Pick of the week!

Joe’s pick of the week



Common: Lo & Behold Blue Chip Butterfly Bush
Latin: Buddelia x ‘bluechip’
Grows 24”-36” Tall and 24’x36” Wide
Zone 5-9
Full Sun
Continuous Blooming starting in mid summer and continuing until frost
Attracts humming birds and butterflies
Non- Invasive
Little or no care needed does not require deadheading
Cut back to 12” in early spring for best new growth

Sarah’s Perennial Pick of the week



Common name: Fox Glove
Latin Name: Digitalis
Biennial
Light: shade, part shade, sun
Flower Color: white, yellow, pink, rose, red, lavender and purple
2’-6’ tall by 18” wide
Zones: 4-10

Eric’s Fungus of the week



Early Blight as known as Alternaria solani; Septoria Leaf Spot
Early blight caused by Alternaria solani occurs wherever potatoes and tomatoes are grown. Uncontrolled, the disease may cause serious defoliation, resulting in decreased yield and quality. Septoria leaf spot caused by Septoria lycopersici is one of the most destructive diseases of tomato foliage. It is widely distributed throughout the world and is most severe where wet, humid weather periods persist for extended periods. All tomato cultivars are susceptible to Septoria and must be treated with registered protective fungicide sprays at regular intervals.
Identification:
Early blight occurs on the foliage, stem, and fruit of tomato. It first appears as small brown to black lesions on older foliage. The tissue surrounding the initial lesion may become yellow, and when lesions are numerous entire leaves may become chlorotic. As the lesions enlarge, they often develop concentric rings giving them a ‘bull’s eye’ or ‘target-spot’ appearance. In the late summer when conditions are favorable for disease development, lesions can become numerous and plants defoliated, reducing both fruit quantity and quality. Fruit can become infected either in the green or ripe stage through the stem attachment. Lesions can become quite large, involve the whole fruit, and have characteristic concentric rings. Infected fruit often drop and losses of 30-50% of immature fruit may occur. Foliar symptoms on potato are quite similar, though defoliation rarely results. Tuber lesions are dark, sunken, and circular often bordered by a purple to gray raised tissue. The underlying flesh is dry, leathery, and brown. Lesions can increase in size during storage and tubers become shriveled.
Septoria leaf spot usually appears on lower leaves after the first fruit develops. Lesions are small, circular, with dark brown to purple borders and tan to gray centers. Black pycnidia (fruiting bodies) within lesions are visible with a hand lens. If many leaf lesions develop on a leaf, it may turn yellow, then brown, and wither. Fruit infection is rare.

Life Cycle:
A .solani survives between crops on infected plant debris, soil, other solanaceous host weeds and can be carried on tomato seed and infected tubers. The fungus enters the leaves directly or through wounds. Primary infection can occur on older foliage early in the season, but most secondary spread occurs as the plants age. Actively growing, young tissue and vigorous plants with adequate nitrogen generally do not express symptoms. Infection is favored by mild, rainy weather.
S. lycopersici overwinters in infected crop or solanaceous weed hosts debris. The pathogen can also survive on stakes and cages and be carried in seed. Once introduced, conidia are spread by splashing water, workers and equipment working when foliage is wet, and insects.
Cultural Controls & Prevention:
• Use resistant or tolerant cultivars.
• Start with disease-free seed, transplants, and seed tubers.
• Control susceptible weeds (ie horsenettle) and eliminate volunteer plants and cull piles.
• Plow under plant debris after harvest.
• Fertilize properly and keep plants growing vigorously.
• Rotate out of tomatoes for two years.
• Careful attention to the timing of irrigation (avoid late afternoon or evening) and proper plant spacing to reduce the amount of time during which the plants remain wet can reduce disease spread.
• Stake plants to improve air circulation and reduce the contact of the plant with soil.
• Avoid working the plants when they are wet.
• Spray regularly with fungicides. Spray applications should be scheduled by spore trapping or forecasting systems (TOM-CAST) to be most effective. Early season applications often fail to control secondary spread of the disease.
Chemical Controls & Pesticides:

As an natural way to control early blight we recommend Copper Fungicide, we carry it in a concentrated form, a dust and in a ready to use. For a chemical control for early blight we recommend Fung-onil or Daconil both of which we are in a ready to use spray bottle.

