24,795 Garden Web Discussions | Vegetable Gardening

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katyajini(z6 NYC)

Thank you guys. I am definitely going to try Clarimore next year side by side with Magda.

K.

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newyorkrita(z6b/7a LI NY)

I just saw seeds for this variety at Park Seeds. It certainly looks interesting to me. I like the yummy flavor description.

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newyorkrita(z6b/7a LI NY)

I eat grapes all the time and no, I don't buy organic. I wash them of course but I know that commercial growers must be spraying with something. I can't control these things but I can control what I spray in my own garden. I try and stay away from toxic. So far the only two things I have ever used on the veggies are a Neem oil product (for the squash) and a Daconil product (for the tomatoes).

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glib(5.5)

How does it get into grapes? AFAIK, grapes at least here are not sprayed for a month or so before harvest.

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AiliDeSpain(6a - Utah)

Bumping for you since I see you didn't get a response :)

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newyorkrita(z6b/7a LI NY)

There are many discussions on SVB. I personally have been injecting with Spinosad. This is my first year with Squash so I am no expert.

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2ajsmama

Congratulations, you've got a pumpkin!

Did you happen to carve jack o lanterns anywhere in the area, or throw the guts in your compost?

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njitgrad(6A/6B)

Well, I've never grown a pumpkin before so this should be interesting. Probably a dumb question but when will they turn orange and be ready to pick? Early October I assume? Judging by their current size in mid-July they are going to be massive in Oct.

BTW, it turns out that my neighbor planted them in her garden so it must have been transferred to my flower bed by an animal. These plants are voracious...they took over her whole garden. The leeks she had growing there a few weeks ago are M.I.A.

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seysonn(8a WA/HZ 1)

I wouldn't worry about the very lower leaves turning yellow. When you let the plant to grow on its own(no pruning , no trimming) eventually some leaves have to go. On top of that too much rain, I trim all such leaves, especially if the are less than 10" from the ground.
I think you are doing the right thing by NOT fertilizing. I would 've done the same. Let them start bearing some fruits then give them a light dose.

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greenmulberry(5-Iowa City)

By the end of the season, my tomato plants have lost about the lower 18 inches of leaves. I am in such a different climate than you, I don't know how this translates, but, I will say if the plants are otherwise vigorous then losing some lower leaves is nothing to worry about and in fact, trying to stop it might be a losing battle.

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ltilton

Lettuce should work. I don't think brassicas would do very well.

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greenmulberry(5-Iowa City)

I think lettuce, arugula, spinach and the like would all do fine. You will need to punch some holes in the bottom to let it drain.

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tdscpa(z5 NWKS)

Impossible to advise you. You need a soil test to determine if you need to fertilize.

I have a soil test done annually, and get fertilizer recommendations. If my soil has adequate N-P-K when I plant, I am advised to not add (side dress) fertilizer during the summer, as watermelon does not need it. (Not a big user of N, and P & K will stay in place in your soil through the growing season.)

Spend the $15 for a soil test from your state Ag. college for a test and fertilizer recommendations and forget asking for opinions from people who have no idea where you even live.

I tell them what I am growing, and I am advised when and how much to fertilize onions, cucumbers, tomatoes, corn, beans, peppers, muskmelons, asparagus, and not to fertilize lettuce, carrots, radishes, and watermelons beyond the beginning of season basic fertilizer added to the whole garden.

The cost of the test will save you money you will otherwise spend on unneeded fertilizer.

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edweather(Zone 5a/b Central NY)

Yes you can double the dose to get the 10 10 10. If they look like they are growing well your ok. Mine are really starting to run, but I grow in containers and the fertilizer requiremants are different. Growing in the ground requires less fertilizer.

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seysonn(8a WA/HZ 1)

I agree with OnTheGreenFarms advice.
After certain time, any new growth or flower will materialize any harvestable fruits.

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Slimy_Okra(2b)

NEVER prune eggplant!

Zoysia, just ignore those websites that tell you to prune eggplant. It's a load of steaming manure. There is nothing to be confused about - take the advice of eggplant growers on this forum.

