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I have spoken with so many people this year that have had new and different garden experiences - birds they've never seen before now visit regularly - insects are eating plants they've never eaten before - and some are frustrated with plant viruses they've never had to deal with. My neighbours large, stunning, magnolia developed a nasty case of magnolia scale - after 20 years! And I've got a case of cucumber mosaic. Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) is most often spread by aphids, but can be carried by wind and rain from other sources. And once it's there, it can overwinter in the soil. There's no cure - remove the damaged plants to try to minimize the spread to other cucumbers, melons and squashes. Your best bet is to purchase CMV resistant seeds. The first sign of the disease was a vine that just looks weak - and leaves with a mosaic type pattern throughout, often spotted with holes. The fruit will start to grow, but will quickly become distorted and discoloured. Lucky for us, we did get a good size harvest before the CMV hit, and there is another plant out there that is resistant, but sadly, it's now affecting the melons. Such is life! So now we wait for next year. And reasearch resistant varieties!


Pixie Cantaloupe


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My favourite this year...
Renee's Garden Seed, Sea of Red Cutting Lettuce
When the heatwave hit this year and greens started bolting, this one just kept growing beautifully. I do have it in a pot, it a slightly shady area, but it still enjoys plenty of sun and the long, hot days we have experienced this year. The colour is vibrant and it looks great in a mixed greens salad. Definitely worth growing.