Information regarding early blight was taken from the Umass extension website: http://extension.umass.edu/vegetable/diseases/tomato-septoria-alternaria

Sue’s Product pick of the week

Va-Va Fine food products

100% Natural Malidjano (Eggplant & Roasted Red Pepper Spread) & 100% Natural Lutenica ( Roasted Red Pepper Spread)

100% Natural Malidjano is a homemade Eggplant & Roasted Red Pepper Spread that is a Mediterranean favorite. It is a delicious blend of fire roasted eggplants, fire roasted peppers and all natural mustard. This product closely resembles ‘Babaghanush’, a mild eastern vegetable dip, however it does not contain tahan or sesame oil and is much lower in fat!. This all natural vegetable spread is healthy alternative to mayo and other spreads used on sandwiches. It is also great with crackers, chips or vegetables!



100% Natural Lutenica is a first Roasted Red Pepper Spread and the flagship of the Va-Va line of products. This product features the rich taste of roasted peppers, roasted carrots and tomato sauce in a low calorie no cholesterol, and no sugar added dish. It is most popular as a dip or on a sandwich but its uses are limitless. Use it as a side dish with grilled meats, on pasta, or with eggs for breakfast. We carry the Regular, Mild and Hot!



Come in and check it out it might be on the sample table next time you stop in the farm market!!

When Cucumber beetle attack!!

This year I planted a potted veggie and herb garden in my cozy backyard, I say cozy because my neighbor’s houses are 5 feet away on each side. I have planted cucumbers, beans, peppers, tomatoes and strawberries! It is looking amazing all of my neighbors admire from their backyard.

So to get to the point, I was sitting outside last week enjoying some of the sunshine when I walk over to my garden to see what’s going on and I see from afar these little yellow and black beetles crawling ALL OVER my cucumber plant! Ahhhh! Cucumber beetle attack!!!!They were attacking all of my hard work and I was not going to have it! So I started grabbing them off of my plant and smoooshing them, this seemed to work for a few minutes or at least made me feel better. The next day I grabbed a bottle of Captain Jack Dead Bug Brew and sprayed the plants the second I got home. The next day I went out and they were gone, no more! So excited that I found a product that works that is natural, its a great product that you can use on something that you are going to consume! So if you are dealing with these oh so cute bugs in your garden this year come in and grab a bottle of captain jacks it really works! Now my plants are nice and healthy and I think I will have my first cucumber this week!! Happy Gardening!

Whitney's Farm Pick of the Week!

Joes Shurb pick of the week

Stewartia Tree

Height - Over 30 ft.
Spread - 15 ft. to 30 ft.
Growth Pace - Slow Grower
Light - Full Sun to Part Shade
Moisture - Medium Moisture
Characteristics - Interesting Bark; Showy Fall Foliage; Showy Flowers; Showy Foliage
Bloom Time - Summer
Flower Color - White Flower
Uses - Flowering Tree, Specimen Plant/ Focal Point
Seasonal Interest - Winter Interest, Spring Interest, Summer Interest, Fall Interest

Sarah's Perennial Pick of the Week

Gaura

Zone 5 – Zone 9
Blooms early summer into the fall
Plant in full sun
Adapts well to dry or moist soil conditions
Grows 30”-36” tall
Space 24” apart
Great cut flower
Delicate flowers over a long season, a graceful filter for the garden or bouquets. Attractive massed or in informal gardens with verbena, sedum, Jupiter’s beard and ornamental grasses. Avoid we soil in winter months.

