24,795 Garden Web Discussions | Vegetable Gardening

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donna_in_sask(2b)

I got sick of dealing with the cabbage moths. I'm growing my kale in an enclosure this year and it works wonderfully. There are easy hoop-type structures you can put up. I bought my netting at IKEA in the drapery department (was meant for curtain liners, 2 for $5).

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LoneJack Zn 6a, KC

I prefer the liquid BT for my Broccoli and Brussels Sprouts because it will stay put on the bottom of the leaves if a little bit of surfactant is added.

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donna_in_sask(2b)

^that comment wasn't from the OP.

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

Amusingly, aged urine will precipitate out white crystals that are called Struvite, which is a phosphate material containing magnesium and nitrogen. Struvite is great fertilizer. I have to think that disgust about using urine for fertilizer would be relaxed if it weren't actually a golden liquid, but an inoffensive white powder instead.

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grubby_AZ Tucson Z9

I have never had squirrels take EVERYTHING. Absolutely everything? Since it's probably not the Southern Arizona Black Squirrel (Pic), have you considered the two-legged neighborly twit? There are advantages with having coyotes everywhere but they don't chase everything away...

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zzackey(8b GA)

Last year I thought it might be the kids out back coming over at night with a flashlight. I doubt that humans could find every grape in the dark. One of us is usually home.

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paula_b_gardener 5b_ON(5b)

Lol - too funny.

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jamie wells(5b Boulder CO)

That looks more like downy mildew to me: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Downy_mildew

I have powdery mildew. Milk with oil and dish soap has been working for me. My sugar pie pumpkins stopped producing until I started using the solution.

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gardev

I feel like the picture about half way down this page is pretty close to what I have.

http://scriptogr.am/waste24brass

I will try the baking soda + water solution

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jamie wells(5b Boulder CO)

I had pm on my virgina creeper, lilac, squash and pumpkins. I used a combination of 4 cups milk, 2 T canola oil, 1 t of dish soap (surficant) and 2 and a third gallons of warm water to control it. I apply the mixture weekly. So far, the vagina creeper, squash and giant pumkins are PM free. Some is still present on the sugar pie pumpkins, but its about half as it was.

I tried using a fungicide on the squash, but it did nothing. The milk is working better than I could have imagined.

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Beets?Are beets easy to grow?
Posted by zzackey(8b GA)
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zzackey(8b GA)

I plan to grow my beets in pots. It's still quite hot here. About 90 degrees everyday. I posted this question on the container site, but I got no response.

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garybeaumont_gw(TX 9A)

It is still a little early to plant the beets. I would wait 2 or 3 weeks when the weather breaks and then plant. The biggest hurdle is the pH. Beets like a pH of above 6.5. Peat moss is about 4.5. I tested miracle gro and it is about 5.0 to 5.5. It would take alot of lime to adjust the pH to above 6.5. It is possible. I did it once with spinach which also needs a high pH. It took a couple of times the get the pH right though.

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

"Turns anaerobic"? Anaerobic bacteria don't live in the presence of oxygen. If it's sitting in a garbage can, it's unlikely that anything growing it it is anaerobic. Unless you've removed the oxygen from your garbage can, which would be a cool trick. Anaerobic bacteria live deep in the scum at the bottom of a pond.

That your liquid turns green is just that you have free-floating algae growing in it. It's a plant. You have plant fertilizer, and plants are growing in it. That green algae is telling you that your fertilizer is good. Put it on your plants. Think of it as fertilizer with a light dose of added green manure.

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stevie

as long as it's not organic it's okay to premix solution and let it sit for a few days. just don't let it sit too long because it might be a start for a mosquito farm.

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

< Fortex develops seeds early and is typically bulging when I pick them.>

Early compared to what? My first 3-4 pickings have no noticeable seeds. Can't feel them or see them unless you cut them open. So try picking them much earlier Peter. "Bulging" with seed is well beyond ideal picking time.

