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Beets?Are beets easy to grow?
Posted by zzackey(8b GA)
36 Comments
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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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foreignlady (5b - Montreal area)

Well, I did eat one and it was very nice, but the skin is rather tough. I think I'll do relish then, hadn't even thought of that! Thanks for your help. And wishing I had chickens I could feed too!

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foreignlady (5b - Montreal area)
FYI they turned into some marvellous relish. Thanks again.
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pmarrie

I have the exact same situation, mine are as hot as my fresno peppers. Have grown Jimmy Nardello's for years and never been this hot. I don't remember if I bought the sends or saved them from last year. Wondering if they will cross breed with my other peppers I grow.

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

You might want to post this over on the Hot peppers forum. That's where the pepper experts hang out.

Dave

http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/pepper

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jnjfarm_gw(5a)

need thinned out. I put mine in 30" wide beds about 18" equidistant apart. cabbage same way. If I grew cauliflower I would also plant that way. I would also trellis those peas. You have more than enough broc plants to cover a huge area

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rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7

Stirey, you need to become acquainted with your Ohio Extension office, if you haven't already. Local information is extremely important.

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Tracy West

Kabocha are my favorite squash. Will c.maxima do okay in the southeast?

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rgreen48(7a)

Tracy, there are many heirloom maximas that were found in this area of the country. They do very well in most of the SE. Perhaps some better than others, but they love the sun, and the SE has plenty.

However, we also have thriving colonies of pests. The SVB has 2 generations per season, and is even now, in late August, still a threat (I saw one on my N. Georgia Candy Roasters just yesterday.) Unfortunately, the maxima is one of their favored targets. There are also cucumber beetles, squash bugs, and maybe a few others.

That said... find your fav for next season and, in the spring, plant away! If you have the acreage, and to ensure a good harvest, you may want to over-plant. Or, you can learn some defensive techniques. In either case, I find that all squash do pretty well... at least here in E. Tn.

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grandad_2003(9A/sunset 28)

I had similar results in my zone 9 climate... until I started planting in late August and more-so during September. (You might also have bad seed.)

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Tracy West

Cilantro in grocery stores is probably grown in cooled greenhouses,maybe hydroponically, except in winter,when they grow it outdoors in the south.

It's very cool season, a lot like arugula that way. In AZ,usually I had it in November and January.

if it's not germinating,maybe you're planting too deep or not keeping the moisture consistent?

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