Eric Pest of the Week

Cucumber Beetle

Identification:
Striped cucumber beetles are about 7mm long, yellow with three black stripes that reach the end of the forewings, a yellow thorax and black head.
Life Cycle:
Adults overwinter in field edges near last year's crop, with a small proportion remaining in the field. With the onset of warm days, beetles move rapidly into young crops.
Crop Injury:
Adults cause direct feeding damage to cotyledons, leaves and the base of the stem. Eggs are laid in soil and larvae feed on roots. After the pupal stage is completed in the soil, summer adults emerge. These adult beetles congregate in flowers and may cause damage to fruit.
Beetle feeding spreads bacterial wilt to young plants, especially before the 5-leaf stage. Cucumber and muskmelon are highly susceptible to wilt; watermelon is not. To prevent bacterial wilt in susceptible crops, scout for beetles twice weekly at the seedling stage. Treat when beetle numbers reach 1 beetle per 2 plants.
Cultural Controls & Prevention:
Use crop rotation to reduce beetle numbers. Spunbonded row covers exclude beetles; use hoops to prevent abrasion and remove at flowering to allow pollination. Transplants may allow plants to reach a later growth stage before beetles arrive. Some repellents or systemics may be applied to transplants outside the greenhouse before setting in the field, which is convenient and allows lower rates of application.
Use a perimeter trap crop of Blue Hubbard or another Cucurbita maxima variety and treat borders with a systemic at planting or with a foliar insecticide as soon as the first beetles arrive, to protect a main crop of cucumbers and melons from beetle damage.
Management: We recommend Bonide Tree and Shurb with the active chemical imidacloprid, Also the chemical Sevin will work really well in the control of this pest the active chemical in it is Carbaryl. A natural control for the beetle is Bonide’s Captain Jacks Dead Bug Brew, its active ingredient is Spinosad which is derived from the whiskey brewing process.

*Information regarding cucmber beetle was taken from the umass extension website http://extension.umass.edu/vegetable/insects/cucumber-beetle-striped

Sue’s pick of the week

Inglehoffs

In 1929 Rose Biggi started Beaverton Foods in the cellar of her farmhouse. To help endure the Great Depression, she began grinding her horseradish crop, bottling it, and selling it to local grocery stores. Through her hard work and perseverance, she not only survived the hard economic times, but also built the foundation for the largest specialty condiment manufacturer in the United States.
We carry the Ingolhoff’s line of products from the Beaverton company.
Available in squeeze bottles in our store are
Cream Style Horseradish
Dijon Stone Ground Mustard
Honey Mustard
Stone Ground Mustard
They are all great products that fly off of our shelves. They are very flavorful! A great addition to any summertime barbaque! The Cream Style Horseradish is the best I have ever tasted!

Joe's Shrub Pick of the Week

Common name:
Let’s Dance Starlight Re-blooming Hydrangea

Latin Name:
Hydrangea Macrophylla ‘Lynn’

Requires Full to part sun
Grows 2’-3’ tall and 2’-3’ wide
Zone 5-9
Brilliant color, purple lace cap
Large vivid lace cap flower every summer
Soil ph affects the color of the bloom

Sarah's Perennial Pick of the Week

Common Name:
Tick Seed

Latin Name:
Coreopsis

Requires Full Sun
Attracts butterflies
Blooms Midsummer into the fall
Grows 18”-24” Tall, plant 18”-24” apart
Zone 4-9
Ideal cut flower
Remove dead heads for continued blooms
Complements Aster, Cone Flower and Phlox in the garden

Eric’s Pest of the Week

Pest: Viburnum Leaf Beetle (Pyrrhalta virburni)

Order: Coleoptera

Family: Chrysomelidae

Host Plants:This native of Europe feeds exclusively on many different species of viburnum, which include: Viburnum opulus (and cultivars), V. dentatum, and V. rafinesquianum. Adults have also been found feeding and laying eggs on V. lentago, V. acerifolium, and V. trilobu.
Life Cycle:This pest over-winters as an egg on the twigs of the host plant. Eggs hatch in May of the following year and the young larvae begin feeding on the host plant foliage. Larvae are usually found feeding together in groups. Pupation occurs 8-10 weeks later and the first adults begin to appear around the middle of July. Adults are active up until the first frost. Mating occurs, starting in July, and the female will chew small holes in the twigs where she lays her eggs. She then proceeds to cover these individual eggs with excrement giving the bark of these twigs a roughened appearance. Each female produces up to 500 eggs. (Source: Insects That Feed on Trees and Shrubs. Johnson and Lyons).

Injury and Appearance:Both the larvae (immatures) and the adults feed voraciously on the foliage of the host plants. Heavily attacked plants will have every leaf skeletonized by this pest. It is the only pest that causes such injury to viburnums.
Adults are small and brown and somewhat difficult to see. The immatures are dark in color and can be found feeding in groups on the host foliage.

Management:Homeowners need to be aware of the signs of this beetle’s injury along with knowing what the different life stages look like. One should also monitor for the eggs on the stems of viburnums. When found, this pest should be treated to limit its injury and spread. Physical removal of this pest from the host plant is difficult to obtain especially when many plants are involved. Therefore, pesticide treatments may be necessary to manage this pest, once found.

