23,821 Garden Web Discussions | Vegetable Gardening

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GreenTiff(6)

Over the weekend I mixed a delicious grapefruit, lime and tequila cocktail and spent 4 happy hours in the garden...I didn't even realize how long I had been out there! My husband came looking for me when he got hungry, meanwhile I was having a garden party! Solo! Is that sad? Lol.

    Bookmark     May 28, 2014 at 9:26AM
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ZachS. z5 Littleton, CO

Green, you mean you made a grapefruit margarita? lol. Im more partial to Jim Beam and coke-a-cola myself, but I too have solo parties from time to time, I don't think it's sad, I have a great time!

If were still venting garden frustrations: Between Tuesday and Sunday we had several inches of quarter sized hail every day, drowning rain and even tornadoes (which for Denver is NOT common). My in-ground tomatoes are now suffering from waterlogged feet, a lot of the onions have been cut back to nubs, and the lettuce looks like it was sent through the paper shredder. Everything is looking like they are a bunch of prize fighters fresh out of the ring. This comes two weeks after we had almost a foot of snow on the ground. Now were pushing right through the 80's and into the 90's. I will be lucky if I get anything out of this garden besides the scallions (courtesy of the hail) and radishes I already picked. As a nice little bonus yesterday I found cutworm damage in the corn.

But wait! There's more!

If you call within the next 10 minutes, your National Guard Unit will schedule a 2 week Annual Training from June 7-21 and all you can do is HOPE that the people you leave in charge of taking care of the garden do a good job so you don't come home to death and destruction.

Did I mention I was fond of Jim Beam?

    Bookmark     May 28, 2014 at 12:10PM
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ltilton

Usually, people pick for a particular length of time, like month or no more than 6 weeks, then let the rest go. Another key that it's time to stop harvesting is when the spears start to get spindly and thin. IF this is an old patch, once planted and since neglected, the crowns are probably mature enough to support a nice harvest.

I'm assuming that, with all that growth around them, you'd be missing some of the young spears and letting them go to fern, which is good for the patch. The more you let go, the more you're likely to have next year.

    Bookmark     May 28, 2014 at 11:13AM
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Stubster

Got it, Thank a bunch!

    Bookmark     May 28, 2014 at 11:26AM
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mwoolet(7)

Hi there
I have grown broccoli for the first time this year.I have them in a raised. I know now that I should plant them in early Feb. What I'm wondering is the temps here in knox tn. Are getting in the high 80's. I'm still getting some some heads but should I go ahead and pull the plants.
Thank you.

    Bookmark     May 28, 2014 at 9:38AM
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farmerdill

The dust is not a problem, unless the wood itself is. Carpenter bees are among the best pollinators for cucubits. One of the more valuable bees to have but like everything else they can be a pest where not wanted.

    Bookmark     May 27, 2014 at 3:56PM
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planatus(6)

I agree that the dust is not a problem, but the bees also put out a sticky something I wouldn't want on my lettuce. It sticks to the window like glue -- we have a carpenter bee hole in the top of one of our window frames, and when they work the hole the window gets splattered with their yellow goo that's hard to clean off.

To close up isolated holes, you can stuff them with steel wool and cover with duct tape.

    Bookmark     May 28, 2014 at 7:52AM
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woohooman San Diego CA zone 10a

I've never noticed it and as wuss as my family is, I'm sure they'd tell me when my red bells had the heat of even an Anaheim.

I'm just waiting for the day when bells put out the number of pods as my Bhuts do.

:)

Kevin

    Bookmark     May 27, 2014 at 12:17PM
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noki

Not sure how often but I'm sure there are the occasional accidental hybrid seed or someone accidentally mislabeled the seeds, which could explain people being surprised by a hotter than expected plant.

    Bookmark     May 27, 2014 at 10:37PM
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Errant_gw

I can beta, as well, on a couple of platforms :)

Off to take a look at other softwares that were mentioned!

    Bookmark     May 27, 2014 at 4:52PM
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drscottr(7)

Hi Folks

Thanks for all the volunteers. The software still has lots of bugs. Should be ready for testing in a couple weeks. I'm aiming at having it ready for next season.

Scott

    Bookmark     May 27, 2014 at 10:37PM
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wayne_5 zone 6a Central Indiana

My experience is this: I don't have problems with worms on spring broccoli, but fall broccoli and cauliflower is another story

    Bookmark     May 27, 2014 at 12:56PM
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sunnibel7 Md 7(7)

I do mean the larva of the white butterflies, we always called those loopers. :) So maybe wasps? Or the hard winter? It was a hard winter for here, but probably about like a typical upstate NY winter. What made me think of it was when I realized I was hand picking tons of Colorado Potato Beetle larva but hadn't had to touch the broccoli all spring. Which is highly unusual for me, spring or fall.

    Bookmark     May 27, 2014 at 8:09PM
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howelbama(7 NJ)

Well, that was a bit condescending.

    Bookmark     May 27, 2014 at 2:15PM
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digdirt2(6b-7a No.Cent. AR HZ8 Sun-35)

By all means let's drag up another old thread, rehash it all again, and send the OP more emails he/she was likely tired of getting 2 years ago.

WeakStream - since you did that what sort of supportive documentation do you have for all these claims you make please?

For example, in 2008 the Environmental Protection Agency completed a reassessment of this question and published those results. Testing determined that

1. plant-based creosote has increasingly been used for this purpose since the early 1980's.

