24,795 Garden Web Discussions | Vegetable Gardening

Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
jonfrum(6)

You can start pulling them now, but I'd wait until the necks brown. If the leaves are green all the way down to the bulb, the bulbs are still growing. And they'll keep longer if the necks are fully brown and dried.

    Bookmark    
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
jack922(6)

When one half of the tops have fallen over, gently push the rest of them over. In a few days pull them and let dry in the sun. We have had good luck the past few years, keeping them in our spare refrigerator. Store them in a netted onion sack. Check them often, usually have them keep till mid Dec.

    Bookmark    
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
ju1234((8 Dallas TX))

This looks like a Columbian squash (go by a Mexican grocery store to see one, they usually have it).

    Bookmark    
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
elisa_z5

Taste it -- even if they sold you a cross pollinated plant, it may still taste good. You could try using it young (green) like you would zucchini, and once it's orange you could use it in any recipe that calls for pumpkin or winter squash. I usually taste stuff raw, and if it's passable raw, it will taste better cooked and with seasonings.

Or look up recipes for Columbian squash!

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

Just as with fruit splitting, vine splitting is caused by inconsistent watering practices. Excessive wet periods followed by very dry and then wet again - whether it be rains or gardener-supplied. As the moisture levels move from one extreme to the other the stems swell then shrink, then swell again and crack/split.

To prevent it we have to do everything we can to stabilize the soil moisture levels.

Dave

    Bookmark    
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
homegrown71

Okay. I will try to stabilize my watering. Will my plant survive?

    Bookmark    
Tomato IssueSame old tune........ Prolly EB huh?
Posted by gltrap54
2 Comments
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
planatus(6)

Yep, you can tell it's early blight because some of the newer lesions (center leaf) show a bull's-eye pattern. No big deal. Clip off the lower leaves to 12-18 inches and keep your fingers crossed that it stops raining during the evening hours.

    Bookmark    
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
gltrap54

Thanks planatus! Yeah, in spite of my best effort....... Spray fungicide from incubation...... Pffffft......... Cold have bought Heineken with the money.........

    Bookmark    
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
Ohiofem(6a Ohio)

I also am on the border between 5a and 6b with lower than normal temperatures. I saw more stink bugs indoors during winter when we had record breaking cold of -15 to -20 than I have seen this summer. I've seen only a handful of Japanese beetles and only one tomato worm, no aphids and also almost no lady bugs. Last year there seemed to be hordes of them. The photo is of the only hummingbird (or sphinx) moth I've seen this summer when I normally have many of them along with a host of swallowtails. My plants seem to be getting enough visits from pollinators, but I haven't seen any bumble bees or honey bees this summer.

On the other hand, the cold, damp weather has been very inviting to disease. I had to trash a couple tomato plants and many petunias, which normally thrive here, due to fungus infections. And my tomatoes, peppers and eggplants are a couple weeks behind in producing. Okra is pitiful.

I have been on this earth for many decades, and I think weather patterns are changing in significant ways.

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

By the way, Ohiofem, that is a gorgeous pic!

    Bookmark    
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
woohooman San Diego CA zone 10a

gardengal: It's true. Overhead watering is discouraged with many veggies because of fungal issues. But your spraying an anti-fungicide, so the practice isn't so frowned upon then. At least that's what I've reasoned.

As far as the quick spray every morning thing. Dunno how others do it. I mulch with keeps moisture in and reduces dust and occasionally give the mulch a good soaking. and yes, in the morn.

And you're doing the right thing in being proactive with prevention. Usually, it's identify, then treat. But with mildews and fungal issues, it's always best to treat before you see the symptoms.

Kevin

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

Thank you, Kevin! Mulch is just great all around :). I didn't even think about the dust aspect. That's helpful for hard rain storms too. I am happier with prevention this year than last year's discovery and treat, yikes. Newbie gardener to raised beds last year and had lots to learn lol and still learning. Thanks again and hope your garden is doing well!

    Bookmark    
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
pd0xgard_

I think I got that beat ;) This one is growing about 5 ft off the ground, hanging on/in our forsythia bush.

    Bookmark    
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
pd0xgard_

Far away shot....

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

I've cut them up and used them in a stir fry. Zucchini, onion/scallion and tomatillo make a nice combination. Add chopped tomato or tomato sauce for a nice mix. I either add soy sauce or herbs, depending on what I crave.

    Bookmark    
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
donna_in_sask(2b)

In the Food forum, someone makes enchiladas using salsa verde made with tomatillos...you might want to ask there or do a search in that forum.