We recommend Bonide Tree and Shurb with the active chemical imidacloprid, Also the chemical Sevin will work really well in the control of this pest the active chemical in it is Carbaryl. A natural control for the beetle is Bonide’s Captain Jacks Dead Bug Brew, its active ingredient is Spinosad which is derived from the whiskey brewing process.

*Information regarding viburnum beetle was taken from the umass extension website http://www.umassgreeninfo.org/fact_sheets/defoliators/viburnum_leaf_beetle.html

Sue’s Farm Market Product of the Week

Rufus Teagus Barbeque Sauce

“He put some in a jar and shared itwith the boys they kept on painin’ him ‘till he fixed up another batch next thing he’s makin’ sauce all the time”

A 100% natural and gluten free food that is made in Kansas City.
It goes best with Beef, Chicken Fish and Pork and also goes well with literally everything else. This product has been flying off of our shelves since we got it in April! It is sweet, spicy and thick a must have for the upcoming BBQ season. We carry three flavors Touch of Honey, Honey Sweet and Blazin’ Hot. “Good sauce makes bad barbeque good and good barbeque gooder’

Hanging Basket Care!

Hanging baskets are a great way to welcome spring and summer! That bright burst of color after an oh so long winter! They are gift giving staples on many summer holidays; they last much longer the cut flowers and add that much needed splash of color to our decks and porches that we need this time of year. The only trouble is trying to keep them looking as beautiful as the day you purchased them. One of the hardest things about keeping hanging baskets looking nice all summer is the fact that there is a lot of plant material being supported by a small amount of soil. Having a small amount of soil means that your soil will dry out quickly, you have to always be diligent about water. Here are a few tips that will help you keep your hanging baskets looking as good as the day you got them.

Water it every day! Every day! Even if it rains, at least check it. A mature 10 inch hanging basket can transpire gallons of water in a day, not glasses!! On hot and/or windy days you have to water it twice! If you go away for a weekend water it well and place it on or close to the ground in full shade with as little direct sunlight and wind as possible---maybe even in the garage. When you purchase your hanging basket from us we provide you with a slow release osmocote fertilizer that will last a few months but you will still want to fertilizer your hanging basket at least once a week with a liquid fertilizer such as miracle gro. If your hanging basket starts to look overgrown or leggy a quick ‘haircut’ will bring it right back into shape.

***Never ever entrust the care of your hanging plants to anyone else. A full 98% of hanging basket deaths that are reported to me were in the care of a husband, sibling, neighbor, friend or other trusted individual***

A Greener Year at Whitney's Farm!

Greenhouse growing practices are constantly changing and are going in a greener direction. Here at Whitney’s we are trying to implement these environmentally friendly fertilizers and pest controls.

For start we are now using Daniel’s Plant food instead of standard chemical fertilizers. Daniels Plant Food is organically based, providing an eco-friendly alternative to chemical fertilizers it is made from soybean extract. The formula combines all of the essential nutrients for healthy root systems, lush dark green leaves, hearty fruits and vegetables, and magnificent flowers. Daniels is organic in nature, child and pet friendly.

We are now using natural pest control, in the past for pest control we would have to make at least three or four chemical applications. This new process is also know as biocontrol, which is the release of one living organisms to control the population of another living organisms. For control of pests we are using beneficial predatory mites (Amblyseius Cucumeris) and Beneficial Nematodes (Nemasis) which feed on common greenhouse pests such as Thrips and Spider Mites. The beneficial mites are in little packages that hang from all of the pots and the nematodes are applied through a spray application.

For the control of root diseases we drench our plants with bio-logical fungus called Root Shield. The active ingredients in this product is a hybrid fungus that works with the soil to protect the root system of the plant. In the past we had to use several chemicals to prevent root diseases.

The containers that we grow our plants in are also changing. In the past we have grown many of our vegetable plants in peat or plastic pots, we have now switched all of herb and large vegetable plants into coconut fiber pots. Coconut fiber pots provide easy transition from pot to ground, all you have to do is plant it! All of our Burpee Brand plants are grown in pots that are made from corn.

If you have any questions please feel free to come into the greenhouse and ask us! We are always happy to answer questions and show you all of our new products!

Welcome!

Welcome to our New Blog! We will be posting all kinds of useful and helpful information throughout the coming season growing season! We are looking forward to seeing you April 1st !