1st Year Veggie Garden Questions - MN

[camping1601]

Yes. This Fall I am planting some oats over our entire garden and will cut and let lay as a mulch/green manure. I will broast clover sometime in the summer, between rows to help keep weeds down. This year has been a good year for weeds. I can't keep up with pulling them.

I am constantly fighting Powdery Mildew. Most of my issue is that there is not the best air flow where our garden currently is located in the yard. This may be the first year that I add Lime also. Soil just hardens pretty quickly even though it has been amended with compost.

I like to use zucchini for lasagna. Slice them thinly the long way and replace the noodles with zucchini. They are also good pickled with onions.

Do you use the Copper spray for the Mildew?

 

[Jimmy]

After so much zucchini we start to get tired of it. Sometimes I'll cube it and toss it in with some breakfast potatoes when they're almost done. Or add to soups in the winter.

 

[COLD SMOKE]

Do you use the Copper spray for the Mildew?

I would reccomend Wettable Sulphur foliar spray.
Organic
effective
Cheap

Prevention is best with Powdery mildew.
Spray consistently when plants are smaller and in vegetative. Once they set be careful spraying anything ( organic or not ) on them.

Also make a worm box and feed them your compost and kitchen scraps. This compost can be incorporated in beds.

 

[wyosteve]

For zucchini, we'll make a zuchhini cream soup, use it in salsa, zucchini bread and cut into about 3/8 in. slices, season and put in dehydrator for zucchini 'chips'.

 

[Forestryguy]

Do you use the Copper spray for the Mildew?

Yes. I try to be diligent and spray nightly since I irrigate in the mornings. I can get it reduced but then if I miss a day it takes a few to get it back under control. I started just cutting off infected leaves on cucumbers, squash and zucchini. I know part of my issue is lack of air flow. I am going to research how to kill the spores that are in the soil. I am pretty sure it is endemic in my garden now.

Next year I am going to treat with baking powder as soon as I plant. Less expensive and less harmful to pollinators.

 

[William Sublette]

Tomatos in the dehydrator are delicious.

You can eat them like healthy potato chips, or crumble up in most any recipe.