As the weather warms up, plants are popping out of the ground and so are the insects.
If you've been planting cool-season transplants of broccoli, cabbage or kale, you might have noticed little black beetles hanging around causing damage. These are most likely flea beetles.
To control flea beetles, weed the garden well to remove activity. If you find more than just a few on each plant, take action. Plant radishes as a trap crop or dust with kaolin clay or talcum powder. Listen to this edition of The Vermont Garden Journal for more ways to control these pests.
Now for this week's tip: If you want to grow potatoes but don't have space, try this technique. Purchase grow-bags made from polypropylene material or five gallon plastic buckets and pop holes in the bottom.
Place four seed potatoes in the bottom, on top of a few inches of potting soil. Add more potting soil mixed with compost and some organic fertilizer as the potatoes grow, covering the shoots until you fill the container.
Keep well watered and, by summer, you'll have spuds to harvest.
