Dear Aphids: POD Hates You

As one of the only vegetable gardens in Pennsport, POD provides quite the haven for local pests. Each year POD struggles, and ultimately fails, to keep these suckers in check.

This year POD pulled out the stops with mulch, preventative organic sprays, squishing, leaf-soaking, and ultimately, chemical sprays. Can’t you tell? That is one messed up melon. One of these days, when this gardener has a garden that extends beyond pots, we’ll set some ladybugs free. (In the meantime, we’ll settle for not killing them.)

But for those gardeners just starting out, here’s an encyclopedia of aphid control options:

Sweet, but naive: Mother Earth News (who has a “small” aphid infestation?)
Comprehensive, organic and not-s0-organic: University of California
POD’s Mildew Voodoo
Trials, tribulations and tips: Plants On Deck

Downy Mildew?

It has been a while since Plants On Deck descended into the university extension wormhole. Not because there haven’t been reasons to, but because it’s a great big time suck that can usually be summarized thusly: your plants are sick. There is no cure. They will die. (Therefore, do we really want to know what those spots on the blueberry leaves are?)But once again, just as the Supremo, Speedy Green, and General Lee cucumbers are producing, their leaves are yellowing, spotting, and withering. It’s a good thing that a good half dozen fruits have been harvested already (testers like the Supremo best — light, citrusy, great crunch) and another dozen are on the vine, because things aren’t looking too promising.

While mildew isn’t readily apparent, POD’s plants looks suspiciously like the ones described on Clemson’s and the University of Minnesota’s extensions as having downy mildew.

They’re sick. There is no cure. They will die.

Eating Virtuously: Swiss Chard Goma-ae

Let’s hear it for Swiss chard. Each year, Plants On Deck makes a vow to plant enough of something, anything, to enjoy a real, substantial yield. Tomatoes, beans, peppers and cucumbers have all had their shots — to varying success. This year, POD set expectations shockingly low and let Swiss chard have a run at the title.

And it’s working. Two 24″ pots, and a couple dozen plants easily feeds a family of three that likes to eat. Chard is a pretty versatile beast — think spinach with a kick — and can be prepared any number of ways. (Oh, hey, and it’s crazy healthy. It’s good for hair, eyes, has vitamins K, A, and C, and it’s a good source of magnesium, potassium, iron, and fiber. Yup, it cures cancer, too. Eh, probably not, but it’s all anti-oxidant and stuff.)

This is at least the fourth cutting (fresh seedlings are in the works), so the stalks are pretty tough and the leaves have a clear bite to them, but this preparation, lovingly honed by the Endurer, covers a multitude of sins.

Swiss Chard Goma-ae
makes 1-2 c.

20-30 oz Swiss chard (or spinach), tough stem removed
2tbs sesame seeds, toasted
2tsp raw sugar
2tsp soy sauce

Blanch chard for a few minutes in a big pot of unsalted water. The leaves should be bright and tender. Meanwhile, using a mortar and pestle, grind the toasted sesame seeds and sugar together. Whisk in soy sauce. Drain the chard, wring it out in a kitchen towel, chop it up a little bit, mix in the goma-ae (sesame sauce). Eat virtuously.

Here’s a couple more Swiss chard recipes from the POD archives:

Swiss chard and preserved lemons
Garlicky chard pasta