2021 Home Garden Vegetable Trials

The second year of the statewide Home Garden Vegetable Trials kicks off during the month of February. Citizen scientists are recruited to contribute to our vegetable trials for Ohio. We look for people excited about growing vegetables in their home or community gardens and then letting us know what they think. Youth and adults are welcomed to participate. Each trial contains two varieties that  are grown side by side to compare throughout the season. They can select multiple trials with 5 cool-season vegetables and 5 warm-season vegetables available. For each trial, participants get:

  • Seed for two varieties of a vegetable
  • Row markets
  • A garden layout plan to prepare your rows or beds
  • Growing information specific to the crop species you, including planting date, plant spacing, nutrient requirements, etc.
  • An evaluation sheet (can be completed online)

Participants may select up to 5 trials. We are now asking you to complete the sign up and send payment. The trial catalog has a  description of each variety that will be used this year. On the last page is a registration page that can be printed and filled out by hand for those who do not use computers.

Some seeds are from organic sources, but a few are not. The vegetables are not experimental, but some have been released in the last few years. Others are old favorites being compared to new varieties to see if they still stand the test of time. All seeds are non-GMO (as all vegetable seeds available are non-GMO) Each trial is $3. We have created an online registration site. Please go through the sign-up process and select your vegetables. On the payment page, you can choose to pay by card or check. If you choose check, the details for filling out and sending the check will be displayed. Please send that in as soon as possible. You will also see the $8 charge for home delivery added to your bill. We have had to do this because our Extension Offices have been temporarily closed. You also have the option of registering and paying for more than one person while visiting the site. The deadline for ordering is February 28 for guaranteed participation and March 15 while supplies last.

VEGETABLE TRIALS web site

go.osu.edu/veggies2021  registration site

To Cut or Not To Cut? – Chris Penrose

That is the question many farmers have been facing the past week. As I mentioned last week, we need sunshine to cure hay. If hay is made before it is dry enough, it can mold or even catch fire. If farmers wait to cut hay, quality goes down. If they cut hay and it gets rained on, it may be okay if it does not lie on the ground too long. If it rains and it is a week or more before it dries out, it will start to mold and rot, then it is lost. Many years we have a period like this and it is not good. We need rain and we need sunshine. It seems we should get one or the other, but lately, we have received neither. So the question many faced on Sunday was to cut or not to cut hay? Which is right and which is wrong? Hopefully by the time you read this, farmers will know the answer and hopefully, they were right.

Carpenter Bees are Eating My House!

The number one question that I have received over the last two weeks is “How do I manage the carpenter bees making all of the holes in the wood?”. These are pollinators. So, I usually recommend to discourage the bees and not kill them. Wood that is painted or coated with an oil stain can help, but not always. I prefer using a pyrethroid like permethrin to spray on the wood. As with most insects, they really dislike this and move on and, unfortunately, some may die if they get a big enough dose. Permethrin is found in many insect sprays, especially those made for horse stables and can be found at garden centers and farm stores. You will have to reapply every 10 days until nesting is done and everywhere that you don’t want the bees. You will also have to plug the holes as they will overwinter there in the fall. There are other recommended insecticides. If you would like a list please let us know. Here is a link to our fact sheet on Carpenter Bee management. http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2074.html

I thought that I would include a few pictures to help tell the difference between carpenter bees and bumble bees. The carpenter bee on the left has a smooth, black rear end and the bumble bee on the right has a fuzzy, yellow-stripped or black rear end.

Carpenter bee