My eggplants are dying and some of my tomatoes. And my peppers stopped producing. I was starting to think my thumb was black. The symptoms were very strange. Healthy plants suddenly just wilting and then perking up again. The eggplants in particular would grow, produce flowers, wilt and then perk up again. But too late to produce an eggplant. Some of the tomatoes started to do it too.
I was completely puzzled. My tomato plants suffered from little pest damage, were planted in beautiful compost, and had received PLENTY of rain, sun and heat. I really was convinced that I was just a bad gardener and resigned myself to never finding out what I had done wrong.
Then, during a search for blight symptoms for my squash (another story!), I found this from the horticulture department at Iowa State University:
Walnut Toxicity
Black walnut trees produce a toxic material (juglone) that can injure and kill solanaceous crops (tomatoes, potatoes, peppers and eggplant) and other juglone-sensitive vegetables in the garden. Symptoms of walnut toxicity include stunted growth, yellowing and wilting of foliage, and death of susceptible plants. Juglone is present in all parts of the black walnut tree (fruits, leaves, branches and roots). The sources of juglone in the soil include both living and decaying plant material. Rain droplets leach juglone from the buds, leaves, and twigs. The decomposition of leaves and other plant debris by soil microorganisms also releases juglone. Living roots exude juglone into the surrounding soil. Generally, the greatest concentration of juglone in the soil exists within the dripline of walnut trees. Nothing can be done to save juglone-damaged tomato plants. Simply remove and destroy dead plants. Gardeners who have large walnut trees near their gardens should consider alternate sites. If alternate sites are unavailable, plant tomatoes and other susceptible plants 20 to 25 feet beyond the dripline of walnut trees to minimize walnut toxicity problems. Corn, beans, onions, beets, and carrots are tolerant of juglone and can be planted closer to walnut trees provided the area receives sufficient sunlight. Walnut trees that are 75 to 100 feet from the garden shouldn’t be a big threat to tomatoes and other juglone-sensitive vegetables.
Walnut Toxicity! Who knew? Certainly not me! I have three black walnut trees in my yard and one has a dripline that hangs directly over – guess where? Yup, the tomatoes. We’ll just have to wait it out this year and move the tomatoes out to the corner next year! Urban farming certainly isn’t easy – but I’m happy with cuke production as I just canned about 12 pints of pickles!
Just wanted to post a prideful note (I know, pride’s a sin, but I can’t help it) showing the third full harvest of lettuce and spinach I’ve gotten from our urban farm. It gives me a thrill to know that not only do I not have to purchase lettuce from the store, suiting the frugal me, but also that I know exactly how this lettuce was grown – without any chemicals or fertilizers and with a slight donation to the rabbits before the fence went up!
I’m still trying to get most of the kids to eat salad, but I’ve been putting fruit in our salads lately and that seems to help! Although Jack’s propensity for ketchup is slightly disturbing…
I’m about as crunchy as they come. Just ask my friends. I recycle. I farm. I buy all natural foods. I make my own baby wipes and baby food. I hang out my clothes to dry. I bring my own bags to the store. Pretty much if it’s considered crunchy – I do it. And I love vegetables. Really I do. But I will never be able to be a vegetarian. I’ve been a vegetarian and I truly don’t believe it’s a healthier way to live. “What???” you gasp. “How can eating only vegetables not be the best thing for you?” Well. It’s not.
First of all, meat, fish, and eggs are good for you. The jury is still out on just how good for you dairy is – even organic – but many vegetarians, including the elitist of all vegetarians, Helen and Scott Nearing, ate dairy.
Meat, fish and eggs, when ethically and organically produced, have Omega-3 fatty acids which are important for our immune system and, obviously, protein.
My goal for eating and living is eat healthfully and wholly. Only eating things that grow out of the ground or eat things that grow out of the ground. A veggie burger made of over-processed non-fermented soy chunks is not a whole food. Neither is soy milk. There’s an argument, too, that eating these non-fermented soy products is actually worse for your body than eating a steak.
All day Saturday and Sunday we placed compost thickly over the side yard (we live on a corner lot so most of our yard is on the side) and started planting the tomatoes and peppers I started in March. Eggplants went in as did rows of lettuce, brussel sprouts, more broccoli and cauliflower. We also placed mounds of compost over sod we dug up and planted squash, pumpkins and cucumbers.
Because we have so much yard and terrible grass, we are smothering the lawn and digging up places for the plants. We’ll see how this method works. We are trying very hard to use only hand tools and rid ourselves of gas guzzling machines (yes, getting rid of our mower is next on the list!). We hope to rely on mulching and compost to help us in this endeavor so that maybe I’m not nearly as sore next weekend as I am this weekend!
These photos are from Saturday, but we actually continued the smothering to the path on Sunday with another load of free compost from the yard waste center. If you have a yard waste center near you, check it out, don’t waste your time buying bags! This place is amazing!
I was going to move back to the country. I was ready. I started saving up. Even though I love my new home and my ability to walk or bike almost anywhere, the noise of the city was starting to get to me a bit and I hated not having a ton of room to grow things. Then I saw this family, the trailer for their new documentary and a couple of other videos on YouTube about them and I changed my mind. Immediately. I’m staying put and I’m creating my own urban homestead. You can do it too. Just watch:
The Dervaes family lives in Pasadena, CA. Now granted, I can’t grow oranges in my backyard, but I can grow a lot of stuff. And I will. Just watch. The seeds are already growing in the sun room! Look out De Pere, WI, your historic corner is going to get very veg, very soon! I’ll keep you posted as we dig…but for now – check these people out – they’re my new heroes! Now, if I could only get the city to let me keep chickens….
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