23,948 Garden Web Discussions | Vegetable Gardening

Spittlebug spit?

Not normally on the ground but can be. Sometimes it drips from a tree above the ground.

Here is a link that might be useful: Spittlebug Spit

Sort of looks like a spider web with dew on it to me...

Agree. My experience is that broccoli quits when temps began to exceed 100 degrees regularly. In a cool spring like this one I can cut sideshoots till July. I have never been able to go into July however and most years plow down the remaining plants in June. If you are inan area that does not have high temps in the summer you can go all season. I could do that in the mountains of Virginia.

Here are some interesting tips - not so much air temperature as soil temperature. Tips are how to keep soil cooler when the air temps. rise.

Here is a link that might be useful: Bolting Broccoli: Growing Broccoli In Hot Weather

Ouch. That's a good point, and a scary picture. I usually just drape the tulle over the squash, but if they do this kind of thing, that's not a good strategy. Any suggestions on how tight the weave should be?

You mentioned Agribond - it as well as the others brands of row covers come in several different weights. Some are too heavy to use during the summer as they trap too much heat. You want to buy the "insect barrier" weight they all offer. It is very light-weight and made specifically for the use you need.

Linked one example of it below but there are many sources. With basic care it lasts for years.

Dave

Here is a link that might be useful: Super-Lite insect barrier

What are you using as compost? Looks like you over-fertilized. Did you follow the direction on the fertilizer container?

Thanks all so no is thinking disease or fungus, based on the last three seasons my confidence is low but I'll go back and buy a few more now that the weather is warmer. As far as compost it's mostly tree leaves and grass clippings with some kitchen scraps, the container fertilizer was in a pretty low dosage.

Here, my biggest tomato trusses of fruit are my first so I would seriously cut my production if I pinch the first buds. Heat cuts fruits production later in the summer.

My peppers are different. I get one pepper early at he first split and it seems to hold the plant back if I don't remove it.

That's a good point, spicedham, In zone 5, that is a consideration. And I normally only get one harvest from the pepper plants, but I've never removed the initial peppers and flowers, so I'm going to try that on half of mine this year as an experiment, because I have two of each variety.

By all means plant the little guys. You'll have more garlic in the future. I keep my harvested garlic in a paper bag in the garage. It seems to keep for a long time.

Here is a link that might be useful: elephant garlic

The single clove, undivided, is if you harvest the bulbette after only one season. Certainly use a few of the first year growth, very tasty, like scallions only with the garlic flavor.
If you leave it to die back and regrow for a second season, it should result in the full cloves. While I hate waiting for 2 summers to get this garlic, on the other hand, it means upwards of 100 heads of garlic for free, from a few garlic flowers gone to seed:)

This is my second season now, the plants are about 2' tall now (some have not gotten as big as that) and I'll let you know what the bulbs are like this fall, my fingers are crossed. I have already started another nursery bed for the remaining 3 year old bulbettes, for next Falls harvest.

There is a pattern to the color of the leaves. Areas near veins are darker than areas between the veins. This is called chlorosis and is usually an indication of nitrogen deficiency. An application of liquid fertilizer will almost certainly help. The older leaves are probably a lost cause but new growth will be darker green and healthy.

What appears to be insect damage may be that because plants in poor health are more likely to be attacked than healthy ones. Or the damage, which appears to be mostly in the area between veins, may be a direct result of the nutrient deficiency.

Jim

I'd try a few things, though often it's hard to correct a problem once started. Add a ring of a good organic manure around the plant. if you have access to leaves from a Comfrey plant, they are the BEST fertilizers, just ripe up some leaves and put them under the manure ring.
I have one growing in an out of the way place in the garden. I had to dig down and incase it with a barrier to stop it spreading, they can be invasive. The reason their leaves are so excellent for the garden and the compost is, they can have tap roots that go 10' (yes 10 FEET) down, bringing up minerals that the other plants do not have access to. They are a large beautiful looking plant as well, don't suffer from any diseases nor bugs and just take care of themselves. Obviously you never have to water them, with a 10' root:) I just rip off leaves here and there, during planting time and spread around the garden soil in the fall.
You can also try fish emulsion, kelp if it's available, stinging nettle soaked in a bucket of water and "cooked" in the sun is a nice fertilizer too. While you will lose those leaves in the photo, if you can bring the vine back to health, a few lost leaves shouldn't hurt the whole plant.

Here is a link that might be useful: Comfrey plant as fertilizer

That is the next step if my screening doesn't cut it. My father has quite the arsenal of .177-.22 caliber air propelled weaponry! ;)

Funny enough, last Spring a mother rabbit set up her nursery just behind my clematis, 3 babies (stupid rabbit, it was not hidden at all and only a foot away from the path to the back yard that my dog walked numerous times a day) It was also only 10 feet or so from my veg patch, lots of lettuce and bok choy and peas etc to choose from. Not a nibble. She would leave them alone in the nest all day and be gone to some other yard, come back in the night to them but did put a paw in my raised beds. (only raised 6")

What a fantastic harvest! And nice job cleaning them off, too. :-) Enjoy the radish yumminess.

There's an all-white (non-daikon) radish called white icicle. As already mentioned, there was possibly some cross pollination and perhaps white icicle was one of the parents.

Thanks all of you for the replies. I never thought about the cross pollination thing. So much to learn.

@ annew, it took a while to wash and clean them, but it was worthwhile :)

GM, I live in a really moist area (creek-side) about 100 miles west of you. I think I'll get the cages out of the barn for the summer. Thanks for the tip.

They work good for them although some varieties get pretty big and may need additional supports too.

Dave

Does anyone know where I can get a pre-made gate, or an easy way to make a gate?

I use nylon 5' by 15' netting, spaced the 3 metal fence posts about 7'3" apart, i drove them in with a small sledge hammer while standing on a 5 gallon bucket. I wrapped the excess netting around each end post to give it a better connection and make it taught. I secured it with 4'' plastic zip ties. The height of the hammered in posts are 62 and 1/2 inches, support the center with zip ties also. The post are heavy duty galvanized steels posts around 5 bucks each at home depot. This trellis is bomber and will support heavy crops. Will provide pic's soon!

Those few can easily just be squished and removed by hand. That way there is no risk to the plants as there can be when any spray is used.

Dave

Did try with just the hose originally, the next day they were back just as strong as they were. First soap treatment pretty much obliterated them, second was just because I apparently missed some and they were starting to multiply again. Since then I've watched carefully but haven't really seen them return.

Farmerdill, you've gown quite a variety of broccoli, and many that are new to me.
That photo is impressive, and not a cabbage looper in sight.
Wayne, I'll check the Stokes website.
Thanks for the suggestions!

I grow Italian sprouting broccoli. After harvesting the main head, we pick smaller broccoli shoots all season long. 2 plants is more than enough for 2 of us.