May In The 2016 Garden Page Two 

Did You Know? - The pumpkin is one of the most popular crops in the United States, 1.5 billion pounds (680,000,000 kilograms or 680,000 tones) of pumpkins are produced each year. The top pumpkin-producing states include Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and California.

According to the Illinois Department of Agriculture, 95% of the U.S. crop intended for processing is grown in Illinois. Nestlé, operating under the brand name Libby's, produces 85% of the processed pumpkin in the United States, at their plant in Morton, Illinois. In the fall of 2009, rain in Illinois devastated the Nestlé crop, resulting in a shortage affecting the entire country during the Thanksgiving holiday season

Pumpkins are a warm-weather crop that is usually planted in early July. The specific conditions necessary for growing pumpkins require that soil temperatures three inches (7.6 cm) deep are at least 60 °F (15.5 °C) and soil that holds water well. Pumpkin crops may suffer if there is a lack of water or because of cold temperatures (in this case, below 65 °F (18.3 °C); frost can be detrimental), and sandy soil with poor water retention or poorly drained soils that become waterlogged after heavy rain.

Pumpkins are, however, rather hardy, and even if many leaves and portions of the vine are removed or damaged, the plant can very quickly re-grow secondary vines to replace what was removed.

Pumpkins produce both a male and female flower; honeybees play a significant role in fertilization.

Did You Know? - Main vines should be pruned when it reaches ten to fifteen feet beyond the last fruit you are leaving on the plant.

Secondary vines(or runners) should be trimmed when they reach ten to twelve feet from the content vine.

Trimming a vine is simple. Cut the vine at the end and bury the end by placing a shovelful or two of soil over the cut end. Burying the vine is recommended, but not essential. It will minimize moisture loss while the cut is fresh and minimize the possibility of disease entering through the wound.

Cover your vines with soil. This will promote secondary root growth if you leave the soil moist. Covering the vines can also cut down on the insect damage. The disadvantage to this method is you do not know what is going on below the surface. But, the advantage far exceeds the risk.

This is one of the more time consuming activities and definitely little fun. But, the payback in secondary root growth and therefore bigger pumpkins is well worth the effort.

Wet foliage is more susceptible to fungus, such as powdery mildew, which can slowly kill all the leaves on a vine. Most vines wilt under the bright, hot afternoon sun, but if you see foliage wilting before 11:00 a.m., that's a sign that they need water.

Did You Know? - Kentucky Wonder
65 Days (to green stage) — Although this variety is now almost exclusively known as 'Kentucky Wonder', it is a very old heirloom that has been known by many other synonyms over the decades. According to the authoritative work, "Beans of New York," its other common names included, American Sickle Pole, Eastern Wonder, Egg Harbor, Georgia Monstrous Pole, Improved Southern Prolific, Missouri Prolific, Old Homestead Pole and Texas Pole.

A green pole bean with seven to nine inch long, fleshy (rather coarse), fiber less pods that can be slightly stringy. They are curved, somewhat S-shaped, broad-oval and crease backed in cross section, rough, wrinkled, with seeds filling to the tip and edge but not crowded.

Very reliable, early maturing, and productive. An old favorite enjoyed fresh, canned, frozen or dried. Its buffy-brown seeds can also be used dry as an excellent baking bean.

This popular variety was grown throughout the South by the 1850s and first mentioned in publication in an 1864 edition of "Country Gentleman" magazine under the name, 'Texas Pole'. James J. H. Gregory & Sons released it commercially as 'Kentucky Wonder' in 1877. Under this name or one of its many synonyms, it has been one of the most popular beans of all time.

Did You Know? - Grafting or graftage is a horticultural technique whereby tissues from one plant are inserted into those of another so that the two sets of vascular tissues may join together. This vascular joining is called inosculation. The technique is most commonly used in asexual propagation of commercially grown plants for the horticultural and agricultural trades.

In most cases, one plant is selected for its roots and this is called the stock or rootstock. The other plant is selected for its stems, leaves, flowers, or fruits and is called the scion or cion. The scion contains the desired genes to be duplicated in future production by the stock/scion plant.

Did You Know? - Slightly larger than the well-known Santa grape tomato, Juliet bears delicious, sweet fruit on indeterminate vines. Some gardeners refer to it as a mini Roma because of the shape. The wonderfully sweet fruit are crack resistant and recontent in good condition on the vine longer than most cherry tomatoes. The fruit are as soft and juicy as cherry tomatoes, they hold up well in salads, even leftovers, and they have a longer shelf life so you can keep them on hand without picking every day. The vigorous vines set lots of fruit on long trusses and keep setting fruit throughout the summer. Quite heat tolerant. Vines are long and vigorous, so give the plant room to tumble over its cage. Tolerant to late blight. Resistant to early blight. One of the longest-lasting tomatoes in the garden.