23,948 Garden Web Discussions | Vegetable Gardening

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NHBabs(4b-5aNH)

When I had raised beds at my previous home, we just mulched with woodchips that we got for free from the power line trimming crew. It did grow some fungus, but spread thickly it completely suppressed weeds. It drained well also. Buried edging or a V cut edge helps keep the grass from growing in from the edges.

    Bookmark     April 13, 2015 at 3:29PM
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timbersmith(6A)

I actually have/had mulch between the beds, but guess it might not have been enough. I had layed weed fabric down and put the mulch on top of that, but lack of free time to keep things nice and tidy have resulted in the fabric-mulch-weeds-plastic parfait going on right now. I had thought about using pine needles since I've got plenty of those in the back, but having something that flammable next to the house is not a good thing.

That's why I was thinking something more permanent - lack of time to devote to keeping things tidy. Although that looks like it'll be changing in the next month or so, so maybe ripping everything out of the aisles and re-covering them might be another option...

Thanks for the ideas, everyone. They're much appreciated.

    Bookmark     April 14, 2015 at 11:46AM
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Adam Robertson

Thanks! What kind of soil do you use with the white styrofoam cups? Just a potting mix? Also, do you water from the bottom with a tray and holes in the cups or from the top?

    Bookmark     April 14, 2015 at 7:58AM
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digdirt2(6b-7a No.Cent. AR HZ8 Sun-35)

Any growing-on potting mix just as with any container plants. V-shaped holes in the bottom edges just as with solo cups and watering from the bottom is recommended but many do top watering. You just can't use the top of the soil surface as a valid indicator for watering.

You'll find many more discussions about all of this in the How-To FAQs and the discussions over on the Growing from Seed forum here.

Dave

    Bookmark     April 14, 2015 at 9:05AM
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whgille(FL 9b)

I also recommend Asian greens, some are mild like lettuce. Tokyo Bekana, Fun Jen to name a few. I love fava beans, but be careful some people are allergic to them.

Asian greens, lettuce and kale


Silvia

    Bookmark     April 14, 2015 at 5:22AM
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diggity_dude

I'll bet she would like tah-tsai. And baby kale is delicious too. Kale is all the rage these days.

    Bookmark     April 14, 2015 at 8:09AM
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planterjeff(7b Grant Park Atlanta)

where are you growing this okra? What's your zone? Inside or outside? lights or sun?

    Bookmark     April 14, 2015 at 7:13AM
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carolb_w_fl(zone 9/10)

Might you have nematodes? Okra is highly susceptible to nematode damage....

    Bookmark     April 14, 2015 at 7:25AM
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Peter (6b SE NY)

The snow looks like it will be all melted by tomorrow, and I can plant if I wanted... Dixondale says the onions should be planted now according to their generic advice, but not sure it applies to a climate like this one where it can be in the low 20's a few weeks before last frost (and in fact it will be 19F tomorrow night.) The ground will also be soggy.

Maybe I will do some tomorrow and some next week?

On another note, should I rake the leaf mulch from the garlic I planted? It is extremely wet. About half the bulbs sprouted. They definitely took a beating this winter and have yellowed a bit.

    Bookmark     March 21, 2015 at 12:46PM
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Peter (6b SE NY)

Just an update, they all got planted 2 weeks after arrival, leeks and onions, and they are growing. I gave some leftover leeks to my dad that were 3-4 weeks after arrival and they don't look like they will survive.

    Bookmark     April 14, 2015 at 5:33AM
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spring green-up mapsHere a link to maps of spring green-up.
Posted by NHBabs(4b-5aNH) April 13, 2015
1 Comment
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booberry85(5)

Thanks for posting those. Interesting to look at.

    Bookmark     April 14, 2015 at 4:52AM
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n2xjk

Instead of asking if they can aired again on PBS, see if they can be made available in a on-demand service like Netflix, Hulu or Amazon Prime.

    Bookmark     April 13, 2015 at 12:39PM
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nancylouise_gw

Count me in on wanting the old shows back. Crockets Victory Garden shows are what got me started into gardening. I loved watching and learning from them. Today's gardening shows can't hold a candle to the old shows is spot on.

