23,948 Garden Web Discussions | Vegetable Gardening

Probably a little early yet, but if they don't like the soil temp now, the seeds will germinate when cooler weather arrives. When I lived in San Diego, I planted crimson clover in October, along with garlic & other winter crops (in separate locations). Broadcast some oats & peas into the clover as well. The peas didn't have time to mature before it was all turned under, but I got to harvest a lot of pea shoots.

Thanks for the responses.... harvesting pea shoots, that's interesting! I think I'll post a new cover crop question inspired by that comment.

I know a lot about computers gymgirl2, but I don't know much about phones. Sorry.

Have you looked in to buying a Bluetooth keyboard for it? They may have the home and end keys.

Or you can just hold the left mouse button down on the scroll bar.

Kevin

If the rootball is that tangled, the plant may be too old and rootbound for successful transplanting.

It is plant specific to a certain extent and it depends on how much root there is whether you want to try to spread the roots out. Plants that are small and not root bound don't need their roots spread out, and plants that don't have their roots messed with have less transplant shock. But sometimes you get transplants that are root bound and if those roots aren't spread a bit the plant likely will never thrive. But once you do that, they need extra attention paid to keep the roots moist at all times while they recover from their "surgery". And even with that done, a really badly root bound plant may remain stunted. Good luck can be had with that method on plants that are just becoming root bound, though. All transplants need a bit of extra water while they send their roots downward, but non-rootbound ones don't tend to need the TLC for as long after tranplanting as do the root bound ones.

It's good to leave it if you can, but if the result is too snarled with old roots and stems, it's just as effective to remove them to a compost pile and allow the decomposition process to proceed a bit further. You can always add that well-rotted material back into the bed for the next crop. This link might help:

Biodynamic French Intensive Method

Here is a link that might be useful: Alan Chadwick

If you are in zone 10 - as I am, this is the time to renew the soil and be ready for seed and seedling planting. October and November are our biggest planting months for the cool weather crops.

I'd dig out all the roots unless the planting area is not to be used until later time. The matted roots will not be a very hospitable place for young plants to try to push roots into.

In colder climates, with impending snow, the wet soil would soon reduce any roots and provide mulch for later plantings.

If you intend to plant soon, however, as I am, it would be best to dig deep and amend the existing soil with compost, bone meal, etc., and if any disease is suspected, stretching a clear sheet over the bed first - letting the sun "solarize" the soil first - would be beneficial.

I'm already ordering my seeds and amendments - getting ready for the big "October" push - here in zone 10.

bejay

Hmmm, it isn't exactly from the garden but I did grow it myself- roast heritage chicken! Extra fresh and extra good. I did include a fair bit of tarragon from the herb garden inside it and under the skin.

Oh, yummy!

I made the coconut zucchini soup again. So good! and it reminded me of this thread :).

A good general discussion on moles and gophers can be found here:

Biodynamic French Intensive Method

Both moles and gophers are a problem throughout the SF Bay area. Gophers tunnel deep, whereas moles crawl just under the surface. Gophers you can trap fairly easily, but moles are more difficult. See above link.

Here is a link that might be useful: Alan Chadwick

All of the above!
Most of my garden is in raised beds lined with gopher wire. I just mentioned the chattering devices because they actually have been working very well for us. I would be very afraid to try the garden without the hardware cloth!
When I create a new bed, I always dig/loosen the soil as deep as possible, then add horse manure Then I add the box lined with hardware cloth, then the soil/compost mix from the landfill (working some of it into the soil to fill in pockets before placing the box!)
Lastly the chattering devices! This year we tried them on our septic mound and they all went away! Just saying.... Nancy

Sow a nice, thick, crop of fava beans in September. They will protect the soil against heavy rains, fix nitrogen into the soil, and provide you with a lot of good organic matter to incorporate into the soil directly or add to the compost pile. Fertilize them with some well rotted cow manure or rich compost. See this link for more suggestions:

Biodynamic French Intensive Method

Here is a link that might be useful: Alan Chadwick

Any combination of the things mentioned. I used to bury a lot of fall leaves(layered). Some people plant rye, clovers, to be tilled in in the spring(green manure)
I would not add any manure now, because the nutrients will sink down by rain and snow water, unless you cover the bed with plastic.

I consider soil test and liming ,if needed, most important part of fall preparation. If your soil happens to be excessively acid, fall is the time to treat it. It take months for lime to get activated and bound into the soil.

This post was edited by seysonn on Sat, Sep 14, 13 at 4:56

My lettuce is now bitter and tough. I was told you can cut it off and plant the root part it will grow again. Is this true ?

Another great classical lettuce is Bibb. A good discussion of overall lettuce culture, with photos, can be found here:

Biodynamic French Intensive Method

Here is a link that might be useful: Alan Chadwick

CaraRose, in my experience nobody but gardening nuts like here on GW even thinks about planting crops in September, and so I can never find anything to plant at a nursery. I've had really good luck with planting seed in mid September, and then covering the new seedlings in October. Still, I wish you luck finding bedding plants!

Last year I found mixed lettuce (last six pack). Not sure if I'll luck out again there. Chard was easy to find because they sell fully mature plants as well as seedlings as ornamental here. My local nursery has bright lights chard everywhere.

I've not grown that particular one, but we planted something called Dinosaur Eggs from Henry Fields this year that sounds like it might be similar. We have greatly enjoyed them. Especially like them sliced about 1/2" thick slices with some olive oil rubbed on and grilled. They have been pretty prolific, even with all the weirdness Mother Nature "gifted" us with this summer. We will be planting them again next year hoping for the same good luck as his year's crop. Hope yours do well also! (We'll have to compare notes next year!!)
Edie

Never tried the Golden Egg, have grown round yellow zucchini ( One Ball, Sun Day). Dinosaur eggs is a mix of round grey, green, yellow hybrids. Golden Egg appears physically identical to Grenade.

Thanks for the suggestion carolyn. I normally prefer it just slightly under being completely ripe, a full ripe squash seems to sweet.

I thought that if you cooked it when it wasn't ripe you wouldn't be able to stringy noodle like texture.

I think the texture is kind of like Asian yam noodle or bean thread when the squashes are immature. It may not be possible to get LONG "noodles", depending on the stage of maturity.