24,795 Garden Web Discussions | Vegetable Gardening

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stephanie_criner

Ugh. Now I have mushrooms growing in the containers. NO MORE RAIN!!! They just can't get dried out.

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

The toadstools won't hurt anything and is actually a sign of healthy soil. But yeah, it is awfully wet here too. I keep having to dump the rainwater out of my self-watering containers so the soil can drain. Can you move them under any shelter at all?
Dave

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bwood1982

Mine 10 days ago. Box at the bottom.

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bwood1982

I've been gone since then. My wife sent me this today.

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daninthedirt(Cent TX; HZ10, Sunset z30, USDA z8a)

That's a good idea, to just plant the beans under the sugar snaps, assuming your soil doesn't need to be tilled. But the rhizobium nitrogen fixing bacteria in peas are in the roots, not the foliage, so I think it makes more sense to compost the foliage. Of course, don't pull the peas out by the roots in any case. If you did when there were beans growing tere, you'd just shear off bean roots. When you till the soil, the pea roots and the nitrogen they produced there just get mixed in.

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Katie Gooding(8b, Coastal SC)

It's a raised square foot garden bed and definitely does not need tilling. I was planning on just cutting off the peas, leaving the roots and then just pulling them off the trellis and then mixing in a little fresh compost and planting the beans. So...I think the idea of planting the bean seeds is a really good one, and I can always top dress with a little compost when I cut off the peas. Thanks for the great idea, I now have a plan for something to do in the morning!

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floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK

Does Bay survive the winter where you are?

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annew21(7b NC)

Lovage?

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elisa_z5

In my zone 5 the traditional planting date for tomatoes is Memorial Day, and night time temps no lower than the 50's. Sounds like you'll have plenty of time to harden them off and then plant.

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mrkvndns

Thanks for the thoughts, all. It rained hard yesterday afternoon and last night, so it's too wet to plant now, even if I wanted to. The pots that they are in are 3 inchers. They haven't been hardened but I'm never too worried about that. Last year I planted straight from the same greenhouse and had no problems. Regardless, it looks like it will be a while before its dry enough to get them in the ground.

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curlylindsay

BTW I did water them on occasion. Never religiously, but I don't think they ever went long enough to dry out.

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glib(5.5)

Injection is the toughest part of growing mushrooms. After some failures, my fool proof method is to harvest wood in Fall, soak it 24 hrs, inject it (often I just slice an old log, and nail the slice to the end of the new log), then place it in garbage bags in my basement for the winter. I punch a hole at the top of the bags and pour water occasionally. I have done the same by harvesting in April, and keeping the logs under plastic in my garage.

Difficult to assess your situation without knowing your site, but during injection, high humidity is essential and almost sufficient, because I injected successfully in the 40, 50 and 60 temps. At any rate

1) here in the North it takes more than one year for logs to fruit
2) the many logs that did not fruit have been reused for hugelkultur, with excellent results. In particular they saved my orchard, which was planted when the soil was extremely poor. All my best trees have four failed mushroom logs under and all my dead trees had no logs. The logs do well under my trellises, with beans and squash growing roots in them.

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galinas(5B)

actually, if you plant them now you can get full size garlic bulbs next summer. It will overwinter in the stage of one-clove bulb and split next season.

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carriehelene(5 Upstate NY)

Thanks all. I'm going to plant them.

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floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK

'Would you serve these to your friends at a dinner party?'

Honestly, no, I wouldn't and I am a very parsimonious cook. Not because of the colour per se but because the heads are overmature and on the verge of flowering. So yes, either someone waited too long to harvest or it is quite a while since they were picked. They don't look at all fresh. Cook a bit for yourself and you will probably taste the problem.

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NewTXGardener (8a Dallas)

It's been raining a lot this year, our area lakes are over 100% full, whereas same time last year, they were at less than 50% full. I haven't been watering, but it's been wet because of the rain. Good to know! I was wondering if I should switch compost in the future. Looks like I don't have to. :-)

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glib(5.5)

Many types of vegetables do best in soils rich in fungi. Basically all solanaceae (potato, tomato, eggplant, pepper), all alliums (onion and garlic), beans, peas, and cucurbita (squash and cucumber). Also carrots, okra, and a number of other lesser vegetables.

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Steve

OK - so here is the latest - seems like most people like 4C and 3C, im not really partial to one over another, some people think they might be too big take up too much room - ive reattached 4c and 3c along with a few other variations, just need some help with whats most practical, easy and provides most options /space... is orientation really even important at all?