Every sucker or shoot you prune away is costing you eggplant fruit. Secondly, there is a perennial misconception about eggplants needing to ripen. Eggplants should never, ever be allowed to ripen. They are not tomatoes. Ripe eggplants are inedible.

Why are indeterminate tomatoes pruned? Well, because if you're an intensive grower with limited space, you'd stake them, train them vertically, and cram as many tomato plants as you can into that space. You're basically converting horizontal space to vertical space, with a significant drop in production per plant, but this is compensated for by increased production per square foot.

When space is not an issue, and fungal problems are minor, pruning is unnecessary at best and deterimental at worst. A healthy, bushy plant, whether that is a tomato, eggplant, or pepper, will yield you the most fruits.

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rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7

What kind of damage are you looking for? The eggs don't cause any problems.....it's what hatches from those little eggs that are the trouble makers.

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AiliDeSpain(6a - Utah)

Squash bug eggs!!! I just got done inspecting my butternut plants for them and found five clusters. Inspect all of your leaves and you are sure to find more. Like others said soak the plants and the adults will crawl up to dry out on the leaves. That is how I hunt them. lol.

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flowergirl70ks

I think in my case it is extreme heat. Mine are not acting like they do normally, they take forever to grow after they set on. I like to pick about cuc size and its taking at least a week to get one that big.

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glib(5.5)

It is just lack of pollination. Either use the small paint brush (male first, then female), or change the flora around. Bees don't rate squash blossoms highly if they have a choice.

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oldkugirl

Thanks digdirt, that sounds pretty reasonable. I'll cut off the water for a day or so and hope they scare over. One other thing I forgot to mention is that I gave them a little miracle grow yesterday. Do you think that may be related in some way? Would spraying the cracks with a little hydrogen peroxide be helpful?

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oldkugirl

Thanks digdirt, that sounds pretty reasonable. I'll cut off the water for a day or so and hope they scare over. One other thing I forgot to mention is that I gave them a little miracle grow yesterday. Do you think that may be related in some way? Would spraying the cracks with a little hydrogen peroxide be helpful?

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farmerdill

If they have not turned brown, you can use them. Probably best in cooked dishes like soups, casseroles, baked dishes. They tend to get a bit tough and strong tasting for using raw with dip.

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swtbttrfly23

Nope, not brown! I was thinking of pickling some of them (making a giardinaire) and then puree some into a nice soup. Thanks for your help!

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theforgottenone1013(MI zone 5b/6a)

Maybe it's yellow jackets or some other type of wasp taking care of them for you. On numerous occasions I've watched yellow jackets hunting, killing, and flying away with cabbage worms. I've also watched them doing the same thing with asparagus beetle larvae and also, unfortunately, with swallowtail butterfly caterpillars.

Rodney

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myluck(5 In)

I think thats what is strange, no dead carcasses. And whatever is taking care of bussiness is doing it before any damage is done to the plant. Could something be attacking the egg? I don't know what the egg looks like.

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missemerald(7 (Virginia))

Actually, we didn't use much fertilizer at all.. . but they probably got run off from the tomatoes (used Miracle Gro for Tomatoes, but not very often). Will the beans recover from it? Is there some kind of fertilizer that we can use to encourage bean production? Hubby wondered if, since the beans seem to be all growth and no bean, the plant will recover in time?

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myluck(5 In)

Teperature affects beans. I was picking every other day a weak ago. We were in the 70s then last week was in the mid 90s, not a bean. This weak is low 80s will see if they start up again. The plants are still growing and look good

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farmerdill

Stress, probably inconsistent water. Watermelons, contrary to popular opinion, don't like an abundance of water. We have had a wet spring and summer this year and the poorest excuse for watermelons I have had in over 60 years. Not unhappy tho, Things that have been "iffy" for years are producing in abundance.

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cugal(5b-6a NE Ks)

Thanks farmerdill! I've never had much luck growing watermelon, so I'm not terribly shocked at this occurrence! Just hadn't experienced this particular problem......... LOL!

I use drip fertigation & mulch well, but may have got things too wet........ I dunno.....

And yes, if your garden is producing anything in these turbulent weather times, one should be grateful.

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