24,795 Garden Web Discussions | Vegetable Gardening

Plaidbird,
No, I really don't have anywhere to attach string to. These are actually in a garden plot. Maybe some kind of wooden trellis? My mom thought that we could put a tomato cage behind them--but there is only about 5 inches behind them where our brick garage starts--so a cage would not fit.

I'm getting a better picture now. Sure a trellis will work. In fact, for three beans, you could probably make a little trellis with things you find around. I've done trellises out of what ever was closest sometimes. Twigs go together with twine, just be sure to use at least one tall, sturdy stick as the main support.
I had a neighbor that plants two or three red runner beans and lets them run up a long piece of bamboo. I miss seeing it now that she's moved. Used to be there every year.
If you have the name of the type of bean, goggle it to see how tall it gets then you can plan ahead. The ones I have this year say eight feet.

I believe my grafting days are done......... ;)
I think you'll find that to be true for many.
Grafted tomatoes were first developed to aid in coping with heavily infested soil borne diseases, the terminal viral diseases that are a common problem in much of the deep south. It was supposed to give the plant additional resistance and to a degree it works.
But from there the concept seemed to explode - thanks to a hyperbole-filled marketing strategy - to all parts of the country. Even where the viral diseases didn't exist.
All sorts of additional benefits were claimed - "2x the production". bigger fruit, better tasting fruit, guaranteed to prevent Early Blight (which is air borne), etc. etc. All of those claims allowed the high prices for the plants, the grafting tools, etc.
But tomato plants have been grown successfully for centuries without grafting so eventually common sense will prevail. :)
Dave

there is a drain hole and i have been using liquid plant food in the water mix about every two weeks. ya was just shocked to see so many ichiban growing fruit when i came back and none yet on the black beauty and also the yellow leaves, so just wanted to make sure. guess we shall see. pot may be tad undersized too i suppose, first year trying eggplants so all new to me

They'll start producing soon. Mine are usually about 3 weeks or so behind the ichibans. Seysonn is right, ichibans produce early, prolifically, and through to fall. The black beauties are later, not as prolific, and don't last quite as long. They are still respectable producers though and are good for culinary variety.


I will definitely do something whether it be chicken wire or something for them to cling onto! Wow who would've guessed they grew that high!
Are there many pests or bugs that eat/damage beans in south florida? As I may have mentioned, didn't have a very successful season for cucumbers or summer squash. :(


It is called Downy Mildew - lots of info available on it now that you have the name. It can be prevented or controlled with fungicide sprays when caught early but this is already far too advanced in your photo to save. I'd pull and destroy the plant and replant.
Dave

Dave you are a wealth of information. :)
For the most part my garden has been looking fantastically healthy, but in the last two weeks it seems there has been a downturn. I'm guessing daily rain hasn't helped.
I've looked up some info on that - I did already pull that particular plant but have a couple of others that I guess I'll do next. It appears it is a fungal issue, so I assume this means it can affect its neighbors. Sad, but... I guess these things happen.
I did a little more research and it seems the squash has wet rot, judging by the moldy baby fruits. Ah well, I have a second set growing so maybe it will make up for it. I may try staking them... especially if the weather continues as it has lately.
Thank you!

They play dead and drop when you get near, so rather than trying to grab them, it will be easier to hold a bucket or jar of soapy water under them and knock them into it. you should be able to get 50 or 60 in about 5 minutes, and then keep going!
You can also hire neighborhood kids to drown them. When we were kids, that was a lucrative job in our neighborhood.

Thank you so much for all of the responses. It looks like Diva is getting everyone's vote, so will try that. Also, the Armenian is a relative of cuke, but sounds so tempting, I might try this one as well. Just for a chance of different flavor. ju_12234, what exactly does it taste like to you?
It also says it's great for hot climates, which I have.

On Seed Savers Exchange there is an organic cucumber variety called "Poona Kheera" which is not only an absolutely delicious cucumber variety but has less "burp effects" and the burps, if at all are actually less bothersome. Just make sure you harvest these cukes before the skin turns brown.
I am growing this variety this year as well in my garden.
Here is a link that might be useful: Poona Kheera

Kevin,
Unlike peppers , cukes don't like real HOT weather, cause you eat them young and tender. But since Sandi area has cool nights, cukse should do fine until they just get tired, provided they don't get Powdery Mildew. Having said that, I would put the pot in place with partial sun/shade. And be ready to water it more often After all cucumber if mostly H2O.
I think you can grow ONE in a 5 gal. bucket. You will need to stake it unless you put the bucket next to a structure that you can tie the vines to it. Unless you are planting a bush type.
Good luck !



I did that with some yellow squash and butternut squash this year (too many in one mound). So...I transplanted the extras to a different spot. The yellow squash took very well, the butternut I had to baby - they were a bit shocked (kept watered, shielded from the sun). Doing fine now. Hoping for a good butternut squash crop...love, love, love.



It takes me more than a year, usually two, to use up a packet of broccoli or cabbage seeds, so I can only try so many updated varieties. Gypsy broccoli is fast and makes big heads. I think I like it better than Diplomat, the packet I'm working through now, which is also the variety many local organic growers are using. I've done well with small, fast cabbages like Pixie, Gonzales, Caraflex (pointed) and Alcosa (savoy).
No favorites on B sprouts. The top hybrids haven't been very impressive, so I'm trying OP Catskill this year and planning to fertilize the heck out of it. B sprouts grow into huge 3-foot plants, and I don't see how they can do that in 60 days. When days are getting shorter in fall, you should add 21 days to the estimated maturity time for veg varieties except leafy greens anyway.
Sunshine, I direct seed the rutabagas, carrots and leafy greens, and start all the others in containers. To get the seeds up in hot summer soil, I often cover straight rows with boards held aloft with bricks. With broadcast beds I cover wire hoops with an old sheet, secured with clothespins, to gentle down the sun. In dry years I've looped soaker hoses into squiggles and circles and planted direct-seeded crops in the drip line.








It looks like acacia tree seeds - do you have any such tree around? They sprout pretty easy in my zone 5 - I pull them out every year. One tree is enough for me)
Here is a link that might be useful:
I agree that it looks like a tree seed, although I would suspect a fruit tree, which would explain how the seeds are being dispersed (possibly by animals eating the fruit). In California, there could be a lot of exotic fruit trees to choose from. If there are loquats nearby, that would be my first guess. I was fortunate to live near a property with a lot of loquats when I lived in SoCal, they are wonderful eaten fresh, and the seeds resemble those in the photo.