23,822 Garden Web Discussions | Vegetable Gardening

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sandyslopes z5 n. UT

About the "like" button. I wasn't sure about it at first, but I can see the usefulness of it. It's an easy way to say, "thanks" or "I like what you said" when I have nothing more to add at that moment.

I don't want people to go to the trouble of opening a thread with the expectation of a new comment to read, and then all it is, is me saying "thanks," or saying "nice picture." So I "like" it instead.

1 Like    Bookmark     March 26, 2015 at 8:33PM
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Miss_Moose (Winnipeg, Canda. Zone 2)

I hate the new format. I'm not a fan of unexpected change in a place of my life where I've given trust and grown attached to a resource that helped me do a new thing. It's just my luck though, whenever I find something, it always seems to experience a "big change" shortly thereafter. Not sure why, but I've noticed the trend over the years.

I came here to find help for my very first garden, and in my mind was planning to come right back here about this time, revving up for garden #2 in zone 2/3. Came here, and thought I was lost. Found the garden forum buried in the website, but at least the vegetable garden forum still exists. I hate the white on grey scheme, it's hard on the eyes. Don't you know lots of us gardeners are older and reading shouldn't be made any harder?? :( R.I.P. Old Gardenweb.com. *sheds a tear*

    Bookmark     April 1, 2015 at 8:15PM
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glib(5.5)

I cut and plant immediately. But to protect them against rot, I dip the cut part in wood ash first. I planted today the whole potatoes which had sprouted well, but I am holding back the big ones that will have to be cut, and the small ones which have not sprouted, the soil is just too cold right now.

    Bookmark     April 1, 2015 at 5:08PM    Thanked by Else
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Else(5)

That's interesting to know!

    Bookmark     April 1, 2015 at 7:39PM
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Anthony(7a)

thanks. I meant to buy some this year, but could not find them locally (and then just took my chances -- DOH!)

Seems like at least half of them are perking up and starting new growth. I'll trim the dead off later today.

    Bookmark     April 1, 2015 at 5:19AM
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vanisle_bc

daves10z7annv said "not sure why in your zone-same as mine-you start them indoors."

Could be to avoid seeds rotting in cold wet soils? That can be a problem here on the southwest coast of Canada, with early plantings. I don't picture that as a problem in Virginia though.

    Bookmark     April 1, 2015 at 5:42PM
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digdirt2(6b-7a No.Cent. AR HZ8 Sun-35)

Having to buy plants will limit your choices to what is available locally. So we could list all sort of suggestions for you but few of them may be available. Most local plant suppliers can tell you which of their varieties are ok for containers.

But that raises another issue. What size of containers are you talking about? That alone will make a BIG difference in what plants you can grow. The usual "flower pots" don't work for tomatoes. 5 gallon containers is the smallest recommended but bigger is better.

In zone 7 you can grow any variety you wish so it will be the big containers and soil-less potting mix plus the watering and feeding you provide that will make all the difference. Check out the Growing Tomatoes forum here as well as the Container Gardening forum for many discussions about which varieties work best in containers.

then I;d suggest you go to your local supplier and make a list of what plants are available and let us know the names. We can then tell you which of them might work for you.

Dave

1 Like    Bookmark     April 1, 2015 at 1:53PM    Thanked by scoustenis
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scoustenis

Okay, I'm using 18" tall x 18" diameter grow bags so I think I'm good there. I'll need to wait until the tomato plants are stocked at the nurseries and then I'll post the varieties available. Thanks for your help!

    Bookmark     April 1, 2015 at 2:08PM
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digdirt2(6b-7a No.Cent. AR HZ8 Sun-35)

Looks to me like you may have a bad infestation of mites and even some possible aphids. Had to tell from the pics for sure but I would sure examine the underside of those leaves with a magnifying glass and treat accordingly.

Dave

    Bookmark     April 1, 2015 at 9:22AM
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jenandwya

Baker creek heirloom seed company Suyo Long cuke

    Bookmark     March 16, 2015 at 9:51AM
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prairiemoon2 z6 MA

I'm sure you've already ordered your seed by now, but I thought for the sake of someone in the future pulling up this thread, I would add the cucumber that I had great results with last year. We had no pest or disease issues and had so many cucumbers we were sick of them. [g]

Ministro from Fedco

Ministro Cucumber

    Bookmark     April 1, 2015 at 1:12AM
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galinas(5B)

What I found for myself.. In order to be ready for gardening season, you have to take care about yourself in winter. Which means gym, or any other activities you can find to keep yourself fit. Summer will bring it all back, but spring is usually the most hard time to adjust. One year I made myself to keep moving in winter(I hate gyms), and spring work was much easier. This year it wouldn't be that easy - long sedating winter and I guess very short spring...

    Bookmark     March 31, 2015 at 2:11PM
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tcgardener

I gotta give you kudos for tenacity! 3 years running is a long time. I've had broken ribs and they can really break one's spirit to do many tasks.

    Bookmark     March 31, 2015 at 7:45PM
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cecile138

Thanks, Rina, I am still trying to find that white box. Anyway, I have found another post where someone recommended just pruning off the bolting part. That was my first instinct too, but I know nothing about horseradish, so I thought I would ask. Hope this is right! Cutting it off in the morning!

Cecile

    Bookmark     March 31, 2015 at 7:36PM
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cecile138

Ah! Found it, Rina, thank you! Cecile

    Bookmark     March 31, 2015 at 7:37PM
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glib(5.5)

No, they should germinate. I have in my lifetime received six to eight bad packets, and these specialty veggies tend to do that more than regular varieties. Unless your heat mat is really too hot. Try a few seeds at room temperature.

