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Show 4 - BUSY TIMES - JUNE 1992 I came across three common orchard problems: codling moths, sunburn, and twig bores. Often codling (echinachea), and yarrow. At the moths have destroyed an entire crop. plume; near the bath house, clusters of Various organic methods have been uied, with some success. Blaine Sorenson says that 1/4 cup Tabasco sauce diluted with water in your Drogins, a hummingbird garden with trumpet vine, penstemons, and prince’s has another unique system: PVC pipe runs along the high end of rows, and at each row a gallon plastic jug, weighted sprayer works well. The Heddens are trying a new pheromene device, columbines, fragrant goldenspur, delicate cliffrose, and sturdy Colorado mountain columbine. The rows of tall sunflowers at the Martineaus are magical. Many residents planted trees this twistees that emit the male codling year, mostly for windbreaks, wildlife with stones and punctured with holes moth odor. Mary Rees says the traps made with water, vinegar, and molasses habitat, or privacy (or all three). Besides hybrid poplars and Austrian pine, valley favorites, there are honey locusts, Arizona cypresses, hackbenies, red cedars, and many more. Lots of shrubs too. What do we do for weeds? Delicate, tenacious morning glory is the the most popular, as it waters only the areas around the plants, which cuts down on weeds. The Sorenson family facing the plants; the water runs slowly, filling the ditch with water, which allows for better absorption and less soil erosion. Those properties with ditch water like it for their crops because it contains less alkaline than most well water. The Heddens have a gated pipe which slopes down the field. catch a few moths and too many bees. Several orchards suffer from sunburn, when the winter sun bakes down on exposed trtmks or branches, drawing their sap to the surface, which then freezes as night time temperatures drop. The bark then splits, weakening Their rows are curved with precision, allowing for deep absorption and no the tree and opening the trunk to insect infestations. Many people find that erosion. Permaculture is a new technique in the valley and is gaining fans. Imported from Australia, PC captures rain and other water by using shallow trenches (swales) on slopes; the moisture seeps in instead of running off. An important applying white latex paint to the the vulnerable parts, or wrapping them, can comparison. Hand weeding seems the favorite attack, especially around edible plants, and using drip irrigation, but prevent the problem or allow the tree to some say spraying the plant’s base with heal. white vinegar will do the job. “You just have to keep on top of them,” and “You 00);? Q ‘- :3 have to get out here and work every day” (from those who love to garden). Joanna Ehler switched to raised beds with plastic sheeting and lots of mulch. This worked well and saved her lots of part of swaling is to seed or plant the downhill side immediately, before weeds get a foothold, protecting swales from erosion and making the best use of any water which accumulates there. Another Permaculture concept is no tillage. Instead, humus, manure, and green mulches are added in layers on top of the soil. Nothing is wasted. Lots of good suggestions, too, for combining plants to help each other, and substituting perennials for annuals whenever possible. Some local experiments are beginning and results will bear watching. Almost everyone here has fruit trees, and there are a few sizable orchards. Although every year does not bring a harvest, the bliss of the good years seems to guarantee their care through the barren ones. It is generally agreed that bumper fruit crops happen about once every three years. This spring proved gentle, and the orchards are laden with fruit. There are numerous varieties of apples, pears, peaches, sweet and sour cherries, and apricots in the valley. The Heddens have sweet pit (Sweetheart) apricots with edible almond-like kernels. Ann LaMunyon ties plastic grocery bags to the branches of her cherry trees before the fniit ripens and says this saves two-thirds of her crop from birds. most difficult to battle, with ragweed, mallow, and tumbleweed mild by weeding time. “Weeds are not always enemies" was good news to me; they can offer shade, wind protection, and At the north end(of the valley the twig bores are a threat. Heavy pruning and planting a new tree every few years is what the Heddens are doing. Then there are always birds to contend with, but they do seem to wait until the fruit is perfectly ripe, so watch for the first attack and start picking, or place nets over your trees, as many owners do. Surely flowers nourish us as well as food crops do. I feasted upon more flowers than I can mention here—wild and cultivated flowers and plants which seemed very happy in the company of vegetables. Many flowers, herbs, and vegetables make mutually beneficial companions (grapes love hyssop, for example), and that subject would make an article in itself. At Hedden’s I remember especially the beds of luscious campanolas, holyhocks, and larkspur; chamomile, sweet William, baby‘s breath, lobelia, and petunias; lilies under shade trees; mixed poppies. At Mary Rees’s a lovely arched bed of native sunflowers, with coreopsis, flax, and digitalis around the comer across from daisies, prairie coneflowers help with water retention, especially for new seedlings and lawns. Sometimes they shelter helpful predator bugs. A few other tips: Healthy plants are much less susceptible to weather and pests. Use rolls from toilet tissue or paper towels (cut to about 2-1/4" lengths) around the base of tomato plants and other cutwonn favorites— nails stuck in next to stems will work too (cutworrns need to wrap themselves around the plant.) Spray soft-bodied bugs with diluted dish soap (works exceptionally well for tent caterpillars). Harvest beans at their prime, since Mexican bean beetles prefer older beans. Zucchini and butternut squash are said to be most resistant to squash bugs. Plant cool crops (broccoli, cauliflower, greens) in light shade to extend their yield. Our gardens are much like our families and neighborhoods-we seed them, nourish them, pay attention to changes, and weed out the problems—a place of miracles, magic, beauty, and joy that takes a lot of work. —Jil Kulander |
