As winters became warmer, I began leaving the tubers in the ground after cutting down frost-blackened top growth and mulching over the clumps with a protective layer of wood shavings and straw.Īlmost all the dahlia clumps have re-grown and bloomed when left in the ground. Up until around 10 years ago, I followed the same digging, draining and storing routine that you describe. When I tried digging some of them earlier, they either rotted or dried out in storage. Now, years later in Victoria, frost comes much later - too late to cure the clumps properly for storage. I dried the clumps upside down (to drain) on a sunny, covered patio before storing. Prop the fruits up on overturned plant pots or some other support to help keep them dry.ĭear Helen: In my Campbell River garden, over two decades ago, I always dug up my dahlia tubers once frost had blackened the leaves. When watering is required, do it in the morning to allow the soil surface to dry by evening.Įlevating squash, melon and cucumber fruits off the ground is another way to minimize damage. Keeping the soil clear under and around the plants, with the surface as dry as possible, helps to reduce their populations. Sowbugs thrive and proliferate in damp places. These creatures are known for gnawing on the blossom ends of summer squash fruit, especially when the fruit is in contact with damp soil. In the photo you sent, the scarring along the blossom end of the fruit looks like woodbug (sowbug, pillbug) damage. The feeding left what looked like shallow scraping. Plants will display variability and sometimes “off” types will emerge.ĭear Helen: I cannot figure out what gnawed away at the surface of my zucchinis, along the far, blossom ends. Still, heirlooms and other open-pollinated plants do not have the uniformity of hybrids. Different strains of the variety exist, the differences depending on how meticulous the growers have been in selecting the plant and fruit qualities they seek, and saving seeds only from the best. The variety has been retained by commercial growers, seed companies specializing in heirlooms, and home gardeners. Can you think of any explanation for this?Ĭherokee Purple is an heirloom tomato dating back to before 1890. One produced nicely formed tomatoes, the other almost all misshapen fruits. Dear Helen: I grew two Cherokee Purple tomato plants, side by side, this summer.
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