I Got To Put Fresh Straw Around The Melons

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Bob Bauer
October 02, 2019 (Last Updated: ) | Reading Time: 2 minutes

October 02, 2019

I got to put fresh straw around a few of my melon mounds yesterday. It sure brightened up the garden. I hadn't noticed it was getting a bit dreary because as the cleanup continues more light gets in. The bright straw will reflect light up onto the bottom of the leaves in the summer, increasing their photosynthesis. It will keep water drops from splashing mud up onto the plant, which can cause the spread of disease..

It will also help prevent the loss of water from the ground through evaporation, and keep the ground cooler. It feeds the worms, which feeds the plants, and every time you water you will be fertilizing by washing down the nutrients that the worms secrete. It keeps the melons off the dirt which reduces the insect damage to the bottom. It adds color and texture and I find myself covering up messy spots with a thin layer of it..

October 03, 2019

We had our first frost last night, two weeks earlier than I expected. It was mild though and didn't burn the leaves of any plants except the Butternut squash vines that had climbed up three feet off the ground. I was surprised because I've always thought that cold air traveled along the ground like water flowing down hill, but apparently that's not always the case. The cold ladybug sleeping on the vine looks like she's late for the party..

We don't need her efforts now, but will welcome them in the spring. I should gather up some leaves from under the oak tree and spread them thickly around the garden to give her and her eggs a warm place to overwinter. Having seen a bumblebee climb under a bunch of leaves in the hot summer afternoon for a nap forever changed my opinion on garden debris..

October 04, 2019

We had another frost last night and it finished off the Butternut squash. It also burned the outer leaves of the bush beans, but the inner leaves are fine. If we get some sunny weather they will continue to grow so I've left them alone. I harvested all the squash and got 15 from a hill with three plants on it. They need to cure in the hot afternoon sun for 3-4 days before they go into storage..

Wiping them down with a viniger solution can help them keep for a longer time without molding. I've always used a bleach solution but my son found that vinegar was more effective. Finding a cool place to store them can be a problem, and the warmer they are the more likely they are to decay. A root celler is ideal but a garage that doesn't freeze will work fine..

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