24,795 Garden Web Discussions | Vegetable Gardening

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

The OP was about community gardens.

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jnjfarm_gw(5a)

a 10 x 10 area planned out and using succession planting can produce a ton of food. I am an urban farmer and 1 of my plots is only 20 x20. I am in my 3rd and 4th planting on this plot now. I have sold hundreds of dollars of radishes, green onions, lettuce mixes cucumbers tomatoes peppers and have replanted with fall beets turnips lettuce mixes and more radishes. This is my smallest plot but most productive and profitable per square foot

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

For me, it's about doing it right versus doing what works. There's a lot of that going around!

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jnjfarm_gw(5a)

I use regular potting mix for seed starting and to fill grow bags. I even reuse the contents from the grow bags. mix with new mix and add fertilizer. It may not be the right way, but it works and saves money.

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nancyjane_gardener(Zone 8ish North of San Francisco in the "real" wine country)

I go to a seed exchange/bank that is all organic and all the seed is from plants grown in this county. Yes I AM lucky! Nancy

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jnjfarm_gw(5a)

The concept sounds good, but I would prefer to know exactly what the variety of the seeds are. as a market gardener I can't afford mid season surprises.

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charlieboring

Here is an update on my chokes. Here are 5 of my 11 plants. I have both globe and imperial. So far I have 15 artichokes on the 11 plants.

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Tracy West

Looks great ,Charlie! I didn't get any started this year. We moved to NC and I'm hoping they like it better here. I had good luck in AZ, although aphids were always an issue. They weren't as meaty as store bought,maybe due to soil,heat or aphids.

once you get one going, it's easy to dive for more. Mine went dormant in AZ each summer and each winter.

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farmerdill

Concur; White melons and Jubilee is considered a white melon do not turn an obvious yellow on the bottom. Thumping works butit takes a good ear and you need an unripe melon to compare the sound.

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usnea

Belated thanks! Alas, I don't have a good ear. Funnily enough I wondered if maybe these watermelons didn't get yellow on the bottom so tried looking up Jubilee specifically and all the sites said to look for yellow on the bottom, lol.

I think maybe I left the first on the vine too long; it doesn't taste that great to me, kind of woody maybe, but I'm not that big a fan of watermelons really. Others say they're really good but I can' tell if they're just being nice. I actually grew 'em more for my father. I had 2 others ready at the same time and gave 'em away. One weighed 30 pounds so I'm guessing the big one I gave to my father must have weighed 35 or so lol.

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