23,948 Garden Web Discussions | Vegetable Gardening

Lettuce gets that white bitter sap in summer and fall. Doesn't that bother anyone else?

I believe that's what the OP is trying to avoid.

I've had this before on occassion with seedlings and it can be on any kind of plant. I just always assumed it was a kind of damping off/rot issue, staying too wet perhaps.

I just toss it including the soil around it, and try again fresh but try to not let the soil stay soggy if I can help it. Of course mother nature doesn't always cooperate.

Damping off fungus imo. Usually from overwatering and/or fungus gnats. Usually it's accompanied with indoor starts. I've read that cinnamon, hydrogen peroxide, and chamomile tea are good remedies.

You may want to just start fresh with a direct sow though, keep soil moist but water lightly, and THEN if you see them shriveling again try one of the remedies above..

Kevin

This post was edited by woohooman on Sun, Jun 2, 13 at 16:20

Really impossible to tell, but my first thought was that I'd be happy with only the minimal damage I see.

I'm not overly concerned, more curious than anything. I have seen no evidence of slugs. The only possible culprits I've seen are grasshoppers and potato bugs and the occasional earwig.

Yes, my asparagus is flowering. I've only seen one or two adult beetles (which are now dead) but I've got lots of larvae. Plus, I don't really want to spray unless it's absolutely necessary. So I'm just going to cut my ferns, dispose of them, and stay on the lookout for adult beetles when the ferns regrow.

Rodney

kaolin clay (surround)
Why not see if this works ?

They should be okay. Remove some one or two at a time, eat them, and let the others get bigger.

Thank you Annew21 and Noki for the feedback.

Caelian

Around here, the soil freezes to a depth of around six feet (average) but asparagus still grows fine. On the other hand, we have reliable snow cover all winter long, while you probably don't.

mary - I lost a lot of plants this winter. Some of the asparagus, mint, etc.

I think too many days above freezing with it being very dry did them in.

Where did you go to harvest? Minnesota River bottom land.

How are you going to cook them up? So far, had some sliced and sauteed in butter. Also had some sliced, dipped in flour, and then sauteed in butter. Another meal had sauteed fresh asparagus, morels, and wild ramps on a rice pilaf. Also had a mushroom and swiss burger using a pile of sliced Morels sauteed in butter. Dehydrated a bunch for future use.

But what are those and where can I find them? They are edible Morel mushrooms. If you do not know what they are then please educate yourself regarding wild mushrooms before harvesting anything so you do not pick and eat poisonous types that can kill you.

Found in open deciduous woods around here. I do not know the range of their habitat, but they like our crappy Minnesota weather, especially this year - best harvest in many years.

Happy Hunting!

Thanks soilent!

Everyone always say - don't harvest wild mushrooms, get expert opinion, etc.

How does one educate themself? How do you access an expert?

Is there any kind of lab kit you could use to test a found mushroom?

I totally love mushrooms, and have seen some wild ones I was pretty sure were a gourmand treat - but I bypassed in favor of safety. I'd like to get that education - but how?

And - I'd like a mini lab to test, just in case!

Dave, in cooler zones people put down black plastic on the planting beds, cut a slit in it, and plant the vegs that way. Warms up the beds and keeps the weed out.

Yes I know but in these pics it looks as if it is running up behind the plant, as if the plant is down in a box. It may be just the angle of the photo but that is why I asked.

Dave

There is nothing wrong with the plant. It has to do with cold and erratic temps. When the weather regulates the color will return to normal. If you ever noticed geraniums that have been put out too early they do this too. But when the weather regulates they quickly go back to normal. Don't sweat it.

Hi again topsie - if you want to make classic sorrel soup you definitely need R acetosella, R acetosa or R scutatus, ie Sorrels, not docks. Sorrels are much more tender and have the requisite acidic tang. For a fish sauce you can just place the leaves in a pan over heat and they will effectively 'melt' into a tangy sauce.

With cooler temps and alot of rain, my sorrel sprang back with a lot of new growth.

I had thought you only ate in spring, but does anyone think this new growth would be good to make the classic french soup?

I sow broccoli raab densely and harvest it young--most people prepare and consume the entire young plant--very small florets, leaves and stems. It's quite tasty. It sounds like you were looking to grow regular heading broccoli, but you've got broccoli raab instead.

sounds like harvest time!

I bought broc raab once at the supermarket in stead of kale to try. Cooked it up and was repulsed by the sever bitter flavor....and I thought, never again, back to kale.

I had bought 2 bunches, so had to use the 2nd one in a subsequent meal. Not so very bad I thought, but wasn't going to buy again.

Found myself craving it like crazy! It is now a favorite, and I've been growing for 2 years.

kale is dead to me!

I use rhubarb and lots of other veggie leaves as mulch. Why carry the stuff to the compost pile? Rhubarb leaves cover so much space, too. I think having fresh aromatic stems shriveling at the surface may confuse some pests, too.

I've used burdock and comfrey leaves for mulching.....why not?

I'm basically targeting anything that would chew up my brussel sprout leaves and broccoli leaves. Last year I tried growing a brussel sprout plant in a pot and the leaves got completely chewed up bad!

Kentstar: That was most likely cabbage moths/loopers. BT or spinosad works wonders on them. Both are organic, but BT doesn't harm bees.

Kevin

"My neighbor has a horse stable and I can get all the mostly composted horse manure I want for free.
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it couldn't be any better than this.
If I were you, here is I would do: Mix topsoil/garden soil , compost , horse manure (5/3/2) and fill the beds to the rim. It will compact several inches. Horse manure and compost already have some nutrients, enough to get you going. Then check the mixtures for pH. 5.9 to 7.2 is a ranges that most garden veggies can grow in it.

Thanks for all the help. I called the extension people (thanks!) and the lady was very helpful. She said that the local landfill stuff was fine except that it still has little pieces of wood in it after sieving so you need to add nitrogen fertiliser if you use that. She said if I can be bothered to go get the mushroom compost she thinks it is superior. She suggested 2/3 compost 1/3 soil as apparently my soil is heavy clay.

She sent me a list of veggies and said it is really too late for chard now here. She suggested squash, tomatoes and cucumbers as possibles.

I did look at the soil/manure options at Home depot today (I went for grout so thought I'd look) it was really expensive considering how much I'd need.

Curious... what are you growing on the hugel in which you are worried about the zucc?

Flowers and peppers. They were completely covered by the leaves.