    Bookmark     March 31, 2015 at 5:23PM
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Kim Kimura

The basil does not seem worse. I might even say slightly better than a week ago. I did snip off all the funky looking leaves. But they don’t seem to be taking off yet. They’ve been in the ground for 2 weeks now. I’ve heard it can take several weeks for basil to take off. Is that true?

As for the watering, I noticed during the day they were wilting. I know plants can wilt a bit during the daytime when it’s warmer, but my gut was telling me to water them anyway, because they were looking pretty sorry, so I did. And they perked up again. But what has me confused is that even after the sun had gone down they remained wilted, but the moister meter I’m using was indicating good moisture level, so I was reluctant to water. But after a few days of noticing this I decided I was watering, regardless of what the moisture thingy was telling me, and the plants perked up as I mentioned...

What the heck?

    Bookmark     March 31, 2015 at 1:04PM
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balloonflower(5b Denver CO, HZ 5-6, Sunset 2b)

Basil can wilt slightly in sun, then perk later. Have you tested your moisture meter to make sure it's reading correctly? My digital has been pretty good for me so far, but my manual multi one started being rather inconsistent.

And yes, basil can stunt a bit and grow in fits and spurts. It doesn't surprise me that you haven't seen major improvement. But, as long as it's not getting actively worse, I would say you're on the right track to learning it's habits and it is not diseased.

    Bookmark     March 31, 2015 at 4:20PM    Thanked by Kim Kimura
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Jacques (MP, South Africa, like zone 9)

The containers are about a square foot. I will eventually removed some of the plants to stretch the experiment but it will be too crowded to grow to maturity. The two 1:1:1 mixes started of quite equally but the one with the sphagnum moss peat started to outgrow the other one. The coco peat was not buffered so maybe there are issues with Ca uptake.

    Bookmark     March 30, 2015 at 1:57PM
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lgteacher(SCal)

Sounds like the Square Foot Garden mix - Mel's mix.

    Bookmark     March 31, 2015 at 1:36PM
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zzackey(8b GA)

They sure are healthy. What do you fertilize with?

    Bookmark     March 29, 2015 at 9:00AM
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Persimmons(6b Southern MA)

Lovely plants but only time will tell ;)

How about some true scientific exploration, though. Document the habit, especially the flowering and suckering of the plant. Maybe you'll discover more dissimilarities that could help tell the two apart?

    Bookmark     March 31, 2015 at 7:24AM
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floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK

Right Steve - now I know you are in Yorkshire everything looks different. I sowed my first row of peas last week under cloches and I am probably at least 200 miles South of you. I think maybe you have been sowing too early. You need to adjust recommended sowing times since you are further North. I moved down from York and found Spring a good 2 - 3 weeks earlier where I am now. And if you are up on the Moors or somewhere it may be even cooler. I do not expect this first lot to do brilliantly but I get itchy fingers on sunny days in March. My best peas will come from an early April sowing. Try Douce de Provence - those were my best last year. BTW I would not soak peas in your climate. The danger of the weather turning cold and your pre germinated seed sitting for days in cold wet soil is too great. I would also never water them except at sowing time unless we have at least 2 weeks without rain (ha ha). We have long slow cool Springs compared with most posters on this Forum. Even those who are currently still under snow will get much higher temperatures than we ever have pretty soon.

1 Like    Bookmark     March 31, 2015 at 2:13AM
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Steve Kind(UK Zone 8)

Thanks Floral - We are down in Leeds and have a well-sheltered spot - but I think you are right. I know ouur "last expected frost" date for the area is mid-may (though just here I think maybe May 1st is safe) - while a friend in Bristol says his is late March!

This last batch were in seed compost in short lengths of gutter in the cold frame - sowed late February - but they showed no sign of life until I brought them into the greenhouse and put them on a heated propagator for a few days. By then, I reckon the damage was done. I'm going to wait for this current spell of bad weather to blow over before I try again - maybe next week - and under cloches.

    Bookmark     March 31, 2015 at 3:23AM
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farmerdilla

Concur with one exception. Calcium has no effect on pH. The base in alkaline soil is the OH radical. Limestone( Calcium carbonate) does neutralize acid because the Carbonate radical reacts with acid. Same type of reaction as Tums in your tummy.Some places will sell calcium hydroxide which is a base and acts fast. Gypsum is Calcium sulphate a neutral salt. I certainly do not recommend it, but the commonly sold Rot Stop is Calcium Chloride also neutral, but I do not want to add chloride ions to my soil.

1 Like    Bookmark     May 22, 2010 at 11:39AM
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Shule(about 4a)

You might consider the following:

* Beneficial microbes (via manure, compost or whatever); these can sometimes help nutrients to be available

* Organic certified potassium sulfate (this should help your plants to be less finicky about water, and may help prevent BER; it may reduce your PH a little, too); additionally, there are many perks to potassium, if your plants aren't getting enough; potassium sulfate is better to use than potassium chloride, since potassium chloride kills beneficial microbes in the soil.

* Loosening or aerating your soil (you could till the ground, attract worms, add perlite, peat moss, cover crops, organic matter or maybe even sand); compact soil can cause issues with potassium and maybe calcium

* Add plain sulfur to make the soil more acidic. This potentially might make your calcium and potassium more available. However, it may take a long time to work. I hear it's easier to raise PH quickly than to lower it quickly. I don't know a lot about adding sulfur. There may be some drawbacks.

    Bookmark     March 31, 2015 at 12:19AM
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