recalling a long-ago june birthday

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

We strongly believe that planning and preparing are crucial for success in every area. Gardening is no exception, but sometimes it can be difficult to know what you are supposed to do this month—especially if you have limited experience in the gardening area.

This £1 packet of supermarket potato tubers have just been harvested to cook as new potatoes tonight. The variety was Charlotte, they were chitted in February and planted out in a frost shelter in March.

In the enchanting world of nature, the Red Dragonfly stands out as a captivating creature, intriguing us with its vibrant colors and delicate wings. It also holds a special significance and symbolism, at which we are going to have a detailed look at.

From trying cottage cheese ice cream to adding protein powder and bananas to morning coffee, the internet is ablaze with protein hacks lately—but Trader Joe’s just announced a bit of extra protein in its Unexpected Broccoli Cheddar Soup that you may not want to try.

Everyone loves falafel—it’s a year-round staple, and the frozen options at Trader Joe’s make it incredibly easy to prepare. But today, you should probably rid your freezer shelves of any Trader Joe’s falafel: In the company’s third food recall this week, on July 28 Trader Joe’s recalled its fan-favorite Fully Cooked Falafel after being informed by the supplier that rocks were found in the food.

Trader Joe's is recalling two popular packaged cookies because they may contain rocks, according to a July 21 announcement. The popular grocer acted swiftly to recall the products after being informed by the supplier of the possibility that rocks may be present in the cookies.

Rob Last reports, “Given the rainfall and humidity levels, we are seeing increases in foliar and fruit diseases on a range of crops. This includes cottony leak in cucumbers, anthracnose in peppers, tomatoes, and cucurbits. Also, please be aware cucurbit downy mildew is very active now. As a result, it is going to be really important to maintain fungicide programs in both a timely manner and to be robust. That being said, we have some great quality melons, both cantaloupe and watermelons, coming to harvest, as well as good volumes of quality peaches, blackberries, and a host of other vegetable crops.”

Zack Snipes reports, “We received some welcomed rain, but 5+ inches in a day or so was a bit much. Conditions this week will dry things out. I cannot stress enough how important it is to get out fungicides once you can get in the fields. I saw a few squash fields going downhill last week. Upon closer examination, I found thousands of squash bugs. They tend to congregate on the crown of the plant and will hide under the plastic when you look for them.

Rob Last reports, “After some welcome rain in the area over the weekend, crops are looking good. However, given the humidity and rainfall, we are likely to find disease pressure increasing. Strawberries are all over. The wet, humid conditions have spiked infections of botrytis and water-soaked berries. Blueberries, blackberries, and peaches are all coming to market with good quality and volumes, with few insect or disease pressures being seen currently. Watermelons and cantaloupes are developing well, with some early planted crops coming to harvest. In response to rainfall and increased humidity, keep an eye out for diseases such as bacterial spot in pepper and tomatoes. In addition, some cantaloupe crops are beginning to show Alternaria leaf spot. Make sure fungicide timings are good using a robust program.”

Rob Last reports, “Insect and disease activity is increasing in the area, across a broad range of crops. In cucurbits, we are seeing powdery mildew and gummy stem blight in watermelon. Remember to keep spray intervals tight. Loopers are also being found in the area, and applications to manage rind worms will be beneficial as we rapidly approach harvest. Fusarium wilt of watermelons is showing up in many fields. At this stage, there is no effective treatment; however, soil temperatures are likely to reduce the incidence of new infections. Tomatoes and peppers are developing well with Southern blight and bacterial wilt in evidence. Spider mites are very active right now. Blackberries are just coming to harvest with good flavor and quality. Remember to scout your crops regularly to ensure timely applications can be made.”

(first published in 1989; proof positive how long I have been at this garden writing thing, friends)LIKE A GRADUATING SENIOR in that pointless last week of school, I have lost all ability to concentrate. I hadn’t been sure, until I sat down to write this, exactly what was on my mind, but it is full, so very annoyingly full that I awaken every morning when it is still dark to the tape playing in my head. It is a droning, relentless list, with lots of static punctuating entry after entry of musts, to-do’s, and did-I-remember-to’s.Probably it is partly the disease of gardening that does this to a person come June. At this time of year i