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Finally
back with another newsletter. I had every intention on getting
one out every month but with the growing season setting in, taking
care of the nursery and growing the garden took first priority.
So
how are your gourds growing? Well, I hope.
I
seem to be having a little more success this year. Some new areas
to plant were spaded and tilled and I was very optimistic for
a bountiful harvest. Some areas of bacterial leaf spot did appear
again but I cleaned out those leaves, applied copper fungicide
and it seamed to slow it down some. Unfortunately it didn't take
care of the problem totally but the vines are still growing and
I have some nice looking gourds on the vines. Although not quite
as many as I had hoped what with all the hand pollinating I did.
Sometimes I was a little late in my effort and the dew had already
fallen. The pollen won't fall off the male blossom easily if they
are damp.
Some
of my vines seemed to take too long to start producing female
flowers also, even though the vines had been trimmed.
But
have I given up. Not yet. I've already started getting a new area
to plant next year. Since we just have a light duty rototiller
it makes it easier if the grass has died. What I like to do is
gather large cardboard boxes to lay down on the ground. I will
do that now and by spring the ground is bare and ready to till.
You could do the same thing with weed killer.
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