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HOME JULY 2018 6 Summer is now upon us and our vegeta- bles are starting to bear fruit, so how can we help them along to make sure we have a bountiful harvest? There is nothing more disappointing than planting a vegetable garden and not reaping the rewards. There are a few simple things we can do that will help our gardens out tremendously. First, always be aware of what's going on around you. You're out there harvesting anyway, you might as well take a walk around. I walk my gardens two to three times a week to check on plants and scout for problems. If you catch problems early, they're easier to control. Visual check We need to look at plant performance. How are they performing? We're looking for anything that doesn't look normal. Are they growing correctly and do they look healthy? Are the leaves green? Are they pro- ducing fruit and does it look healthy? Do things seem to be on schedule? If it helps, make yourself a little checklist. Proper watering and fertilization are the main ways to keep plants looking their best, but insects and disease, weeds, and critters can also cause problems. Insects and disease Insects and disease can sneak up on you fast in the vegetable garden. What are some signs and symptoms to look for? Insects, both good and bad, can have an impact on plants. If plants aren't producing, you might have a pollination issue and are lack- ing the good guys like bees and other polli- nators. If you don't see any pollinators, you can either play bee yourself or try planting up some herbs and flowers in the garden. They make great attractants for pollinators. Keep an eye out for the bad guys as well. Do your leaves have holes in them? Are the leaves chewed up? How about the fruit — does it look damaged? Do you see insects flying around that you're not sure are good or bad? Take a picture and do some research or bring it to your local garden center for advice. If you have damage to leaves or other plant parts, bring them along as well. When looking for disease, look at all parts of the plants: stems, branches, leaves (both upper and lower sides), and fruit. Do you see soft spots on the woody parts? Do the leaves have spots or residue on them? Are the leaves turning yellow? Does the fruit have spots on it? Are the leaves curling or distorted? All of these can be an indication of disease. Weeding We also need to keep the weeds down. Weeds not only steal valuable water and nutrients from our plants, but also harbor both insects and disease. This doesn't have to be a chore. I weed two rows a night instead of letting it go and trying to do it all at once. It takes very little time and effort this way. Critters Lastly, critter control. We all know what to look for here, missing or chewed plant parts or fruit. I fence my gardens right away to avoid issues. It's still the best method of control. Repellants can also be used, but with less success. So, by walking through and spotting issues early in the garden they are much easier to control. If you use the crisis man- agement approach, your gardens will never be what you intended them to be. Happy gardening! (Michael Timm is a horticulturalist with Ebert's Greenhouse Village in Ixonia.) MICHAEL TIMM Tending to the summer vegetable garden Photo courtesy of Michael Timm When doing a visual inspection of your garden, look for any abnormalities. Are the leaves turning brown? Are there holes or chew marks? What does the fruit look like? They can indicate problems. If you're not sure of the signs, research them on the internet or go to a local garden shop with photographic evidence. Photo courtesy of Michael Timm Putting up a garden fence is the best way to control animals that like vegetables, and which herbivores don't? While it might not eliminate all critter problems, it's a great first step.

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