23,594 Garden Web Discussions | Vegetable Gardening
Sherm, in Massachusetts, we do get down below zero here but not all that often. Last winter we were in the single digits more than we usually are. The average number of days we fall below freezing in a year, is 98 days. Compared to an average of 12 days at 90 degrees or above. Although, that number seems low to me.
I would not have thought they could keep chickens in an unheated space in Alaska. Does that mean an outdoor shed, with no insulation and nothing for a heat source, I wonder?
Sherm........most of them quit laying much after about 9 years. I have one that laid a couple eggs last year.
No, I never used supplemental lighting. I figured they needed the break. I have the feeling they wouldn't have lived as long, had I used extra lighting.
Also, I'll bet those hens who get extra lighting have more ovary problems later on. Ovarian cancer is pretty common (along with the eggs going into the abdominal cavity, etc.) among hens, since they get worked so much!
My easter-eggers seemed to be the most prolific layers. I sure do miss those home-grown eggs! I don't know if I will get more hens. I'm 64 and getting tired. :)
Cucumber and zucchini plants tend to get diseased after a few weeks of production, no matter what you do. Both are susceptible to mildew, cucumbers will get bacterial wilt from cucumber beetles, zucchini can get attacked by vine borers. You can check the base of your zucchini plants for holes and an orange frass. Dig inside and you'll find the larvae.
I succession plant every 2-3 weeks and when the plants look bad i tear them out. You may want to try a fungicide on your plants, especially in the type of wet weather you're dealing with. Liquid copper or Serenade, or some have had luck with homemade fungicides made from baking soda or milk. It won't cure the disease, but will help protect any new growth.
If it's bacterial wilt, there's no cure for that. Infected vines will die. It's very common with cucumbers; one bite from a cucumber beetle is all it takes.
In FL at this time of year there's also the dreaded pickleworm in addition to all the other problems. This just isn't the time of year for most of us to try these plants because of all the disease/insect problems, also production slows way down when the heat and humidity really kick in.
If you haven't seen it, the U of F's Agricultural department has an excellent guide to vegetable gardening in FL, including when best to plant:
Here is a link that might be useful: IFAS planting guide
Arugula (rocket in the UK) is not a type of lettuce at all. It's in the Brassica family along with cabbages and the like.
You can cut back bolting lettuce and you will get a little more crop but you can't stop it bolting for more than a few days. If you are pushed for space pull it and plant fresh lettuce seed/plants or something else. The bolting habit is why it is sensible to sow lettuce little and often in suitable climates. This is 'succession' planting or sowing. Otherwise it all matures at once and the crop is over.
Not an expert but know tomatoes can have many disease and deficiency issues. May help to know what zone you are, how the weather has been, where/how you are growing it.
are the white leaves fuzzy by any chance? White fuzz on leaves is powdery mildew.
Whatever the issue it's always good to remove & throw away any funky looking leaves immediately.
The real reason for pulling and replanting is that if not pulled and re-distributed they will form thick clumps in spring 2015. The clumps are both harder to pull next year and make smaller bulbs. I have seen no significant differences when planting in September or November. I generally plant the tomato beds after the tomatoes are done (so after first frost) but have also planted other beds (say, after butternut squash, so early, or after cabbage, so late).
Another reason to dig & replant garlic is nutrient depletion. That (and crowding) results in the clumps of smaller bulbs mentioned by Glib. It is recommended that garlic not be planted in the same place in consecutive years.
I generally plant some time after the first freeze, when I can dig up a row where the plants have died. Weather permitting, this is usually some time in October... but there have been years when Fall rains made that impossible. I've planted even after the soil surface had frozen in November, digging holes with a cordless drill & a big auger bit. The bulbs from that planting were just as big as those grown from October plantings. IMO late plantings are less likely to have problems than garlic planted too early.
It has been a bad year for my garlic. Surprisingly little was lost to the deep cold of last winter's Polar Vortex... but much of what survived the cold was done in by our abnormally heavy rainfall. My garden flooded three times, and the soil was waterlogged for much of May & June. Couldn't even get it all weeded between rains. The garlic sprouted normally, but much has died since. I dug up a few artichoke types whose tops had fallen over, and the bulbs are very small - even some rounds. Hopefully next year will have less hostile conditions.
