23,948 Garden Web Discussions | Vegetable Gardening

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theforgottenone1013(MI zone 5b/6a)

Without a picture, my guess would be cabbage worms or loopers. They are green caterpillars that are surprisingly difficult to find on the plants. Spraying with Bt will kill them.

Rodney

    Bookmark     July 19, 2013 at 8:44PM
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theforgottenone1013(MI zone 5b/6a)

We just discussed this on another post (link below).

Rodney

Here is a link that might be useful: Peppers

    Bookmark     July 19, 2013 at 8:01PM
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SmokyMist(7 East TN)

Thank you, that's a great discussion. I will add my question to it.

    Bookmark     July 19, 2013 at 8:41PM
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theforgottenone1013(MI zone 5b/6a)

Do you have female blossoms on the summer squash?

Rodney

    Bookmark     July 19, 2013 at 8:12PM
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ForeverRecycleReuse(MN 4b)

I have not seen any white "butterfly" around the garden but that doesn't mean that it hasn't been visiting. I will keep an eye out for it. Are the holes damaging to the plant's health or future production? I will use some organic spray on the garden in the morning. Maybe that will help....

    Bookmark     July 19, 2013 at 3:26PM
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kathyb912_in (5a/5b, Central IN)

If it's cabbage worms, the standard defense is to use Bt. I only grow a dozen or so brassica plants at a time (broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprouts) so I've been able to just handpick any caterpillars I find and not bother spraying. I also cover young plants with a wire cage covered in tulle to protect them when they are small. If you make your cage big enough, you could keep them covered all the time; that would also keep out the cabbage worms.

If it's slug damage, try putting out low bowls of beer in the evenings and see how many you catch. You could also go out at midnight (not sunset) with a flashlight and see if there are any on the plant. I finally resorted to slug killer (Sluggo, etc.) and was able to take care of them with a single application. (Though I keep an eye out for new damage and can always apply more.)

    Bookmark     July 19, 2013 at 7:59PM
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ltilton

Broccoli responds well to getting its feet cooled off. Flood the plants with cold water.

Definitely too late to move them. Can you cover the wall?

    Bookmark     July 19, 2013 at 4:35PM
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gardenlen(s/e qld aust)

dunno if i can suggest much, yep make the beds at least a good foot deep +, ensure their is drainage a layer of small rocks in the bottom, we only water by hand as needed, which is once or twice a week in the heat of summer, if we get good rain then no watering at all we do mulch heavily.

our beds are 6mX1m and about 500 to 600mm high

len

Here is a link that might be useful: lens garden page

    Bookmark     July 19, 2013 at 3:57PM
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gardenlen(s/e qld aust)

another pic

Here is a link that might be useful: lens bale garden

    Bookmark     July 19, 2013 at 3:58PM
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sunnibel7 Md 7(7)

The length described sounds to me like they are being picked maybe a little early, but just about right (seed development or lack thereof is a better indicator than length). My experience is that younger beans are more tender, the toughening fiber occur more with age. Maybe pick a variety of ages and see which she likes, if any. Otherwise maybe a high water content makes them have more crunch and she should leave them out on the counter for a day and they'll go limp. Limper. Or perhaps the variety is just that way... Good luck!

    Bookmark     July 19, 2013 at 10:49AM
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edweather(Zone 5a/b Central NY)

Yeah, I never heard of the 'crunchy' thing. For green beans, smaller is more tender, and too large gets stringer and harder to eat.

    Bookmark     July 19, 2013 at 1:31PM
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edweather(Zone 5a/b Central NY)

Looks like deer, but just a guess.

    Bookmark     July 19, 2013 at 1:27PM
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CaraRose

Female flowers have a small 'baby' squash on the end. The male flowers don't. The stamens are different too, but on zukes the baby squash is obvious enough that that's the easiest way.

One male flower can be used to pollinate multiple female flowers. I walk the garden every morning and look for open female flowers, if I see any, I pick a male and just walk through and swirl it in them all.

    Bookmark     July 19, 2013 at 12:06PM
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kyleigh

wow, sounds lovely to do as well, swirling flowers, thanks for your help I will try it.

    Bookmark     July 19, 2013 at 12:35PM
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glib(5.5)

Also most weeds have not seeded yet. Hoeing now, without worrying about vegetable plants, has its advantages. It is not all bad news, and next year there will be fewer weeds. Lettuce seeds will not germinate now, it is too hot. Beet and carrot seeds will struggle too, and peas will not germinate either (all this for direct seeded). But many brassica seeds (komatsuna, bekana, arugula, napa, turnip,kale) will germinate just fine. In fact it is too early for bekana and arugula.

    Bookmark     July 19, 2013 at 10:15AM
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dog_wood_2010(7)

Actually my carrot seeds have already sprouted into thick green rows after just 5 days. Just keep them watered, you'll do fine.

    Bookmark     July 19, 2013 at 12:16PM
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ixel(5a)

Oops I just realized I posted this in the veggies forum... sorry! I always kind of mentally group nasturtiums with salad greens because they go in salads...

    Bookmark     July 19, 2013 at 8:47AM
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dog_wood_2010(7)

3 hours of morning light is not considered Direct Sun, but give it a go, you should at least get lots of green leaves.

    Bookmark     July 19, 2013 at 12:05PM
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wayne_5 zone 6a Central Indiana

Perhaps the garden center has some left over sets from spring.

    Bookmark     July 18, 2013 at 5:54PM
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planatus(6)

The poster was working with containers. When you're doing square-inch gardening, the point is to keep it going and have fun.

In winter I like keeping a pot of scallions in the sunniest window. I weaken them terribly with constant snipping, but wouldn't be without them.

    Bookmark     July 19, 2013 at 10:25AM
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planatus(6)

The plants will self regulate and produce between 3 and 5 good fruits each, more if it is a small-fruited variety. At this point, you just let em run. Unlike most C. pepos, spaghetti squash stays close to the ground and develops supplemental roots where the stems touch the soil. Even if the primary crown is lost to borers, strong plants will keep on going.

    Bookmark     July 19, 2013 at 10:18AM
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nygardener(z6 New York)

I use ½" mainline tubing with several lengths of ¼" dripline coming off it at the head of each bed  like soaker hoses, but more flexible and durable. Assembly is easy and it works like a charm. It's been easy to extend as I've added to the garden.

I keep it on a timer. I like watering in the pre-dawn hours, which gives the plants a chance to take up the water before the sun evaporates it. On each watering day, I have it set to water for 5-10 minutes, then wait an hour, then water another 5-10 minutes, etc. That seems to saturate the soil better with less runoff than one long continuous watering.

Dripworks, where I bought mine, offers a design service  you send them a sketch of your garden and they'll design a system for you. They've been excellent  knowledgeable, ship promptly, know their products and have a good range of solutions, from farms to square foot gardens. It's worth ordering their catalog to check out some options.

    Bookmark     June 16, 2007 at 9:28AM
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chelsea_2016(7b)

nygardener,
I know this is an old thread, but thank you for your Dripworks recommendation. They had videos showing how to set up a drip system that were extremely helpful to the new gardener. Just got a complete kit from them :)

    Bookmark     July 19, 2013 at 8:48AM
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caryltoo Z7/SE PA

No idea what it is, but mine get spots occasionally too. I either cut out the spots or just toss the whole cuke -- at this time of year I'm getting about a dozen or more cukes a day from my plants.

    Bookmark     July 19, 2013 at 7:18AM
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