successes. Many of you requested vegetable and agricultural tips because this growing season is particularly tough. We do have some cool weather plants that are doing very well; i.e., broccoli, escarole, lettuce, endive. We had some baby bok choy from a local grower, Clearview Farms http://www.clearviewfarmstand.com/. Let me know what's happening in your garden.
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