24,795 Garden Web Discussions | Vegetable Gardening

Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
meredith_e Z7b, Piedmont of NC, 1000' elevation

Assuming fire ants can be baited like many ants (and I believe y'all who live with them), I'd think a boric acid bait would be safe around the garden (underground, etc). It does a great job of killing ants, but you would want them to take it in a baited form to carry it where it's most needed. That won't be immediate kill, but with my ant problems it's usually within a week that they are all dead.

I got stung by a couple of Asian Needle Ants just this week, so I'm totally checking out y'all's suggestions here for what to put on ant stings. Ow!! Those suckers look completely harmless, but they are really painful! (They eat termites, though, so I'm not killing that little nest).

    Bookmark    
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
chas045(7b)

rhizo_1. I take issue with your dismissive attitude to my post since you seem to essentially agree with me. It appears that you are not listening to your own opinions. My best guess to your concern with my post being silly is its remark about needing medical care but then you go on about gardening with extreme care etc. It doesn't sound like you would suggest standing on a fire ant nest and digging a bunch of holes now would you?

I will admit that I was attempting to go strong on the pain etc. because (as no one seems to have noted) I was suggesting that the OP probably had other than fire ants. However, it appears that I was probably more correct than I expected. I am appending a partial link from Alergist on Normal Reaction to fire ants. Preceding this is a description of the more dangerous allergic responses.

What is a normal reaction to a fire ant sting, and how is it treated?

The severity of a fire ant sting reaction varies from person to person. One of the main differences between fire ants and other insects is that a usual sting event consists of multiple fire ants stinging. This is because when a fire ant mound is disturbed hundreds to thousands of fire ants respond. In addition, each ant can sting repeatedly. Each ant will bite and hold on with its mandibles (jaw) and sting several times. If not removed, this results in a little semi-circular pattern of stings. Since fire ants hold on with their mandibles, they often have to be pulled off individually and are not easily brushed off when they are stinging.

Almost all people stung by fire ants develop an itchy, localized hive or lump at the sting site, which usually subsides within 30 to 60 minutes. This is followed by a small blister within four hours. This usually appears to become filled with pus-like material by eight to 24 hours. However, what is seen is really dead tissue, and the blister has little chance of being infected unless it is opened. When healed, these lesions may leave scars.

A large local reaction can occur. This will result in swelling that extends beyond the sting site. For example, a sting on the forearm could result in the entire arm swelling. Although alarming in appearance, this condition is often treated the same as a normal reaction. An unusually painful or very large local reaction may need medical attention. Because this condition may persist for two to three days, antihistamines and corticosteroids are sometimes prescribed to lessen the discomfort.

    Bookmark    
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
loribee2(CA 9)

Don't forget that your donation is tax deductible! My food bank weighs my produce and gives me a receipt. Of course, determining the amount of the deduction is the real challenge. Here is some information from TurboTax on the subject, for those who are curious.

Here is a link that might be useful: Turbo Tax on Food Donations

    Bookmark    
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
blrhudugi

Monmouth Master Gardeners sponsored by Rutgers Extension has something very similar to what hothabaneroLady posted. We have a Plant a Row for the Hungry (called the PAR garden). All the Master Gardener interns participate in planting and maintaining the garden. All the produce is donated to the local food banks.

Last year, the interns grew 3400 lbs for this cause - way to go Master Gardeners. This year, the produce hasn't been that bountiful, still we have probably crossed a 1000 lbs. so far.

And like mentioned above, it does not have to be the large quantities, you can donate your extra tomatoes or beans. They appreciate every bit.

Great cause, and thanks for the shout out.

    Bookmark    
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
planatus(6)

I consider basil to be a pretty short-term crop and start seeds three times during the growing season. I'm just ready to set out the last ones now.

I think the small-leaf varieties hold better in the garden. In your situation, I'd look at the globe basils, which are a great fit in raised beds.

This year my top performer has been Opal purple basil. The spring plants are still looking good, no so for the green Genovese.

    Bookmark    
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
nancyjane_gardener(Zone 8ish North of San Francisco in the "real" wine country)

Actually, I think I'll start a few to go through fall. We're usually still going strong through November. NT

    Bookmark    
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
lkzz(7b)

Sounds like powdery mildew.

Here is a link that might be useful: Controlling or Eliminating Powdery Mildew

    Bookmark    
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
springtogarden(6A)

Soon after my pumpkin was pollinated and was just a bit bigger than the size of a golf ball, my finger nail went into it. It continued to grow just fine. I didn't cut into the center of it and it wasn't as deep as I thought it was. It just scabbed over.

    Bookmark    
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
nancyjane_gardener(Zone 8ish North of San Francisco in the "real" wine country)

Rodney, my hubby is a professional pumpkin (and wood) carver and has been asked to do this early in the season. It's pretty cool with names and such, but the portraits get very weird looking! LOL Nancy

    Bookmark    
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
peachymomo(Ca 8)

As long as I know that I can treat it like a winter squash I'm happy, I wasn't sure when to harvest.