    Bookmark     April 14, 2015 at 3:58AM
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drscottr(7)

Dave,

I hold your opinions in great regard. However, this time I may not have given you enough information. I happen to have a nice weather station with soil temperature probes x 4. The soil temps vary considerably. For example at 5 am the soil temp at 1" was 44 degrees. By noon it was 57 degrees and by 4 pm it peaked at 71 degrees.

When a catalog such as Johnny's suggests planting corn when soil temps are above 65 degrees, i'm trying to understand which temp they use. I suspect it's the 9 am temp but not sure.

Scott

    Bookmark     April 13, 2015 at 7:41PM
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gumby_ct(CT it says Z5)

I am willing to bet they mean the lowest soil temp.

fwiw - I have started corn for transplants before to get a jump on the season.

ps. I use a 6 inch digital kitchen thermometer to check the soil temp. Also keep an eye for when the forsythia bloom - which means the avg. soil temp is above 50.

    Bookmark     April 14, 2015 at 2:09AM
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Peter (6b SE NY)

Thankfully, there's been red tailed hawks doing the job for me right now.

    Bookmark     April 13, 2015 at 6:53AM
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pennypond USDA 10 Sunset 21 CA

Nice set up!

    Bookmark     April 14, 2015 at 12:20AM
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Cynthia R.(7B (NYC,NY))

Thank you! I will look into the faq's.

    Bookmark     April 13, 2015 at 10:35AM
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slimiest_okra

If you live far enough north, I would just start fresh seeds. I'm just about to start my own peppers and eggplants (but I live at the 52nd parallel, where the long summer days compensate for the late start).

    Bookmark     April 13, 2015 at 4:42PM
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greenwater87

Here's a picture of the discoloration I'm talking about. It doesn't seem to be spreading. I thought maybe wind burn on the leafs but Iv'e never seen purple stocks like this. Is this normal for the variety?

    Bookmark     April 13, 2015 at 7:49AM
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n2xjk

That corn looks a bit stressed. Too wet maybe? The degree of purple showing depends on the variety. Some can show quite a lot, but I haven't grown Golden Bantam so can't say for that one in particular.

    Bookmark     April 13, 2015 at 12:31PM
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farmerdill

Yes there are several varieties of bush watermelon. Easiet to find is Bush Sugar Baby. It is not really a bush but has short stubby vines that only run three ft or so. Another option is to grow a persomal size melon on a trellis. Yellow Doll, Red Delicious, New Hampshire Midget etc.

    Bookmark     April 13, 2015 at 4:59AM
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galinas(5B)

Thank you! Can watermelon be grown in pots? I have a rocky hill covered with ground cover with a flat rock in the middle. I could set a big pot there and let the vines go every direction for about 6 fit. Only problem is, there is no soil to make additional roots for the vine,so the pot will be the only food and water source. Do you think it will work?

    Bookmark     April 13, 2015 at 12:18PM
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daninthedirt(Cent TX; HZ10, Sunset z30, USDA z8a)

Menu at the top. "View" -> Zoom. Also reading glasses (which I use routinely).

    Bookmark     April 12, 2015 at 2:40PM
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zzackey(8b GA)

Dan the print was 3 times smaller than normal. It has corrected itself now. Thaks to the others for the advice to correct it. If it happens again I will know what to do.

    Bookmark     April 13, 2015 at 11:06AM
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digdirt2(6b-7a No.Cent. AR HZ8 Sun-35)

It is a temp response with an element of moisture added. The leaves seal together to prevent transpiration of moisture in chilly temps.

Dave

    Bookmark     April 13, 2015 at 8:12AM
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Miss_Moose (Winnipeg, Canda. Zone 2)

Thanks Dave

    Bookmark     April 13, 2015 at 8:57AM
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digdirt2(6b-7a No.Cent. AR HZ8 Sun-35)

No need to toss it - yet. Many times they recover. The badly damaged leaves will likely die and fall off or you can remove them but watch for new growth and it should be normal in appearance. If not, then you can toss it.

On the other hand, since you already pruned it the production will be markedly reduced as Sweet n Neat is a very small determinant plant to begin with. So since it is so early in the season you might want to invest in an additional plant to get more fruit.

dave

    Bookmark     April 12, 2015 at 7:18PM
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jean001a(Portland OR 7b)

OP said "exactly what happened, came at the end of the day, lot of drooping plants."

Yep, environmental stress -- ran sort of water, even though have been very briefly.

    Bookmark     April 12, 2015 at 9:33PM
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