23,948 Garden Web Discussions | Vegetable Gardening

https://www.google.com/search?q=long+squash&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=xqAOU5LJIbLJsAS524GYBg&sqi=2&ved=0CCsQsAQ&biw=1241&bih=615

Long squash is easy to grow, less insect problem, it is a hot season crop, taste good too.

Nancy, he is not going to can anything. He will probably freeze some if he has enough.

OK! Therefore, since multiple plants are sprouting from the same cluster, would we still want to thin to 1 stalk per cell?

If you are growing for the beetroot then yes, single plants. Othersie you don't get roots just tops. That's one reason why beets are normally direct seeded. That plus the fact that they don't transplant well when that root is disturbed.

If you are growing them for the leaves, the tops only, then it makes no difference.

Dave

Otcay, that looks like what the Filipinos call Kamote, a sweet potato grown mainly for its leaves. I grew that for many years in SoCal, and even tried it once here. If that is the same one I grew, the tubers wander quite far from the plant, and are difficult to find (except by digging up the whole area). Those tubers were white & very twisted like the ones in your photo, and had a very dry texture when cooked. Dryness aside, they weren't bad tasting.

thank you. I think i'll slice these up and make sweet potato chews for the dogs!

Yeah, I don't remember if I pre-sprouted them or not when I grew them before. I've currently got them in a cold closet in the basement with no light since I probably wont be planting them until mid-late April (I'm hoping I didn't buy them early but I think they only get one shipment of seed potatoes each year and once they're gone, they're gone) so, Ill bring them out around the beginning of April to where it's warmer and with light to chit them. Then I just pick off the extra stems that spout huh? Too easy.

Maybe 8 inches is a bit deep for the trench. I probably do more like 4-6. It is true a high hill gets hot, but if the vines have grown well they pretty much cover it before mid-summer.

Could be purple hyacinth. They're black.

Indeed, I checked further after reading your response and they certainly are Purple Hyacinth.
Thanks....

Also, if you are worried about being inundated with melons, think about planting an early variety and a later variety. Some types store better than others.

Thanks all! Great advise! Nancy

Have you figured this out yet? I have the EXACT same thing! I'm in Austin and got a new cedar fence put in next to my raised garden beds last fall. Shortly after the fence went up, a 15 foot area was covered by these tiny little hard things from the picture, with the greatest infestation closer to the ground/garden. They soon covered my plants in the area and the plants ended up dying. They're not moist at all, and hard to the touch, so it doesn't sound like cabbage beetle. I tried spraying them with soap, but no change. Even now they're still there.

Artillery fungus spores as rhizo said above.

Dave

Here is a link that might be useful: Pics of artillery fungus spores

I go for SNOW also. But I like sugar snaps best. Snow peas are good in Chinese stir fry.

O' I just remembered ; I got to move and plant my peas ..TOMORROW. We are going to have a couple weeks of nice weather. per forecasts.

I tried the taste test method- definitely snow peas! Thanks everyone! I did try to grow snap peas too but half of them died when we got an unseasonable heat wave, but the survivors seem to be recovering. The snow peas are doing very well, glad I know what they are now, and should be able to tell them apart once the shelling peas start producing.

"Insects are great survivors."

Especially in urban or suburban areas, where they can take shelter in heated human structures. Unfortunately, that is where most vegetable gardens are located.

I too am hoping that the severe cold will reduce some insect pests... and since JB are just beginning to move into my area, it wouldn't break my heart to slow them down for a year or two. Maybe SVB will be reduced too, if we are lucky.

I'm not holding out too much hope for the deep freeze killing the stinkbugs since they like to overwinter in people's houses. Judging by the fact that we've picked up and flushed at least one a day all winter long (yes, even when it was below 0) and during this recent warm up (in the 40s), we've had more like 2-3 a day. We got horrible swarms here last year and I have no doubt that my attic and siding are full of them just waiting for warmth to emerge and harass us again.

This year, I'm planning on treating the house (inside and out) with cedarcide. It's the only thing that I feel comfortable using around my kids and pets (and my garden) - it's made from cedar oil. I may even use the outside stuff (PCO Choice) on my pear trees after petal fall. It doesn't affect sight-driven insects like bees and butterflies and other important pollinators, just scent-driven ones like fleas, ticks and stink bugs.

The stink bugs were so bad last year, when they swarmed it was like something out of a horror film... and my husband wonders why my girls are afraid of them, lol. They also ruined my whole pear crop last year. I'm not ready to put faith in the freeze killing them off, not considering that I've had the little pests in my house all winter. I'm going to be proactive this year to make sure we don't end up with a repeat of last year.

Melissa

Here is a link that might be useful: cedarcide

Just make sure when you buy that you are purchasing Saffron Crocus, ie Crocus sativus, and not Meadow Saffron, often miscalled Autumn Crocus, ie Colchicum autumnale. A very different plant and very poisonous. The two are often confused in articles and even catalogues due to their misleading common names.

Thanks floral_uk.

Yes. For production purposes one wants an entire field to head up so you get a maximum one time harvest. With Green Goliath, you may have ten days or so before the first head and last head.

Farmerdill, you have explained something that I didn't even know I had a question about, you are that good! :) My GG in previous years did seem to be all over the place in reaching maturity (the ones that did) and then this year I was growing something else and they all came right at once, making a broccoli glut for me. I vaguely attributed it to the weather, but now I know better, it was the variety. Cool, thanks.

Agree that this is a non-issue. You probably have more acids on your garden cull pile from the salad dressings of left-over salads over the season.

I recall a pre Hay-Gard,etc. time when we would hand spread a full bucket of salt over every layer of hay stacked in the barn that was baled at higher moisture. The cows loved that hay but I'm not sure it would have been such a good hay to mulch with.

Thanks everyone.

I was just thinking about the hay, if used as a mulch, would prohibit molds, fungus, and bacteria from breaking it down. I know propionic acid is naturally occurring and I do lime every once in a while, and should pose little threat to the plants.

I am planning to switch to the lasagna-style this year to see how it goes for weeds. I'm trying to get the wife out there to harvest more, since I work a lot during summer...and she has no idea what are weeds to pull vs. vegetables.

Yes what Kevin said, and every fall after your veggies (or whatever) are done for the year, pull it all out, put down more compost, mulch, and let it sit all winter. Then the next spring it will be even better soil than the year before and ready for planting. Keep doing this every year and you'll have the best soil in the neighborhood.

And use the weeds pull , except for the roots of perennials, to start a compost heap. They grew with nutrients in your garden, so it makes sense to put them back in there.

I actually prefer to grow eggplants in pots. There are fewer (but not none) flea beetles that way. They produce extremely well. Digdirt is right about the fertilizer. Half strength miracle grow (or other liquid fertilizer) weekly and osmocote once a month. I use the same regimen on pepper plants in pots too.

Thank you for your answer. I kind of had the notion I'd try out some square foot gardening this year so there are two small raised beds which will be mostly just peppers, so no peppers in pots this year.