Here is Original 3C:

Here is Original 4C:

Here are a few variations of 3C (some of which might also work with 4C as well)


3C_3: most different - all large beds split [even one on left (north)] w/ bigger paths on right/south

3C_2: or replace two 3' beds with one central 4' bed (bigger paths)...

[perhaps even split left/north bed in 2 as above in 3c_3]

Any thoughts? So far 4C has gotten more traction with people but perhaps the above provide other options, personally i dont care i just want a functional backyard, easy access and lots of growing space.. sadly im just stuck with the dimensions of the yard and am looking for the most utilitarian layout that is able to produce.... Also while we at it can someone suggest bed depth I was thinking like 16-18" but not sure... I do appreciate all the advise so far. This is going to be great when finished! :)

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Steve

or perhaps even....
3C_4 - split long bed on right side

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

This is a 4x4' plot with beans and peppers on one side and potatoes on the other, right? That's a lot of stuff for a 4x4 plot. Or are you now moving the cukes?

There is no reason cukes can't grow by tomatoes as they have nearly the same nutrient needs and only minimal different water needs. How much space you would need depends on the type of tomatoes, how you support them and if you prune them or not as well as the size of the trellis, and he number of cuke plants etc. Basically 3-4' anyway as many tomato plants get at least that wide.

Like Dan said (I think it was him) - "tall crops on the north, short crops on the south, it really is that simple." But keep in mind that thousands of gardeners also grow quite successfully every year with N-S beds or NE-SW beds because they don't have any choice on placement. So don't let it worry you too much. Assuming even half-way decent sun exposure, over-crowding the crops is more of a threat to success than is placement relative to the sun.

Hope this helps.

Dave

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mfran12345 (Zone 6b, northeast PA)

Dave the plot is much bigger than 4x4 but the open area for cukes is 4x4. I think I'm going to move them now though. I'm way ocercomplicating this. Thanks for you tips

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NewTXGardener (8a Dallas)

I used AG-19 to cover one raised bed this past winter, I had kale and spinach in the bed. Not sure if the light transmission wasn't enough or something, my kale and spinach didn't grow much while under the AG-19. Bugs didn't chew through the Agribon.

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daninthedirt(Cent TX; HZ10, Sunset z30, USDA z8a)

So are there REALLY insects that chew through tulle? I'm baffled. Rodents can do it, but why would a bug do it? Tulle not remotely digestible, and they don't know that there is something good underneath. Bugs aren't that smart. Seriously. If there is a bug that chews through tulle, I don't want to be anywhere near it.

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stringz(6a / HZ5(OH))

Hey weirdtrev, looks like that link now just goes to Jung, fyi.

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theforgottenone1013(MI zone 5b/6a)

Strange. I've ordered from egardenersplace for a few years since there was a flat rate shipping. I guess the Jung conglomerate stopped doing the one-stop-shop thing, which also means I'll be less likely to order from them (I'm not about to pay all the separate shipping).

Rodney

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Peter (6b SE NY)

You can try just putting them out in the garden without hardening off, but I would just direct sow some fresh seed into the garden myself.

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theforgottenone1013(MI zone 5b/6a)

Start fresh seed outside and you'll have better luck. A container that big should be able to last a few days without water at this point. If you've been watering them frequently while they are inside then you've most likely been overwatering them.

Rodney

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mfran12345 (Zone 6b, northeast PA)

I have an area about 4'x4' I wanted to grow them in. Half for pickles and half for slicing. Is that area too small, how many plants could i fit in there if anything? Would a trellis be required? I had a larger area planned but am thinking of throwing tomatoes in there for extra tomatoes but could go back to using it for cucumbers. Thanks again for all the advice. This forum is the best

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Nitsua(6b MO)

4'x4' might be a bit small if you're planning on pickles. Ideally, you want to be able to harvest a large amount of pickling cukes so they'll be fresh off-the-vine when you process them. If you have a small area with few plants, then you'll end up collecting and storing them over several days to have enough to make pickles, which you'll want to avoid. And if you're sharing that area with slicing cukes, it may take longer to get plenty of pickling cukes due to having fewer pickling cuke plants.

I would highly recommend a trellis so you can let them grow upwards. The area will probably handle more plants if trellised and you'll be able to keep them under control instead of dealing with them inevitably snaking out beyond the 4'x4' area. Easier to find the cukes too that way.

You may also be able to add another trellis to the northside of the larger area where you're growing tomatoes. Then you can use that area for both cukes and tomatoes and plant additional pickling cukes there to give you larger harvests prior to pickle making.

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