. I've been watching the blooms - watching the growing cucumbers - anticipating. And slowly, they are dying. I saw little predators and odd signs along the way and tried to stop it. But alas, I am not a master gardener. I planted seeds. I mulched. I weeded. And at the start, it all looked wonderful. And then, the bugs showed.
Tonight, sadly, I read about the cucumber beetles. Insidious little creatures - the very ones I spotted and tried to thwart. But, by the time you see the signs of damage, it is too late to save the plants. The damage has been done. It's all about prevention. Prevent them to doing their terrible damage ahead of time - when you plant the seeds and seedlings.
And now I am concerned about how broadly the damage will spread. It could affect other plants in the garden. I do not like chemical solutions to such things. I see that some careful planting of other seeds could have prevented this disease. Ultimately, the cucumber bug spreads disease and you simply cannot let it in the garden at all. You have to block it's ever entering in the first place. Once it's in, the damage is done and cannot be undone.
I sigh. Such hope of freezer pickles - now all dashed. Can the tomatoes, peppers, corn be saved? It appears to be all right. But the cucumbers looked wonderful not so long ago.
All because of an innocent looking beetle? Geeze! And all it wanted to do was eat. But while it was eating, it was spreading disease that killed a whole bunch of stuff.
Is there a life lesson here?
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