23,948 Garden Web Discussions | Vegetable Gardening

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wertach zone 7-B SC

As Dave said, you need to get a soil test. And the PH meters aren't accurate. I have an expensive one and it will give me a reading of 7 but my soil tests at the lab give me a 6.

Another thought on the urea, I have saw bags of it at big box stores and it said "urea fertilizer derived from limestone". I'm not sure, but wouldn't that raise the PH? I was looking at them since my soil test said that I only need N, P is High, and K is a little high.

    Bookmark     April 9, 2014 at 12:10PM
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djkj(9b)

Not sure if anyone mentioned but its very important to not feed high Nitrogen to most (non-leafy) vegetables. Its OK to provide higher N in the first 2-3 weeks but switch to low N when flowering starts

Here is a link that might be useful: Why you need Low Nitrogen

    Bookmark     April 9, 2014 at 12:39PM
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digdirt2(6b-7a No.Cent. AR HZ8 Sun-35)

It could be over-watered... so if thats the case will it turn the proper color when the soil dries out a bit?

That is the most common cause but while any new growth will be darker color the pale/yellow leaves usually die and fall off. Whether that particular plant will survive all depends on how much root damage has been done already.

Dave

    Bookmark     April 9, 2014 at 12:00PM
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charlieboring

I grow yard-long oriental beans along my fence and allow them to run up strings on the fence. They grow great and we eat them routinely. Transplant them without harming their roots. Pesticide and weed killer tends to evaperate over time; I would give it 6 months. To be safe you could create a raised garden and use garden soil you know has no pesticides/weed killer.

    Bookmark     April 9, 2014 at 7:40AM
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vp_78

Thanks! Will do!

    Bookmark     April 9, 2014 at 12:35AM
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seysonn(8a WA/HZ 1)

You could have started them like in January -Feb as spring crop.

You might try radishes because they have a short life cycle.

    Bookmark     April 9, 2014 at 3:13AM
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alan290

cheapheap,

The reason wet heat is better at killing spores than dry heat is probably due to the fact that the specific heat of water is greater than that of air. For example, if you put your hand in an oven that is at 250 degrees, it would not burn you right away, but if you stuck your hand in boiling water that is 250 degrees, it would burn you instantly. The boiling point of water is 212deg F.

    Bookmark     April 8, 2014 at 11:48PM
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seysonn(8a WA/HZ 1)

Beeone made a good point about eating eggs for breakfast to be ok but how come composting it becomes harmful ? we are not eating the compost :) hehe

About the pressure -tempeature, wet and/or dry relationship.

What kills the bacteria is the temperature not pressure. Inside your car's tire there is twice as much pressure as in pressure cooker/canner but bacteria will/can live in it fine and produce spores too.

By pressurizing on heat we raise the boiling temperature of water ( aqueous medium). It does not matter wet or dry, solids or liquid parts. Given enough time temperature will be stabilized inside the vessel.

    Bookmark     April 9, 2014 at 3:07AM
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centexan254 zone 8 Temple, Tx

That is not irritating to me. It is in the mid to upper 70's here for day time highs. Lows in the .ow 50's. Though within the next 60 days lows will be in the 80's with highs in the low triple digits. Top that off with high humidity.

    Bookmark     April 8, 2014 at 5:25PM
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ZachS. z5 Littleton, CO

I have lettuce outside that I transplanted a week ago that refuses to grow any bigger because despite our lovely mid 50's daytime temps, we have lows in the 20's. Same with the mustard. It all sprouted nice, but now it doesn't want to grow any bigger until it gets warmer overnight temps. The only thing that seems to not have gone on strike right now is about half of the onions. It's going to be May before any of my cool season crops decide to grow and then it's straight to seed cuz day temps will be too high. There's just no pleasing some people (err, plants?).

I don't envy the 90's still too early for that crap, but steady 70's would be awful nice. Instead we get 3 days of 70F and then snow in forecast for this weekend, yippy!

    Bookmark     April 8, 2014 at 5:50PM
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centexan254 zone 8 Temple, Tx

My guess is over watering. Wait to water till the soil below the surface gets dry to the touch. The yellowing leaves are a huge sign of over watering. Let them dry out for a few days before watering again.

    Bookmark     April 8, 2014 at 5:22PM
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gjcore(zone 5 Aurora Co)

I'm guessing here but it looks like a heavy potting mix. For most seedlings it's better to use a seed starting mix. Probably root rot.

    Bookmark     April 8, 2014 at 5:23PM
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galinas(5B)

This is what I do in this case: Let's say I have a bed 5'X10''.
I plant my rows in parallel with 5' side. When I need to reach the middle of the bed, I take a 2''X2''X6' wood stud and lay it between rows on top of my 10' boards(like a bridge from one long side to anther). It is not enough to walk on it, but it is enough to put one foot there and get some support when leaning to the center of the bed. But it is only working with with short crop - like cabbages, carrots, beets and so on. With peppers and tomatoes I always make narrow beds to be able to reach the middle from pathway.

    Bookmark     April 8, 2014 at 12:00PM
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prairiemoon2 z6 MA

Thanks for sharing what works for you. That's another good idea. Lots of good ideas from everyone. Very resourceful.

    Bookmark     April 8, 2014 at 4:12PM
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terrybug

There's about 4 plants in the pot.
terry

    Bookmark     April 6, 2014 at 5:01PM
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wertach zone 7-B SC

I have never grown fennel, but it looks ready to me!