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

I'm sorry: I can't remember the name. I can't remember how I was able to find it before. It is essentially a weed, but I believe that I found that some in Asia eat the stuff with the flower. Perhaps they even cook the leaves similar to Poke Weed, but perhaps my mind is playing tricks on me about that. With all that almost useless info, I just wanted to let you know that you can consider it to be a weed and yank it/them out.

edit--- OK, found it by searching on 'heart shaped leaf weed'. From Wikipedia: It is Velvetleaf and has been grown in China since around 2000 BCE for its strong, jute-like fibre. The leaves are edible, stir-fried or in omelette. The plant is known as maabulha in the Maldives and its leaves were part of the traditional Maldivian cuisine, usually finely chopped and mixed with Maldive fish and grated coconut in a dish known as mas huni.[4] The seeds are eaten in China and Kashmir.[5]

Wikipedia goes on to say it is invasive in the US and inhibits conventional crops.

This post was edited by chas045 on Fri, Jul 18, 14 at 20:51

    Bookmark    
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
rich

Great info chas045! I was hoping it was a vegetable of some sort. Oh well, maybe I'll try the leaves.

Thanks!

    Bookmark    
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
glib(5.5)

I would try only vegetables that require less nitrogen. carrots, parsnips (too late), bush beans.

    Bookmark    
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
farmerdill

Should work fine for beans tomatoes etc. It would be a similar apprach to one of the latest fads. Hugelkultur.

Here is a link that might be useful: Hugelkultur

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

Blast with water from the hose. Repeat at intervals of a few days. Aphids are weak creatures and once they are knocked off they will have trouble getting back on the plants.

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

Probably a bird or possibly even another very large wasp (hornet). Considering how many of them get eaten (from within or without) I'm always amazed there are any left to reproduce!

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

They will shrivel up and die...they are food for the eggs that were implanted inside them by the wasp, hatched and then came to the surface as pupa. By the time you see the pupa (the white rice-like things) the worm has been a host for a while.

It could have fallen off...sometimes they stay on the plant - brown and dried up.

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

Is that what that is? My word I would have never guessed a horseradish plant! I've never grown one before and I was way off on what family it belonged to lol. I did find about 5 bugs. 2 on each side of my plot and one towards the end ( I have one big plot at a community garden). I have a lot of lady bugs and I have seen webs so I have spiders plus I have seen a beetle that eats bugs and two Daddy Long Leg spiders so maybe they will balance them out?! If not, I can hand pick them off into a soapy water. I just didn't want to kill them in case they were beneficial. Thanks so much for your help :)!

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

rhizo_1, I will be back to the plot on Monday and will borrow someone's camera. Mine is the worst for small things. Zooming makes it blurry but far away looks like a brown dot so I will post some pics then. Thanks for looking :)!

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

What causes it to happen is a stress of some sort for the plant. Those possible sources of stress are many but sufficient but not too much water, good environmental conditions, and plenty of available nutrients are the two most common causes.

And since sufficient water is easy to supply that leaves over-watering (which most do), poor environmental conditions (cooler and wetter than normal as it is for many this year), and lack of nutrient issues.

So what has your weather been like? How much sun exposure? What and how often have you fed them? What soil mix are you using in your containers? How big are the containers? How much and how often are you watering? Same as in previous location may not be needed and habits are hard to break.

Dave

    Bookmark    
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
atrox(7- N. Atlanta, GA)

The boxes are 4x10x1 ft. I used a mushroom compost mixed with coarse vermiculite and peat moss. I neglected fertilizer this year since the compost was new. It was very wet in May and these boxes are getting less direct sun than my previous gardens. So, I am guessing all of these factors could have been my problem?

All of my veggies seem to be doing a little less well at this new location than I've previously grow (lower yields and disease problems earlier than I've seen before). Unfortunately, this new house has limited areas with really good sun exposure (I planted a pepper and a tomato in the front of the house yesterday where there is great sun... waiting to see if the neighbors complain).

I am wondering if I try again with zucchini in the same location next year or save the space for other veggies?

Thanks!

    Bookmark    
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
edweather(Zone 5a/b Central NY)

Potatoes can be a bit fragile as the season wears on. They might be done, but you should have potatoes after almost 3 months. They don't always flower. You might try removing the bad foliage and try some fungicide and a dose of fertilizer to extend their season a little.

    Bookmark    
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
Skie_M(Zone 7 (Southwestern Oklahoma)

I'm thinking, since you didn't do that "hill" thing ... it could be over-watering for that particular variety?

    Bookmark