23,822 Garden Web Discussions | Vegetable Gardening

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RedSun (Zone 6, NJ)

I have more than 10 bags of old sunflower seeds, even the Russian Mammoth. All of them are smaller than the seeds I can buy from a supermarket.

Yes, I'll test plant some seeds in the winter inside to see if they germinate. I do not see the reason for the farmer to spray any chemicals. The only problem if the seeds are too old. But I think sunflower seeds can be good for a couple of years.

    Bookmark     September 8, 2014 at 2:02PM
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barrie2m_(6a, central PA)

Because the black oil birdseed sunflower seeds are so inexpensive just buy another 25 or 50 lb. bag for next year and don't give it all to the birds. I plant it wit a 2-row tractor drawn corn planter (bean plates) and I'm cutting on my third planting for this year. Most people comment on how mich nicer the flowers are than the ones they are growing when I take to market. When I had mixed varieties on first planting (auction seed purchase) the majority of the customers preferred the generic birdseed sunflowers. So by all means plant them and expect about 50% of the flowers to be attractive enough to cut, same as for the expensive seeds. For each planting expect a 2-3 week cutting period before outer petals begin to drop; always best to cut flowers within a few days of first opening. Other flowers give you a slightly longer cutting window.

    Bookmark     September 10, 2014 at 5:21PM
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keyki5

Thank you so much

    Bookmark     September 9, 2014 at 6:24PM
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woohooman San Diego CA zone 10a

I agree with Rodney "somewhat." The somewhat part is I think it IS a Jalapeno, just with some pod shape variation. Not to mention that there are oodles of Japapeno varieties that are short and squatty.

Agree about the corking also. One other reason why I think Jap. Japs are notorious for corking.

Kevin

    Bookmark     September 10, 2014 at 4:46PM
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Peter1142(Zone 6b)

No that doesn't count... won't do anything for pests or pathogens overwintering in the soil.

    Bookmark     September 10, 2014 at 3:04PM
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ltilton

Where are the eggs? CBs usually lay their eggs near the roots of the plant.

    Bookmark     September 10, 2014 at 12:20PM
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NewTXGardener (8a Dallas)

2 spots are on top of the leaves but shaded, another is on the underside of a leaf.

    Bookmark     September 10, 2014 at 2:27PM
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wisconsitom(Zone 4/5)

Back when I was growing shiitake, I had to do the dunk tank thing also to get fruiting flushes going. Truth is, it's too long ago to remember much about time intervals and such. But it sure was a fun hobby for a while.

I eventually tired of that very step-soaking and then restacking water-logged, uh, logs. But it sure did work. Back in those days, I found that in addition to oak, shellbark hickory also fruited well, which of course means nothing to a Floridian.

+o

    Bookmark     September 10, 2014 at 8:12AM
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samhain10(5a - MI)

We're also in MI, and some friends got us interested in doing shitake logs 10 years or so ago. Our first logs we used boxelder and walnut because that's what we've got here on the property. We got zip - nada - for 9 years, though we could see the characteristic white threads growing on the logs. Then last year they surprised us and gave us about 7 beautiful mushrooms. That got us jazzed again, and we started more logs, this time with oak we got from a friend. A month or so back during one of the strange cool rainy periods we've been having this year, they started to fruit. I could see at least 7 buttons, and then - the slugs ate them all!
We were also told this year that we should be soaking them in drums or troughs - we picked up a used plastic drum, but haven't used it yet. But it's raining today - will have to check later to see if anything new is happening.
So, anyway - Bob, if you can find a way to dunk them, do so. But you still might not see any results till next year - patience.

    Bookmark     September 10, 2014 at 8:35AM
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floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK

You might find turning it over with a fork or spade easier than a shovel.

    Bookmark     September 8, 2014 at 4:33PM
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planatus(6)

Digging is hard work, but you will get to know the site and soil that way. BTW, I love tiered beds.

This early in the fall, I would throw cover crop seeds over the cultivated soil. Oats are great because they winterkill by January and become a winter-to-spring mulch. In spring you can rake away the oat debris and start planting.

    Bookmark     September 10, 2014 at 7:58AM
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little_minnie(zone 4a)

I grew Moon and Stars yellow because I was worried the red wouldn't be ready in time and the yellow is less DTM. They were actually about the first watermelon ripe. So I have no clue why you got none.

    Bookmark     September 8, 2014 at 9:15PM
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NewTXGardener (8a Dallas)

I have 2 new female buds that have not opened yet, but my leaves are tiny compared to yours. And they're being attacked by aphids and squash bugs. I killed like 15 or so squash bugs this morning. I've got a few ladybugs there eating away the aphids and a couple of them made love on one of my leaves this morning and there was another one laying eggs, so I think the aphid problem will be under control. Hate those squash bugs! If those 2 little female flower buds do pollinate, is it too late now for them to go to maturity? I think our first frost is expected to be like the first or second week of November.

    Bookmark     September 9, 2014 at 5:45PM
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farmerdill

Personnaly I turn under all mulch and plant debris except tomato vines, Don't have problems with insects but have to watch for soil borne diseases especially with tomatoes.

    Bookmark     September 9, 2014 at 8:20AM
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thekingjp

Ok good advice. Thanks.

