23,948 Garden Web Discussions | Vegetable Gardening
Thanks for the responses, everyone. Unfortunately, I can't get helpful photo evidence right now, since the seedlings which were damaged pretty much all died. (I'm hoping that when I put out the replacement seedlings, they don't go the same way, but if they start to decline, I'll make sure to document it right away.) But checking at night for slug activity sounds like a good plan. I saw no evidence of slug trails, I don't think, but I have lost seedlings to slugs in the past.
OK, a beast is found! I can tell you, they are not a lazy creatures! I would expect to find it near the plant that just been eaten this night! But no, it moved to the next one to loose no time next night. I am pretty sure there may be more, but I only found one. And yes, it is cutworm.
Dave, picture in this case will not help much. it is kind of looks same as a normal tiny plant until it wilts... But if you touch it you can see, there are only two penny size(or even less) leaves laying there like a bouquet not attached to the stem. and stem is just gone...
Earlier I started some lettuce in a flat.
I had so much that I didn't know where to transplant them. Now that tomatoes are small , I planted some just next to them. Radish is very easy by direct sowing. But with too much rain too much shade I gave up on them.
Here is a picture of some of my lettuce in tomato bed.
Even at a good nursery they sell brands that are ridiculous now. $2.99 for one container, one cell. One brand I see is Chef Jeff. Another is Homegrown Gourmet which is not as expensive. Bonnie Plants is at least not quite as exploitive.
They sell things that are absolutely absurd. Plants being sold in the last week of May that have no chance of doing well, like Bok Choi, one plant for $2.99. One plant of a Green Bean plant for $2.99. Beans... one bush plant that are lousy at transplanting for $2.99. One Pea plant for $2.99. One Brassica plant for $2.99, too late in season for many. One Corn plant for $2.99. 3 or 4 carrots growing in one little pot together or $2.99.This is just exploitation of ignorance, and you won't really get much of anything for your efforts, so it is discouraging.
I do waste money by many of your standards. I buy single Pepper plants to get the varieties I want, I want many different weirder varieties. I buy 3 or 4 packs of Lettuce, I hope to get them earlier before the heat of summer, and I don't want a whole row full of the same type, I don't eat that much. I've had success buying 4 packs of Sugar Snap Peas, 2 plants per cell. Easier than dealing with the inconsistencies of early spring planting of seeds.
One other thing that annoys me is the separate selling of Green Bell Peppers and Red Bell Peppers... now the ignorant are reinforced in their belief that Green and Red Bells are completely different types of Peppers, Bonnie Plants wouldn't sell them like that otherwise. It would be funny if the Green and Red Peppers being sold are actually the same cultivar.
This post was edited by noki on Mon, May 26, 14 at 1:41
Sigh... root maggots. I cannot grow a decent radish because of these things. I planted 7 cauliflowers this year and only two will make it to fruition. The others I noticed wilting on cool days when the sun came out. Tugging on these plants would pull them right out of the ground revealing brown, stubby roots. I may try the tulle approach.
Oddly enough, my collards and kale do not seem effected. and the brussels sprouts only mildly.
Another approach is to place plastic disks around the plant stem to prevent the fly/larvae from getting to the roots. Never tried it so I don't know if it works.
I've bought from Daisy twice before and was very happy with their crowns. What they, and all asparagus crown sellers fail to mention is that the "all male" varieties are no longer that. I got about 50% female plants with my first order which was Jersey giant and jersey supreme (I think). The second time I ordered a new variety from them called "Vilmoreland" (sp?) or something like that. The percentage of male plants is much higher.
Hope this helps.
-Mark
First, carrots don't transplant well. They should be direct seeded in the garden or in the container you plan to grow them in to maturity.
Second, you took a tender plant that was grown inside and put it out in the intense sun. You have to gradually expose indoor plants to the outside a little bit at a time. You can't expect them to just be fine. Even if they were in a sunny window the light inside isn't as bright as it is outside. Reading up on how to harden plants off will help in your future.
Your carrots might survive if you give them some shade and take the time to properly harden them off. But whether they will make a carrot is anyone's guess (I wouldn't bet on it though).