This post was edited by zeedman on Mon, Jul 14, 14 at 0:32
Slimy - several discussions about using them over on the Tomatoes forum. Tomatoes are probably the most affected crop when it comes to soil borne diseases so they are the target crop when it comes product marketing. Potatoes and peppers less so and most other common garden vegetables have a minimal soil borne disease relationship.
What crop/soil borne diseases specifically are you exploring their use with?
Dave
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OK, I will search that forum then. Thanks. Tomatoes should be close enough, given that it's mostly about issues with Verticillium in eggplant and pepper. The areas in question were rotated to grass for several years but still didn't quite eliminate the fungus (and I have limited area) so I would need an approach beyond just crop rotation in the future.
Too bad there aren't any resistant eggplants or hot peppers.
I've got some butternut growing up the fence. Not planning to disturb it...
Winter Squash have tendrils so they like to climb...but this is a pumpkin that appears to get quite large. See the comments at the link below.
Here is a link that might be useful: Marina Di Chioggia Pumpkin
This post was edited by LKZZ on Sun, Jul 13, 14 at 11:50
Thanks for the feedback and link! I have 4 or 5 growing now. The vines are well beyond 20' and are taking over the county. The borers took out several other summer varieties but seems to not have made a dent in the Marinas.
My arbor is 16' high x 16' square at the top. No worries about being strong enough. 6x6 posts holing 2x8 joists. All connected with 2x2's. I've been growing gourds and luffa, but would rather use the space for something with nutritional value.
Besides, a person can only use and give away so much gourd and luffa. Freecycle.com is my friend.
I am so impressed with these Marina plants. No mold or borer damage. We'll see what happens when the squash bugs arrive. Either way I will definitely grow these next year on my arbor.
Thanks again!
Erin
Since you know what it is now, Unknown "mutts" should not bother you. It is probably a yellow fleshed honey dew Many are hybrids but lack of uniformity is the major problem with second generation seeds. They usually taste ok. If you want to know what you are growing, than by all means buy seeds.
Here is a link that might be useful: Orange flesh honeydew
Thanks Wayne! I did get out to the garden today and what do you know -- I have summer squash! Costata Romanesca. A pretty good size squash, about 6 inches long with the green striping already showing, so I think it's started producing. I see another smaller one that might be coming along. Happy about that!
I did see Bumble Bees among the Nepeta and a couple of Honey Bees on Thyme. A few wasps. I wasn't sitting still for long and not focused on it but I'm glad I have some bee activity.
Cucumbers have flowers in just the past few days, so I'll be curious to see if those are pollinated and develop fruit in the next week.
I'll tell you what... My husband and I are trying to buy our first piece of property. It will be a good piece, wherever it is and you can bet your bottom dollar that maybe a year or two after I get my garden started, I'm going to start raising honeybees. I think if you have the space so your neighbours aren't overwhelmed by an increase in bee population (small cookie-cutter houses, lots of kids around, sprinklers, possible stings, etc.) then learning about and then raising bees is a real service to the local farming community. Not only that, but you can charge people to "baby sit" a colony of honey bees for a bit just for pollination purposes, so long as their garden is organic, no pesticides, etc. :) Why not remind people of the service and importance of bees?
Try some coffee grounds... I am sure how good or bad they are for potatoes - but since they are so less potent - it might be ok. I am not saying that it will work ... but it seems to have worked for me. Just sprinkle a good 1/4th inch layer of coffee grounds - and water it well. For the next few days water it almost every day to keep it moist.
This is what i did and they are no where to be seen :)
I guess I keep aiming to just allow the ecology of my garden to balance itself out and I try not to step in at all, unless it's out of balance to the point of making major damage. What do I know about ants and aphids and what their role in the ecosystem needs to be? If I am experiencing major damage, I may need to nudge the balance a little in another direction.
I like the idea of the watering and coffee grounds because it nudges the ants to move to another location where they won't be in your way. Just as I leave the aphids to multiply to the point that they draw in lady bugs looking for a meal. If there aren't enough lady bugs and there's more damage than is acceptable to me, then I'd hose them off the plants. Which I haven't had to do in years.