Powdery mildew can be a real problem in the vegetable garden, especially for cucurbits such as cucumbers, squash, melons and pumpkins. Powdery mildew is a fungus that forms as a white or gray powder on the leaves of plants causing the leaves to become deformed and die. It is far more probable in areas that are damp, are somewhat shady, and have higher levels of humidity.It is difficult to control powdery mildew once it begins spreading on the … [Read more...]
How To Transplant Cucumber Seedlings
Cucumbers are fun and easy to grow in the vegetable garden. There are many different types of cucumbers, but the two most popular types are generally slicing cucumbers and pickling cucumbers. I typically grow the slicing varieties in my vegetable garden each year. The pickling types are grown by my sister so we trade cucumbers each year.Slicing cucumbers are usually anywhere from six to fourteen inches long and smooth-skinned, while pickling … [Read more...]
Cucumber Sandwich
Ingredients4 slices whole grain bread1/4 cup soy cream cheese at room temperature1/4 cup avocado1/4 cup yellow mustard1/4 cup cucumber, shaved1/4 cup carrot, shaved1/4 cup pickled onions1/4 cup roasted red bell pepper (or you can use a raw bell pepper, thinly sliced)1/4 cup sprouts1/4 cup spinach leaves or Romaine (optional)2 pepperoncini’s, sliced (optional), or serve on the … [Read more...]
The Death of the Cucumber Vines
It was a sad day out in the vegetable garden today. My struggling and desperate cucumber vines finally bit the dust. After a couple weeks of spraying them, watering them, and chasing cucumber beetles, I finally realized that they probably will not make it, and yanked them up.The cucumber vines were really doing well, and producing three to four cucumbers a day at one point. A began to see the tell-tale white spots of powdery mildew, and … [Read more...]
Vegetables From The Garden – July 12, 2009
I went out to the garden yesterday to check on all my plants, pick what was ready, and pull just a few weeds. This is the first year that I have used any type of mulch in the vegetable garden, and I sure am glad I did. The mulch really does a nice job keeping the weeds at bay. It has literally cut my weed-pulling time by 80% or more.Anyway, I'm getting off track.After completing a few odds and ends, it was time for the fun part - the … [Read more...]
Grow Up With Vertical Gardening
Many urban vegetable gardeners have an issue with space for their vegetable gardens. I fit into this category as well, living in a city with over 150,000 residents, and in a subdivision with neighbors in every direction. How many times have we wanted to grow more vegetables, but just did not have the space. With some creative ideas and a little planning, you can use some vertical gardening techniques to save space in your vegetable … [Read more...]
Cucumber Relish
Ingredients10 cups finely chopped unpeeled pickling cucumbers (approximately 3 1/2 to 4 pounds of pickling cucumbers) 4 cups finely chopped red bell pepper, about 4 large peppers 3 cups finely chopped green bell pepper, about 2 to 3 large peppers 1 cup finely chopped celery, about 4 large ribs 1 cup finely chopped peeled onion, about 2 medium onions 1/2 cup pickling salt 3 1/2 cups white vinegar 2 1/3 cups … [Read more...]
Chilled Cucumber Soup
Ingredients5 cucumbers 1/2 cup chopped parsley 6 scallions, chopped 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice 1 quart buttermilk 1 pint yogurt Salt and freshly ground pepperDirectionsPeel cucumbers and cut them in half, scraping out seeds. Sprinkle the cucumbers with salt and let them stand 30 minutes. Drain excess water.Chop the cucumbers coarsely and put the pieces in the … [Read more...]
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