On a different note, are the blossoms edible like zucchini blossoms? They look pretty yummy to me...

    Bookmark    
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
Lakegran

These do have the blossom scar so I will just wait for them to mature... I am not really sorry I do love the buttercup and they keep so well through the winter. Luckily my son is getting a bumper crop of yellow summer squash. :)

    Bookmark    
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
azzure08

I never had this problem before but I have moved so now I have the problem they Dietrich the cherry yellow pears at all. They also ate an unripe one too but I will take the ones that are turning off. Thanks for the advice

    Bookmark    
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
azzure08

Did not*

    Bookmark    
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
nygardener(z6 New York)

I've had them produce from July until frost. As long as I pick the cukes before they become pale and seedy, the plants remain productive indefinitely. Check them frequently, though  one or two that become overripe are enough to make the plant think it's succeeded in reproducing, and die.

    Bookmark    
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
SSZLAZ(usda zone 10)

cucumber plants in general start to flower after about 4o days from sowing seeds and continue to produce for another two months. There are many factors affecting the life expectancy of plants to produce such as weather conditions, temperature, lights, feeding, watering and plants diseases and insects infestation.

    Bookmark    
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
digdirt2(6b-7a No.Cent. AR HZ8 Sun-35)

Could you post a photo please. Otherwise we can only make guesses as to what it might be. Flea beetles are the most common pest and their damage has a classic appearance. You can find photos of it on the web to compare with yours.

Dave

    Bookmark    
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
oldgardenguy_zone6

It's Fall garden time Bean, Beets Swiss Chard plant now mid Aug til 1st week Sept. radishes, turnips , spinach , snap peas & lettuce things that like the cool in spring will thrive in the fall as well. I start my own plants so I've set out some tomatoes, cabbage and broccoli . My second crop of sweet corn is over knee high planted it on 7/20

    Bookmark    
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
galinas(5B)

catherinet, there is much simpler way to have skinless tomatoes out of the fridge! Freeze them in their skins - it also will prevent them from drying out. Then when you ready to use them, take them out of the freezer, place in hot water for few seconds(I usually just wash them under hot running water) - and skin just slips out of tomato.

    Bookmark    
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
adc14

Wayne, so what do you use to control them?

    Bookmark    
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
galinas(5B)

After several years fighting them, I placed my cucumbers in vertical trellis inside a screen house we made. Squashes and melons under row cover until they start to flower. Beetles still come, but they do not kill squashes and melons, and their wave is usually passing very fast, when they can't get to the cucumbers. I am planting Little Leaf and Adam cucumbers - they do not require pollinators. There are many more varieties that do not require pollination.

    Bookmark    
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
sunnibel7 Md 7(7)

I haven't done it, but go check the hot pepper forum, there are plenty who have. You can ask them or just use the search function to check that forum for the many previous threads that talk about it. Cheers!

    Bookmark    
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK

I grow all my peppers inside because it is just not hot enough for them to really thrive outside. They are really easy. I just use windowboxes and container mix. They are in a glazed porch rather than on a window sill and you'd need to try to find the sunniest place you have in the house.
Hungarian Wax.

    Bookmark    
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
planatus(6)

You might want to look at Red Dale, an early high moisture (waxy) potato.

    Bookmark    
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
ltilton

Looks good, planatus. Do you have a good source for it?

    Bookmark    
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
farmerdill

It is winter type squash, possibly a pumpkin

    Bookmark    
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
thirsty_dirt_77(3a)

Could be an acorn squash...

    Bookmark    
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
Babka NorCal 9b

Poisonous? Some probably are, but I have been eating young, Fresh Kentucky Wonder and Blue Lake green beans raw my whole life. Only about half of beans I pick make it back to the kitchen.

-Babka

    Bookmark    
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
2ajsmama

Favas and limas have to be cooked (though I understand newer varieties of limas aren't as toxic). UMN says kidney beans are, I think all beans grown for dried beans might be, soybeans have to be cooked too.

Snap beans/string beans are OK raw even when you let the seeds get big. I eat raw snap beans all the time, though maybe only half a dozen at a time. So does my dad.

I didn't know hyacinth beans are toxic when raw, apparently after they turn from green to red. We were in the community garden at the church tonight and they were picking what I thought were scarlet runner beans but could have been hyacinth beans, I had part of 1 raw DD gave to me after taking a bite, the mother and son picking them were nibbling them too. I have to check into that more - I'm sure a couple bites are OK, but the boy was younger (maybe 5) and I don't know how many he ate.

Update: not hyacinth, they were long thin beans, possibly yard-long beans though they weren't that big yet, they were picking them about 6 inches long. Round cross section, not flat like hyacinth. The flowers were not typical bean flowers though - I didn't see any open, but they were furled, almost looked like morning glory but purple. Any idea what they were? Vining type planted on the arched gate.

Here is a link that might be useful: UMN Beans

This post was edited by ajsmama on Wed, Aug 6, 14 at 21:09

    Bookmark