Dave

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Peter (6b SE NY)

It happens extremely quickly (pods maturing). I would have to pick every day, they can literally double in size in a single day. The bush beans hold for nearly a week before getting large, tough and seedy. Anyway, I think they taste fine that way. They do not get tough or lose flavor. It is even noted: http://www.johnnyseeds.com/p-6614-fortex.aspx

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farmerdill

Concur. Ripe colors for bell peppers include Red, Yellow, Orange, Green, and brown similar to tomatoes. All the purples are red when ripe. There are green to yellow and green to orange varieties. There are several varieties of green when ripe (Staysgreen, Permagreen) The browns (Chocolate) actually turn red but don't give up the green resulting in a brown color. However if one one wants ripe pepper, It is more efficient to choose a variety developed for ripe peppers. Colored peppers like purples and whites were bred to hold thier immature colors and take a long time to ripen.

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Don V

thanks! Still frustrated I wasted all those others............ but at least I know now! I cannot wait to try a red one that ripens on the vine!

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Nitsua(6b MO)

CTRL and 0 to reset to normal. That's a "zero", not an "O".

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zzackey(8b GA)

Thanks everyone! I googled it. I hit control and + a few times and it came back to normal.

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yolos - z 7b/8a Ga.

It has been three years since I put in raised beds. The roots of the live oak tree have invaded the boxes. This winter I plan to raise the beds up so the bottom of the box is about 12 inches from the ground and have a wooden and/or hardware cloth bottom.

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jimroy12521

I like your idea. Other wise you are just fighting nature and guess who will always win? Roots will go where they want to go- underground. But above ground, we get to win.

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farmerdill

Hansel is a mini eggplant. Harvest at 3-4 inches. They lose quality fast as the glossy sheen begans to fade. Don't let them get dull looking.

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Peter (6b SE NY)

I have harvested many Hansel at 10-12" and they taste fine and are still glossy.

See the AAS description also: http://all-americaselections.org/winners/details.cfm?WinID=302

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imrainey

I can answer that one.

My husband has thought I was eccentric since I was in my 20s. Now that I'm in my 60s he is no longer surprised when he sees a watering can and a long stemmed funnel (I think it's for automotive uses) in the bathroom off our bedroom.

I let him pee any damned place he wants to. And he let's me pee standing up into the funnel. Ain't love grand?!

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jctsai8b(8B)

I know it is general good for leafy vegetables, Tomatoes, squash , is it good for beans and other vegetables? what is your experience

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Chris B(6a NY)

I'll slightly prepare you for what you are about to hear from others. While it's too late now, those pots are on the small side for tomato plants. What potting mix did you use? Also, watering daily? Are the temps extremely hot in Washington? Watering definitely needs to be done more frequently in pots, but I'm not sure twice per day is necessary. You're basically flushing the nutrients out of the mix you have your plants in. If you read further up on this thread, you'll see that calcium isn't your issue. It's the lack of the plants ability to uptake the calcium due to inconsistent moisture levels. But in your case, I'm not sure the soil has a chance to become dry. I'd cut back on the watering a bit and maybe add fish emulsion to your watering, twice per week.

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

Agree with Chris that the main problem is the pots are way to small. Especially too small for the varieties you have listed which are all large indeterminate varieties. 12-15 gallons minimum for those. By now all those plants are long past being root bound and supplying them with the soil moisture needed isn't possible.

But please note the water issue is not the number of times a day you water. The issues is maintaining consistent

soil moisture - same level of moisture at all times rather than dry-wet-dry-wet-too dry - overly wet - etc..

In containers that is difficult to do, in small containers such as yours it is almost impossible. Systems like drip irrigation on automatic timers can do it but unless you can monitor your small pot's soil moisture almost hourly and add small amounts as needed you will have BER problems.

The larger the container, the slower the soil dries out. The larger the container, the better it maintains soil moisture levels. Then there is the mix in the container. The soil-less mixes made for containers work best as they can prevent root rot but they come in all sorts of quality levels and you have to learn to work effectively with the one you choose.

So next year plan to at least double the size of your containers and triple them if at all possible for best results. If you cannot do that then you need to restrict your plant varieties to the small and dwarf varieties bred specifically for growing in small containers.

Dave

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ryan8king_sc_lowcountry_z8

My guess is they were left on the vine too long (over matured)

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foreignlady (5b - Montreal area)
Sorry for the delayed reply I didn't receive my email notification for some reason.

I can't provide any pics now as it has been several weeks. However, the plants are yielding more good beans again, so I think the problems you mentioned all contributed.

I will look into successive planting for next year if I can be around to care for everything.

Thanks!
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