Rodney
What bothers me about ants in the garden is having ants crawling up my legs as I'm weeding. That's enough reason for me to want to get rid of them when they are in certain areas. If the nests are out of the way I'm fine with them being there.
Question though: if the ants are herding the aphids, are they preventing the beneficials (ladybird beetles, etc) from eating the aphids as well? Do they attack the beneficials to protect the aphids?
Great little conversation to help me diagnose my problem. The ants are nesting right in the roots of the kale, which then wilts and dies. Must be too much air around the roots as suggested above. I did fertilize with high nitrogen recently as my gardens tend to be naturally low. Also used compost from the bin, maybe introducing the ants. I'll go check for aphids now and decide which delightful anticidal approach to follow.
Thanks for writing back to me. I live in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, It's autumn now but the weather is still hovering at 20 degrees so it's still quite warm. All my plants were started from seed. The plants that have sprouted are Bok Choy, Endive, watermelon radish, beetroot, onions (red, brown & white) spring onions and broccoli (barely). My leek just won't sprout and something is eating my carrot every time it pops up. Our three way is soil is actually a 5 way mix - it consists of two soil types and 3 kinds of manure, it is the best garden mix you can buy for your veggie patch. Seasol is a garden fertiliser made from seaweed, instructions are to add to your patch every two weeks
I grew a very successful garden last year which was very inspiring being a new gardener. Everything grew beautifully and we had fresh veggies well into the start of autumn... I haven't done anything different this season, I have prepared the garden the same as I had done at the start of spring. I checked the PH levels about a month ago and it's was ok but I will pop out now and double check
I hope I have answered your questions and clarified everything! THANK YOU
Agree that unlike normal garden plants, container plants all require regular nutrient supplements to compensate for all the nutrients that wash out whenever you water. Unfortunately it isn't as easy to time those applications to the growth cycle of the plants as it is when planted in ground.
Normally with tomatoes I only feed after each cycle of fruit set but when it is in a container it isn't possible to wait that long between feedings or the plant suffers.
Frequency of application also depends on which type fertilizer you are using.
You might check with the folks over on the Container gardening forum for tips on how they do it.
Dave
Weather or not you pinch the buds is up to you. Most times the first few will fall off on their own anyway. If it were mine I would leave it be for pinching off the buds. When the temps hit over 95 most will not pollinate anyhow. If you do decide to remove the buds wait till the flower opens, then snip it at the base of the flower.
Overall the plant looks healthy. Give half strength liquid ferts as per the label for schedule. When you water keep the water off of the leaves, and stem if you can. As well as avoid over watering, and also avoid letting it dry too much, then over watering to compensate.
I've tried Fortex, but Kentucky Wonder remains my favorite.
I just bought another cattle panel to make a second bean arch. I've been growing pole beans this way (on an 8-ft. arch) for several years, and can't say enough good things about it.
Here's how it looked in its first year . . .
Here is a link that might be useful: My Bean Arch
Ohhhh alisande, that bean arch is gorgeous! I haven't been able to figure out how to get cattle panels home from Tractor Supply. I've had to settle for rabbit panel (smaller) on a 8' trellis which my beans ALWAYS outgrow. But your arch is so inspiring, I may just have to pull the trigger and borrow my neighbor's truck, LOL
I have hit an area in my plant bed 5 times now in the last month, 3 with roundup and 2 with nut sedge killer, it's still there. The leaves get burned and die back, but then it comes back from the root. I feel like getting my money back on those products, this is ridiculous. I've also attempted to go way down and pull it up by the nut but most times it breaks off before I get it out.
I've dealt with it before which is why I asked about the green manure. i'll try a heavy planting of clover, buckwheat, & alfalfa this fall & see what happens. I won't use chemicals in the vegetable patch & have had little luck with chemicals for nut sedge in my flower beds. of course there's hardly any in my grass. I have a lot of clover in my lawn which I leave alone as it is the mainstay of the honey bees. when asked about nut sedge on another forum the responder told the person to move...........