    Bookmark     September 9, 2014 at 5:28PM
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grandad_2003(9A/sunset 28)

The 2 Joi Choi plants (given to me by a gardening friend) that I set out made it into spring and then went to seed. I had stopped harvesting outer stalks in December due to the bitterness. I think we got as low as 25 on 2 or 3 occasions... But don't recall getting much lower. Getting below 20 is possible but doesn't happen often. When it does we don't stay at that low for very long.

Broccoli & cauliflower are my favorites. I've planted them as long as I can remember. I usually set out 150 to 200 broccoli, cauliflower, and brussels sprouts and concur that they can handle the lows.

If your calendar shows seeding Joi Choi through September, I can probably add a couple of weeks considering I'm in a warmer zone.

This year I'm adding Cavolfiore di Sicilia Violetto (purple cauliflower) and Romanesco Veronica as new trials. According to our local garden center expert, the Romanesco Veronica is a proven hybrid for our area but will succumb to low temps. The purple cauliflower is an OP cultivar given to me by the same gardening friend. I don't have much luck with OP brassicas so not dedicating much space to it...Green Goliath broccoli is the only OP brassica that does well for me.

Thanks for your reply/input.

This post was edited by grandad on Tue, Sep 9, 14 at 15:10

    Bookmark     September 9, 2014 at 3:05PM
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farmerdill

You may have a much wider window. I can't plant before September because ground temps are too high. Pleasant summer this year, but most years we get about 30 days of 100+ in late June July August. Never been sucessful with bBrussels here, because I can't get them in early enough. They will handled our winter but bolt in February before forming heads. My experience with Green Goliath is the same, better than Gypsy but very similar.
Have not grown Veronica but have grown Grafitti . it does well when the heat holds off.

    Bookmark     September 9, 2014 at 3:25PM
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pnbrown

Edible gourd.

Chris, that's interesting, I didn't know hyacinth was day length sensitive. Like pigeon pea and a lot of tropical legume cultivars, I guess.

    Bookmark     September 5, 2014 at 11:00AM
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blrhudugi

I grew the red seed and black seed yard long beans. The black seed ones produced earlier and are still producing. I agree, they were very prolific. The red seed ones - they started later, and yielded a little less, but were delicious. I am leaning towards planting more of these and less of the other beans.

    Bookmark     September 8, 2014 at 10:24PM
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phoggie

tracydr~
That sounds more like it....he said it was like a small cantaloupe.

    Bookmark     August 14, 2011 at 12:17PM
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auntiegeek(9)

Check Seed Savers Exchange's Facebook page, there is an article on Sept 6,2014 about this vegetable:

""Seed Savers Exchange
September 6
We sampled marmalade from a recipe for "Garden Lemon" melon this week at Heritage Farm. That's right, melon marmalade! The seeds and recipe for this melon were donated by Laura Paine, who received them in turn from long time seed steward Duane Kaiser. The melon was only ever used by his family to make jam!""

    Bookmark     September 8, 2014 at 4:54PM
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wertach zone 7-B SC

Yes Nerys54, if I can find my seed!

I thought I put them in my fridge in the shed.

I was going through my seed stored there yesterday, while getting ready to start some stuff and I couldn't find the seed!!!!!!!

I still have plenty of time to find them, but knowing me, they probably got thrown out with some empty packets of other seed!

    Bookmark     March 23, 2014 at 12:29PM
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wertach zone 7-B SC

Well, I found the seed and planted them.

I harvested a few weeks ago and I didn't get the rainbow of colors that I was expecting.

Like in Shinies picture, Some ears were almost all yellow and some were almost all dark blue. I had very few red kernels.

I will plant the saved seed next year and hopefully get more color.

    Bookmark     September 8, 2014 at 12:08PM
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floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK

Not so healthy now it's been cut off at the ankles.

    Bookmark     September 8, 2014 at 10:25AM
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donna_in_sask

What zone are you in? My beans are just about finished for the season. It doesn't look like yours are even blooming yet...did you get them in really late?

    Bookmark     September 8, 2014 at 11:05AM
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nugrdnnut(6a n-c WA)

wow... looks great! Poor me... I don't think it stays warm enough here, nor long enough, to grow good watermelons.

    Bookmark     September 7, 2014 at 11:19PM
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wayne_5 zone 6a Central Indiana

Rayrose, I don't normally plant second generation hybrid seed and only remember the one good volunteer. If you only have one variety, the strain may stay more pure and a third generation may be good too. It wasn't in my case, but I had many varieties.

    Bookmark     September 8, 2014 at 10:37AM
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daninthedirt(Cent TX; HZ10, Sunset z30, USDA z8a)

Has anyone considered the frost tolerance of using coolers like this? I don't do container planting mainly because when the roots freeze, the plant is done. In my ground, they never freeze. Not a big deal, but I'll bet it would buy you many hours of survival when the air temp drops below freezing.

    Bookmark     August 21, 2014 at 9:03PM
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diemoldau123

Hi Zackey, I would suggest you look up "Bottle Tower Gardens" and "How to build a bottle tower" by Prof. Willem van Cotthem.

    Bookmark     September 8, 2014 at 5:02AM
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