23,948 Garden Web Discussions | Vegetable Gardening

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

The mealy bugs are a bit more challenging than the caterpillars, as gross as they are I can deal with them.

Row covers are a good idea for such non-flowering plants as cauliflower.

I've been pollinating in the morning. I peel off the petals from the male & rub the stamen in the female. I don't tie the flower shut I just want it to set fruit. I have to wait some days to get both male & female flowers that open that day.

soundslike you're doing the right thing - early morning is best, the pollen is most alive then

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 for the link Farmerdill!

That looks exactly like the melon I was talking about! Funny it is listed as an heirloom so the seeds are not hybrid, though who knows about the one I got from the store.

Will try have to try these :)

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?

Elisa, afaik yellow jackets are a type of wasp ie whereas bees, although related, are a different order of insects. Bees don't predate other invertebrates. They are vegetarian and (mostly) docile. Both types of insects are important pollinators.

Here's two of my chickens among my collard greens earlier in the season. The chickens never touched those plants until months later when the chickens were much larger. And by then a few lost leaves was no big deal, especially since I'm currently drowning in a sea of collard greens and kale.

Kathy, I'm in the North Bay, don't have a problem with bitter cucumbers and water on a drip system. I grow a brand called Corinto. Get the seeds from Johnny's. They are never bitter, and my garden gets into the 100's when we have our heat waves. I have raised beds, native clay soil is about a foot down. Water every 3 days, mulch heavily.

Make sure you test eat all parts of the cucumber. I've learned to automatically cut off about an inch of the stem end before eating the rest. The stem end always seems to be bitter. I grow County Fair cucumbers.

I could understand the heat stress, they have been in a hot sun here and I got a late start planting them. I'll try that thanks. I'll follow up to let everyone know what happens.

It is because of the sun but not heat stress. Some varieties do that, just like some leaf lettuce sold in store.

I have taste tested the best of the b sprout leaves, the little topknot of foliage that comes on late, in cool weather, and it was spit-out bad.

I leave the lower leaves on until harvest time begins. As with other cabbages, they naturally shed as the plants age, and want to be pulled off.

My big seedlings started in early June will go out this week. It's a strange planting schedule, but that's how we get sweet sprouts in Oct and Nov.

Well, planatus - that's depressing to hear. Maybe you chose a bad bunch, cooked them in a way that didn't suit them or they just aren't to your taste but they are a delicious veggie in my view and, as I said, are harvested and marketed as a seasonal vegetable in their own right here. I would hate people to be put off trying them by your experience.

Here is a link that might be useful: Sprout tops - again.

Um, where are the vegetables? :) Your garden looks great.

Rodney

Love that patch of zinnias! I do see some squash and corn in there. I bet you have lots of bees and butterflies and bouquets for the kitchen table. :-)