    Bookmark     April 8, 2014 at 1:18PM
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digdirt2(6b-7a No.Cent. AR HZ8 Sun-35)

Drilling holes in a pipe does not mean it is a *drip* system.
Thus, 30-minute run time may be more than enough water rather than too little.

Good point Jean but the cuts in most drip tapes are much larger than the ones the OP described so from his description I figured the odds were more likely drip than spray.

At least with drip tape you can calculate gph. With this set-up, who knows.

Dave

    Bookmark     April 4, 2014 at 9:57AM
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gmanar(7 CLT-NC/ HZ 7)

Hi All,

Thanks so much for the valuable input.
Finally i decided to scrap the idea. I am going to pull out the pipes this weekend. ( i will use the pipes to for the mini green house i am planning to build this winter :) )
I think for 2 beds of 4X15 - it is easier to hand water them, also i have some cinder blocks along one edge with garlic - and blueberry bushes there ... so even if i automate just the beds i still have to hand water the rest. I thought long and hard about automating those as well - but i think the complications and the maintenance of the automated system just is not fit for the size of the garden i have.

I learnt a lot - and again thanks for all the help.

Regards
Gmanar.

    Bookmark     April 8, 2014 at 9:12AM
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canokie

Thank you both for the responses.

McKenzie, that was a good suggestion about the metal straps instead of the 4"x4" corner posts. I'll look into that.

My climate is pretty hot and dry in the summer so some shade is actually welcome. And yes the north fence gets a lot of sun, even in winter. I'm planning to adapt the beds with hog panels to create some type of cold frame so I can grow greens along the north fence in the cooler months. For the west fence, which gets the afternoon shade, I was thinking blueberries.... I still haven't given up on growing blueberries lol! My current garden is in the northwest corner so it gets some shade and in comparing notes with my neighbor, who has his garden on the opposite side of the yard, we notice that he grows the best melons and peppers and I have better luck with tomatoes, greens, etc. I was hoping by having beds all along the perimeter that it would give me options so I could try to plant different crop where they would do best (though I also want to rotate crops so that gets a bit more challenging!) I am originally from Canada where pretty much everything I learned about gardening had to go out the window and I had to learn to garden all over again in this new climate.

Seysonn, thank you for the good advice you provided also. Sounds like you have about the amount of gardening space I'm hoping to end up with, 200 square feet or so. (The perimeter beds would give me about 170 square feet, and adding the two 4'x8' beds would provide about another 100 square feet.) I would love to see a picture of your garden if you don't mind sharing.

    Bookmark     April 7, 2014 at 11:39PM
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seysonn(8a WA/HZ 1)

You are welcome, canokie.

I am still making few more beds.
I will take a few pictures tomorrow. We have a relatively small backyard. So I have narrow walkways just wide enough to walk ( No lawnmower etc.)

    Bookmark     April 8, 2014 at 12:23AM
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prairiemoon2 z6 MA

Thanks tishtoshmn, I'd rather make our own then buy a kit, too.

Seysonn, I haven't figured out what I'm doing for supports or cold frame covers. It's not that I know something that pvc in the bed is going to be detrimental, I don't. I just have lived long enough to have thought a lot of things were safe, until 20 years later, when they figure out it's not. So instead of figuring out what is safe and what isn't,, I just try to stick with natural materials as much as possible.

    Bookmark     April 7, 2014 at 9:56AM
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seysonn(8a WA/HZ 1)

PM,
You can make them from wood too. PVC is just so simple and economical.

For cold frame top, I have used, plexi glass, clear plastic and some corrugated clear plastic ( called tuff(something)) You can also use common window glass. Then it can break easily.. Plexi glass is the best option but it costs more.

BTW: I make the top of my cold frame flat (not bowed). I think both cold frame and the hoop covers are dandy. Once you have them you cannot live without them. They are the next best thing to greenhouse.

    Bookmark     April 8, 2014 at 12:10AM
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digdirt2(6b-7a No.Cent. AR HZ8 Sun-35)

Spread it out thinly on a plastic tarp in the sun for a few days and they will leave. If unseasonable cold there right now spread another piece of clear plastic on top of it to generate more heat.

Dave

    Bookmark     April 7, 2014 at 5:15PM
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zzackey(8b GA)

Thank you!! It is 78 now. 70 tomorrow because of rain. I'll do that once the rain stops!

    Bookmark     April 7, 2014 at 6:10PM
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wissle_in_PA

Do I need to wait till my seedlings have their second set of leaves before I set outside?

    Bookmark     April 7, 2014 at 5:27PM
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wissle_in_PA

Do I need to wait till my seedlings have their second set of leaves before I set outside?

    Bookmark     April 7, 2014 at 5:33PM
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digdirt2(6b-7a No.Cent. AR HZ8 Sun-35)

I have always found legumes/beans to be very intolerant of N fertilizers of any kind. It is commonly recommended to avoid using N around them, even going so far as to plant them separately from nitrogen using crops to increase production. So that may be what "burned" his beans if indeed it was the cause of the problem. There are many other possible causes.

This of course assuming it was properly composted manure in the first place - 60-90 days before planting and 90-120 days prior to harvesting when used around consumables. If it wasn't well composted prior to application. then yes, it could easily cause problems for beans and anything else.

So if you spread it last fall and it has been composting for at least 60 days since then it should pose no problems for you now. But I still wouldn't use it around legumes.

Dave

    Bookmark     April 7, 2014 at 5:25PM
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