I have grackles picking grubs out of my lawn. The grass looks perfect. My dimwit neighbor keeps asking what I do to it, because her lawn shexpert has dumped several bags of chemicals on hers and it looks lousy. I do nothing but mow it.

"Dwayne" wrote in message ...
This year I noticed something going on in my garden that I have not seen before. Last year we started feeding birds through the winter. We had a large collection of robins, sparrow, black birds, etc. We continued to feed them until about a week ago. This year I see about 6 sparrows all over my cabbage every day, hunting for something to eat. I assume they are eating the worms and bugs I have had to spray before. I haven't sprayed anything this year.

Dwayne

"brsher" wrote in message ...
Sure enough the I saw three green worms eating away at the leaves of the broccoli plants. I sprayed them with an insect repellant called
"Garden Safe". I wonder how often I'll have to spray?
"JoeSpareBedroom" wrote in message ...
What's the name of that garden spray?
"Dwayne" wrote in message ...
They should do alright. Watch for the green worms that like to get into them. I spray mine with a garden spray from Wal-Mart that is safe to use up to 24 hours before harvesting to get rid of the worms. When you cut the heads, soak them in salt water for 15 to 30 minutes and then shake them out. Go back every few days and keep cutting the smaller heads that they will keep forming.
They taste so much better when you grow them yourself.

I try to find plants and plant them now through the first of July. Those will be ready in the fall. I usually have to start the seeds myself and plant them at the right time. I like to put in about 24 and blanch the heads after the salt soak, and freeze them. If you don't want to go to that much trouble, plant them in 2 week intervals and you can harvest until the first hard freeze.

Dwayne

"brsher" wrote in message ...
I live in mid-Missouri and have 4 Packman Broccoli plants in my garden. I planted them in early May and they seem to be growing very well.
I've read where most broccoli plants are cool-weather plant. My question is whether these plants, now coming into the heat of the summer,
will do well and produce broccoli heads? Any suggestions?