23,948 Garden Web Discussions | Vegetable Gardening
It was 90 on Sunday and 60 and rainy yesterday here in NE Washington. I'd say unusual spring weather, but I say that every year. It was very hot in early May, then temps bounced around. My spinach when from germinating to bolting, never did harvest any. Even little 2" high plants have flowers on them. But the lettuce is doing wonderfully. I'm ready to harvest some green beans from the greenhouse. Outdoor green beans are up and appear good. Zukes are just forming baby squash. I'm trying a few tomatoes outside this year. They look pitifully small and I may put a row cover over them. Here in my territory, a greenhouse is a must for tomatoes and peppers. My corn is doing surprisingly well this year (at least for here). Cabbage is getting big, but the broccoli is small - no idea why. And the potatoes are very happy this year. They're in a wood frame lined with heavy hardware cloth to keep the moles/pocket gophers away.
I have grown Ambrosia cantaloupes for many years. There is not a better tasting one anywhere. One year, I decided to keep count of how many I picked off one plant. The average was 11. Since I have plenty of room, they grow no the ground, not on a trellis. I arrange the vines so I have a little footpath to walk on. When you think they are getting ripe a small push on the stem will usually let them come off, if not try again tomorrow. My neighbors love me, not unlike when I have zucchini in abundance.
I know there's a contest as to which is the best and a lot has to do with the growers practices, environment, weather, etc.etc. But I've grown Ambrosia, amongst others, and the best I've ever grown and the only one that I still grow is Super 45. I have a "waiting" list for it every year. It's that good!!
Check with your county extension. Usually there are different planting dates for brassicas for SEEDS and PLANTS.
I do all my brassicas as indoor starts. It's just so much easier, especially for fall plantings. 6-8 weeks before expected planting. Also... it's easy for ME to say because we hardly ever get a hard freeze here, but brassicas handle frost pretty well -- upper 20's no problem..
Kevin
My frost date is Oct 10, but we have long and lovely falls that last through November. I start B sprout seeds June 5-10, cauliflower June 20-30, and broccoli and cabbage right after that. In July I direct-sow rutabaga, but start all the others in pots so I can watch them. If you wait for retail seedlings, it will be too late. Good luck!
I always let my chard bolt. I haven't had to sow fresh seed for years. And I continue to harvest the leaves on the flowers stalks. The small leaves and some of the flower heads go into salads. Bolting chard amongst Papaver somniferum on my allotment:
This post was edited by flora_uk on Wed, Jun 19, 13 at 16:38
Forgot to mention... with bush type squash, its easy to keep the SVBs at bay with BT injections, along the stems. I did that last year with my yellow crookneck, and did OK with them. Would have been better if the spot I picked for them had not become very shady towards the mid Fall, so they ended up getting little sun.
Mine plants look ok, but the squash themselves are awful. They are VERY orange, instead of the nice yellow color, and their skins are very hard, with dry, tough insides?? We grew them from seeds...can seeds go bad? This is our first year to garden and we aren't having much luck. :(
Hope I can help everyone with this pest. I have also for the first time experianced this bug and have done some research. They say it wont "kill" the plant.. but like all of you I dont like anything chowing on a few leaves! So... I took a little recipe I got from Jerry Bakers "Supermarket SUPER gardens" As with any home remedy spray a few leaves and let sit 24 hours. Mix 1 cup of rubbing alcohol ( NOT denatured alcohol ) with 1 tsp vegetable oil into 1 quart of water. Pour into a hand held sprayer and spray top and bottom of leaves that are affected. Good luck everyone...... Happy tomato/pepper season :-) (these bugs like peppers too :-( )
Hey Sandra,
Just wanted to let you know that - I KNOW HOW YOU FEEL!!
I too have had major issues with this beetle, and for the last 4 weeks I had NO IDEA what it was and how to safely and organically combat it. At first I thought it was a type of lady bug and was keeping a close eye however I determined it was the culprit after a short period. They started with my tomatoes but have moved on to the eggplant, pole beans, squash AND my cucumbers yada yada.
Anyway, I know exactly what you need. Check out http://ourgardenpatch.com/ under agricultural products youll find the plant wash concentrate. This stuff is organic and inexpensive (at least to me, a 10 dollar 16oz bottle of "organic plant soap" lasted me 2 garden sprays where as with this stuff you get the concentrate and can make it by the gallon!!)
I sprayed this stuff on at night and by the morning there was no sign of the beetles. I respray every 1-2 weeks and after heavy rains and my veggies are looking great now!
How tall are ur trellises? I was told mine are to short but they look taller then yours. In building more outta bamboo today
How cute! I only have two plants that made it after transplant fail then direct seeding and having two eaten down by pests. I am hoping to get enough cukes for fresh salads and maybe a few jars of pickles.