Grow with Grace: Squashed, ‘Bored’ and Herbal

Welcome back to Grow with Grace!

As your garden starts to hit its stride, tomatoes are beginning to ripen, cucumbers are coming in, peppers are producing, and if you planted zucchini, your kitchen is probably starting to fill up. Midseason is when the garden really begins to reward us—but it’s also when some of its biggest challenges start to appear. Let’s dig in!

One of the biggest culprits right now is the squash vine borer.

If your zucchini or summer squash looked perfectly healthy yesterday but suddenly wilted overnight, don’t assume it needs water. Take a close look at the main stem near the base of the plant. If you see what looks like sawdust or orange-colored frass, you’ve probably got squash vine borers. The adult moth lays its eggs on the stem, and once they hatch, the larvae tunnel inside, cutting off the plant’s ability to move water and nutrients. By the time the leaves wilt, the damage is often already done.

If you catch the problem early, you can carefully slit the stem lengthwise, remove the vile little grub, and bury part of the stem so it can develop new roots. Sometimes you’ll save the plant.

If the stem is nearly rotted through, however, the plant’s productive life is over. Pull it out, toss it in the trash — not the compost — and start planning for next season.

Here’s the good news: squash vine borers don’t spread from one plant to another. While one squash plant may be beyond saving, the one growing right next to it could be perfectly healthy.

Better yet, you can often avoid them next year. Try planting summer squash after the Fourth of July, or protect young plants with row covers until flowering begins. Timing really can make a difference

Of course, most of what’s happening in your garden is good news.

There are those herbs …

Herbs are probably producing more than you can use fresh, and last week I promised we’d talk about preserving them.

Rather than cram every method into one article, I thought I’d start with a simple reference guide you can save. Of course, nearly all herbs can be dried either on a rack, by hanging, or at extremely low heat in a dehydrator. I try to dry some of each variety for recipes, but this guide offers the best ways of preserving herbs to keep their flavors bright and fresh.

I’m headed out to toil in the soil. Remember to eat local! Grow your own!

Grace

** Grace Cangemi Ryan is a longtime area resident and master gardener who graduated from Rumson Country Day School in 1980, is an alum of the famous Barn Theatre in Rumson, a former longtime entertainment industry professional and Red Bank councilwoman from years back. She supports hyperlocal journalism and is a friend to this hyperlocal labor of love, R-FH Retro. Growing with Grace will appear in R-FH Retro weekly, offering gardening tips from Grace — or with Grace. If you need a little Grace in the form of help with your garden, give Grace a call. See her sponsorship above. **