2. that its primary source of potential health risk is to the workers in the wood-treatment plants working with fresh mix but that even that risk is minimized by safe handling,

3. that creosote can be harmful to plants if it comes into direct contact with them. The substance will also produce vapors in warm weather, and exposure to these vapors may damage plant leaves. Creosote that seeps into the soil may damage roots directly, but plants will not absorb the substance into their root tissue.

4. that keeping plants at least several inches away from treated timbers usually prevents damage from direct contact and vapors, and creosote will generally not migrate far enough through the soil to reach plants that are a short distance away

5. short-term exposure to creosote can cause skin, eye and respiratory irritation; longer-term exposure may cause organ damage or cancer. In the garden, you're unlikely to have more than short-term direct contact with creosote, and because plants don't absorb creosote through their roots, you won't be exposed to it by eating vegetables grown near treated timbers.

I am not claiming this is the definitive position, just that there is supporting evidence that would seem to undermine many of your claims.

Dave

Here is a link that might be useful: US EPA - Resources on Creosote

    Bookmark     May 27, 2014 at 7:54PM
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Ohiofem(6a Ohio)

I've been container gardening for decades. Before I knew better, I used some of the things you used, which are mostly bad in containers. Soil of any kind will compact and get mucky, attracting things like fungus gnats. It will interfere with drainage and cause root death. Lucky for you, smart pots can handle heavier potting mixes than other containers. But a soilless potting mix would be much better.

And all that other stuff is nothing but garbage in a pot, attracting other bad guys, including flies and rats. Lucky for you the lizards are probably eating a lot of the bad insects, but they can't eat rats. Food waste belongs in a compost pile, not a container. It can take a year to break down into a form that feeds your plants. Balanced chemical fertilizers work much better. If you're serious about container gardening, checkout the container gardening forum. Heres a long running discussion from that forum.

Here is a link that might be useful: Container soils - Water movement and retention

    Bookmark     May 17, 2014 at 1:40PM
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wendybird13

Thank you everyone for the input :) I do not have a rat prob :)Will be getting a composter for next year though

    Bookmark     May 27, 2014 at 3:49PM
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johns.coastal.patio(USDA 10b, Sunset 24)

Since you are doing an open bottom, I'd think any "garden soil" would be fine. MiracleGro makes that (was 4 bags for $10 at Home Depot a couple days ago), but probably anything is fine.

Potting soil would probably work too, but would be a less perfect match, in my humble opinion.

    Bookmark     May 27, 2014 at 12:27PM
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jean001a(Portland OR 7b)

Leafminers.
Two different kinds exist. One makes serpentine trails. The other, the one you have, makes blotch mines. (the brown spots)

    Bookmark     May 27, 2014 at 10:35AM
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janleecat

Thank you jean. I will search for an organic remedy if it's not too late.

    Bookmark     May 27, 2014 at 11:54AM
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jonfrum(6)

They're doin' fine. Wait until the husk goes dry like paper before harvesting. Eventually, they'll start falling off the plant on their own, so you'll have to look under the plants regularly.

    Bookmark     May 27, 2014 at 11:09AM
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Slimy_Okra(2b)

Don't do anything. The plant will continue growing as it sets out new flowers and fruit.

    Bookmark     May 27, 2014 at 11:14AM
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digdirt2(6b-7a No.Cent. AR HZ8 Sun-35)

I wouldn't unless you need the room for something else. They are attractive, draw pollinators, and if you keep them well watered until the weather breaks you'll get beans then. You are bound to get a few days now and then where pollination is possible or you can always try the early AM hand pollination tricks that work on other veges.

But its your choice.

Dave

    Bookmark     May 26, 2014 at 11:10PM
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planatus(6)

I was frustrated with scarlet runners in Z 7, they didn't like the muggy summer weather at all, but in the mountains with cool nights (6b) they are very happy indeed. Mine bloom all summer and set a few pods, from which I harvest the dry beans in late summer. With light trimming and deep watering, the plants make a strong comeback in the fall and the immature beans that set in cool fall weather are extraordinarily sweet and tender, great to eat raw.

If you don't think your plants will make it through summer, you might start some new seedlings in late summer for a fall crop.

    Bookmark     May 27, 2014 at 7:40AM
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glib(5.5)

Bekana is even better in the Fall. And gai-lan is so much earlier than broccoli.

    Bookmark     May 26, 2014 at 10:58AM
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laceyvail(6A, WV)

glib, have you found Gai land to be bitter? Current discussion on the cooking forum says it's a bitter Asian green, and the posters seem knowledgeable. Mine has never been bitter-not in the previous three years and so far, not this year.

    Bookmark     May 27, 2014 at 6:51AM
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sweetspud(6a)

Thank you everyone for your responses. We saw this on a youtube video, it sounded interesting but the high heat and humidity we are getting I think is making it like a sauna. The stocks are thin and fragile but very favourable. Thank you floral_uk, I couldn't have explained it better. We haven't found a source locally for the terra cotta forcers, we are using terra cotta chimney flumes, and my husband make wooden lids that fit on top. Thanks again everyone.

    Bookmark     May 26, 2014 at 5:26PM
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floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK

I don't know your climate, sweetspud, but here the forcing season is well over. So maybe you're trying to do it too late? Maybe it won't even work that well for you if you go from very cold to very hot in a short space. Our long cool springs mean that even now it is only 57 outside today and it was around high 40s in February. Forcing it started in late winter.

But thin, pale and fragile sounds right for forced rhubarb stalks.

    Bookmark     May 27, 2014 at 6:07AM
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