I Got The Watermelon And Cantaloupe Transplanted

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Bob Bauer
April 29, 2018 (Last Updated: ) | Reading Time: 2 minutes

April 29, 2018

I got the watermelon and cantaloupe transplanted out today, and the temperature is on the rise. We might have a frost free May. Everyone jumps the gun at the end of April. Hope springs eternal. I've got Honey dew melons and tomatoes left to go out, and I'll get peppers and eggplant from our local retailers in a week or so. The eggplant is for our salsa lady that I lure into the garden..

I then help her pick tomatoes and show her all my dried onions and garlic. Works every time. She will say "Would you like some salsa" with a big grin. I think she's on to me..

April 30, 2018

Well I managed to sun scald a four pack of cucumber starts on an overcast day. I didn't think about the fact that you can get sunburned on an overcast day. The advice to plant out on a cloudy day apparently has nothing to do with UV. The transplants will wilt more rapidly from respiration on a sunny day. There were circles of burn holes on them too from the rain droplets acting like magnifying lenses. Maybe the sun came out for awhile and I didn't notice. The good news is our artichoke harvest has begun..

I picked five today. It will be a welcome change from asparagus every night (he he). I would seriously consider building a raised bed just for asparagus alone if I didn't have room for it in the garden. It's such a fun crop because it's so easy and prolific. We need to genetic engineer an asparagus plant to start producing at the end of summer, then I could have two beds..

May 01, 2018

I keep finding one or two pill bugs in my cold frames when I open them in the morning. They are crawling around the bottom perimeter trying to get out, so I don't think they are climbing the walls to get in. There is no damage to my plants so I don't mind them. I could set the frames down into the dirt another half inch if they start causing damage, because they must be coming in from beneath. This is not a wet April like last year so they aren't as plentiful. The transplants will be dependent on the ball of seed starting mix for moisture for a week and a half so I water daily..

Once the roots grow out a bit into the surrounding soil, watering can taper off. This is not a good time to make them search for water. The quicker you can get them off and running the better chance you have for their survival. They grow bristles on their stems that prevent pill bugs and slugs from eating them and produce toxins to deter other pests. An application of fish emulsion every three weeks keeps them energized..

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