24,795 Garden Web Discussions | Vegetable Gardening

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weirdtrev

It is damping off. Here is the Fact Sheet from Penn State Extension

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marketgardener

Hmm, I wouldn't have thought it was damping off. I'd never seen damping off produce such noticeable white mildew at the root/soil level. If it is indeed damping off, what should I do to prevent spread? I sprayed root shield although the next day everything seems worse. Of course, I had to apply the root shield via a soluble solution, increasing moisture on the flats... Any advice is appreciated, I can't have all these things die.

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donnabaskets(Zone 8a, Central MS)

Great ideas here. For my amen, I just repeat that too vigorous watering will drive the seeds too deeply into the soil, and I think that is the best recipe for failure. If you are really desperate, you can sow the seeds into a pot and then prick them out after germination. I don't think it takes any longer than thinning carrots.

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A J(9A)

antmary explained my problems with "crusting" of soil. I would imagine this is common. I now amend where I am seeding and that helps greatly in germination. If the soil is high in organic matter I have zero issues with germination or "crusting." So your issue may be more germination related and not water.

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springtogarden(6A)

This is all so helpful! I will be looking for the white frost on grass. I want my fruits to mature as much as possible on the plant. I too pick the tomatoes at first blush because I garden away from home. Thanks all!

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A J(9A)

Same here for picking early as well. Turning - spring and early summer; breakers for summer and beyond. I didn't even know the terms until Dave mentioned this. I pick like this because of the sheer amount of tomatoes weighing down the plant and keeps bugs away longer. All ripen perfectly off the vine.

Heirloom varieties and having high organic matter are the only time I leave till fully red on vine. Those are worth it.

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Carl

thanks dave. I think it has been more or less like this for a couple weeks now. Is that typical? The plant is still healthy and has plenty of leaves.

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donnabaskets(Zone 8a, Central MS)

That's a beauty. Be patient and wait for the stem to darken and the tendril to get dry. The skin will be very difficult to pierce with your fingernail. If you remember when you planted it, it typically takes 4 months to maturity. But this is just approximate. Wait for the signs.

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digdirt2(6b-7a No.Cent. AR HZ8 Sun-35)

Look up all the web pics of carrot weevils (a beetle larvae) and carrot rust weevils (a fly weevil) for comparison to what you see in your crop. They will both also infest potatoes.

Dave

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Sabrina Taschereau

Ah thanks Dave. You got me further than I was. It's true the description and damage caused matches the weevils, except for the jumping part.

I'll try to dig up a potato tonight and see if they really jump or they were just "falling off" after I picked up the potato/carrot.

If it's the case, I have nothing to do before winter to prevent it right? If they lay eggs in the potato or carrot and I pick those, I am picking up any remaining eggs. I just have to monitor the crops next spring to stop the adults from laying, but there is nothing I can do to the soil to fix the issue (I think).

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jnjfarm_gw(5a)

can't hurt, I don't know how much you have but use it up. it doesn't do any good in storage

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digdirt2(6b-7a No.Cent. AR HZ8 Sun-35)

I know quite a number of gardeners - myself included - who routinely mix their used container mix into their garden soils when it comes time to refresh the container mix. it is all good stuff for growing in either way.

Dave

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A J(9A)

That looks like a PITA to store, has less mass, and likely SVB may drill that long neck easier. Butternut squash looks superior to that and is great for long term storage.

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gorbelly(6b/7a | Sunset 32 | SE PA)

SVB do not attack fruit unless the vines are already dead. Anyway, tromboncino is pretty SVB resistant.

I've had tromboncino as summer squash, and it's delicious. I'm guessing butternut squash as summer squash isn't as good, since there's no real tradition of using it this way. I hear that tromboncino as winter squash is OK but generally less intense in flavor than butternut squash. So, if limited space is an issue, I guess it's a matter of priorities. Since winter squash is delicious and cheap at the market but the taste of summer squash really benefits from being eaten ultra-fresh and straight out the garden, if I had no space for separate winter and summer varieties, I'd probably grow tromboncino as summer squash and just buy winter squash at market.

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desertgardensonora(9a)

I finally found more 9a people! But...I'm in Southern Arizona so I'm guessing I'm drier over here.

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A J(9A)

@jctsai8b It's a trick to get you out there to plant. :) They are predicting a cool wet and stormy season for gulfcoast and florida. Jan-March unusually hard frosts.

I'm probably going to start seeds now this weekend for transplant (mainly cabbage and lettuce). Yes, I'm that traumatized from losing things to late heat.

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lilmermer

Ok. That definitely helps to understand for the first set of plants. Thank you very much. I can get larger containers, at least to try some squash again, maybe not the climbers. I also do have a drip irrigation system in place (previous tenant), though I didn't use it because I was trying the sub-irrigated system. Will the drip irrigation improve my water management in this case, using containers with standard drainage?

However, the second set of plants never reached more than about six inches high, including squash, and including those in new soil with lots of compost. Even at 3 inches high they were already yellow (after an initial week of green following germination). They only made small leaves, and they failed to grow further than 3-6 inches. In that case I don't believe it was space (yet). Most outer leaves beginning to die within days.

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A J(9A)

Any SVB holes in stems? I would use controlled/time released fertilizer if required. sub-irrigation for direct sow may also have been your problem.

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elisa_z5

very nice accident, wayne. Sounds like the mysterious thriving volunteer syndrome.

We just actually had a similar experience. In the spring I found I could order another 5 lbs of seed potatoes and pay no more postage, so I randomly chose Salem. When planting time came, I had no room for the Salem, so I threw them in the ground (outside the garden) in the midst of quack grass, no ammending. I never hilled, just threw some hay on them. Dug them today and they are the biggest, best tasting potatoes I've every grown.

Do potatoes just really like to be ignored?

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glib(5.5)

Ha! If I ignore them, they ignore me back.

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Michael Duvic

That should say 24-ish gallon

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weirdtrev

I'd only have one plant per half whiskey barrel honestly. When the plants mature as I am sure you have found out you can't water them fast enough, which then opens you up to a host of other problems. It's a tough lesson to learn.

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Jim's(6 East end of Long Island)

We plant seeds every Wednesday in the spring and fall. Then starting 3 weekends later, we have a fresh supply every week. For our area, 21 days is normal and the germination rate is virtually 100%. We let some of them stay in the ground for a long time and they develop pods that look like peas on them. We take those off and eat them. It really plays a trick on the mind when you grab 'peapods' and they taste like radishes.

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jnjfarm_gw(5a)

I plant a bed a cherry bell and French breakfast weekly both 21 day varieties and german giant also weekly but they take a whole 28 days to mature. radishes are great sellers at farmers market if they look good

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ladychroe(z6 NJ)

OP here. How funny that this has been bumped up to the top. What I novice I was back then. Rhizo, it does relieve the sheepish feeling to know that they are both in the eggplant family.

I don't really remember if I yanked it or cut it down. I DO remember it smelling like death as I did so, and I had trouble getting it off my hands. Ugh.

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ladychroe(z6 NJ)

PS- We moved away from that little property in 2012, and it's sweet to see it again :)

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