GARDENING CALENDAR
TEXAS AGRILIFE EXTENSION SERVICE
BEXAR COUNTY BY DAVID RODRIGUEZ
September 27, 2008
Keep watchful eyes on small moths hovering around the fall vegetable garden? They lay eggs on many young developing broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower plants. Observe often the backside of the leaves to dispose of eggs or young maturing caterpillars. Dusting with Dipel dust is a very efficient means of control.
If young maturing eggplant, peppers, and cucumbers are showing small holes in the newest developing leaves, most likely this is damage from a flea beetle or spotted cucumber beetle. Manually remove and dispose of the chewing culprits or treat with 5% Sevin dust.
If fire ants are a nuisance in your okra patch, treat with an approved pyrethrum based product which lists vegetables. Always read, understand, and follow label recommendations.
Normally the fire ants which are on the okra patches farm the aphids for their sweet honey dew. To eliminate aphids from diminishing the crop quality and yields of the okra, treat with horticulture grade insecticidal soap.
Fertilize by side-dressing young developing fall vegetable transplants in the garden every third week. Use a high accelerated 50% slow-release fertilizer such as a 19-5-9 analysis. Use about one cup for every 20-30 linear row feet. Do not apply the fertilizer directly on the crown or leaves of the plant, but on the outskirts and conclude by thoroughly watering it in.
David Rodriguez is the County Extension Agent-Horticulture with the Texas AgriLife Extension Service in Bexar County. For more information, call the Master Gardener “Hotline” (210) 467-6575 or visit our County Extension website at http://bexar-tx.tamu.edu.
