24,795 Garden Web Discussions | Vegetable Gardening

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shermthewerm(8 PNW)

Cats can be effective. My cat will even capture moles from my neighbors' gardens & bring them home. Unfortunately, I've seen her "playing" with her imported mole & then losing it in my yard.

She will sit patiently next to the mole hills waiting for any sign of action & then start digging as soon as she does. She gets quite a few. Other than the kitty, I don't take much action, even though they do quite a bit of damage to my yard/garden. When they start doing major damage, my husband will go out at dawn & play whack-a-mole with a shovel.

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planatus(6)

Cats and dogs, too, are pretty essential in bringing voles and moles under control. In my experience here in the southern appalachians, both are worse after a snowy winter.

With one good hunting cat and two young dogs, this is the first year we've gotten a full crop of potatoes in three years because of voles. The big snows of 2010 led to a vole, mole and mouse population explosion around here.

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seysonn(8a WA/HZ 1)

I don't know how long the 90f days will be around , BUT for most of the fall crop it will take at lest a month to germinate and grow to small seedlings and by then hopefully, it will cool off

Most fall gardeners start those fall crops in cells, in shade during germination time, then move them to partial sun as they grow. And transplant, when it has cooled off a bit. I am doing this right now with bunching onions. The poit is that there is a window of time that this should be done. I done TOO LATE, obviously it will be just that TOO LATE.

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txtom50(8a texas)

If you live in the Rio Grande valley (as your screen name implies) its probably several months too early for fall planting. The chart I have shows most fall planting is done September - December in deep south Texas.

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wantonamara Z8 CenTex

LOL My mother always warned me about strangers bearing cucumbers.

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theforgottenone1013(MI zone 5b/6a)

Hahaha That's too funny. You say your vines are healthy so hopefully the problem corrects itself.

Rodney

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uscjusto

Nancy,

I live in the Sacramento area now after moving to SF. Graduated from USC in 2000 (you get what you pay for).

You must have a lot of space to have dedicated spring and fall beds. Lucky you.

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CaraRose

Guess I better harvest the rest of my carrots and start prepping the bed for planting!

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ltilton

It'll be inedible now. Pull and toss.

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avocado101(Zone 7)

If it's heirloom, you can collect the seeds and replant them in the Fall.

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lartomato(5 northern AZ 7000 feet)

Here are a couple of views of some of the melons in slings. The red flags are one located but not yet slung

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lartomato(5 northern AZ 7000 feet)

Here are a couple of views of some of the melons in slings. The red flags are one located but not yet slung

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theforgottenone1013(MI zone 5b/6a)

Without a picture, my guess would be cabbage worms or loopers. They are green caterpillars that are surprisingly difficult to find on the plants. Spraying with Bt will kill them.

Rodney

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theforgottenone1013(MI zone 5b/6a)

We just discussed this on another post (link below).

Rodney

Here is a link that might be useful: Peppers

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SmokyMist(7 East TN)

Thank you, that's a great discussion. I will add my question to it.

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theforgottenone1013(MI zone 5b/6a)

Do you have female blossoms on the summer squash?

Rodney

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ForeverRecycleReuse(MN 4b)

I have not seen any white "butterfly" around the garden but that doesn't mean that it hasn't been visiting. I will keep an eye out for it. Are the holes damaging to the plant's health or future production? I will use some organic spray on the garden in the morning. Maybe that will help....

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kathyb912_in (5a/5b, Central IN)

If it's cabbage worms, the standard defense is to use Bt. I only grow a dozen or so brassica plants at a time (broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprouts) so I've been able to just handpick any caterpillars I find and not bother spraying. I also cover young plants with a wire cage covered in tulle to protect them when they are small. If you make your cage big enough, you could keep them covered all the time; that would also keep out the cabbage worms.

If it's slug damage, try putting out low bowls of beer in the evenings and see how many you catch. You could also go out at midnight (not sunset) with a flashlight and see if there are any on the plant. I finally resorted to slug killer (Sluggo, etc.) and was able to take care of them with a single application. (Though I keep an eye out for new damage and can always apply more.)

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ltilton

Broccoli responds well to getting its feet cooled off. Flood the plants with cold water.

Definitely too late to move them. Can you cover the wall?

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gardenlen(s/e qld aust)

dunno if i can suggest much, yep make the beds at least a good foot deep +, ensure their is drainage a layer of small rocks in the bottom, we only water by hand as needed, which is once or twice a week in the heat of summer, if we get good rain then no watering at all we do mulch heavily.

our beds are 6mX1m and about 500 to 600mm high

len

Here is a link that might be useful: lens garden page

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gardenlen(s/e qld aust)

another pic

Here is a link that might be useful: lens bale garden

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sunnibel7 Md 7(7)

The length described sounds to me like they are being picked maybe a little early, but just about right (seed development or lack thereof is a better indicator than length). My experience is that younger beans are more tender, the toughening fiber occur more with age. Maybe pick a variety of ages and see which she likes, if any. Otherwise maybe a high water content makes them have more crunch and she should leave them out on the counter for a day and they'll go limp. Limper. Or perhaps the variety is just that way... Good luck!

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edweather(Zone 5a/b Central NY)

Yeah, I never heard of the 'crunchy' thing. For green beans, smaller is more tender, and too large gets stringer and harder to eat.

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edweather(Zone 5a/b Central NY)

Looks like deer, but just a guess.

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CaraRose

Female flowers have a small 'baby' squash on the end. The male flowers don't. The stamens are different too, but on zukes the baby squash is obvious enough that that's the easiest way.

One male flower can be used to pollinate multiple female flowers. I walk the garden every morning and look for open female flowers, if I see any, I pick a male and just walk through and swirl it in them all.

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kyleigh

wow, sounds lovely to do as well, swirling flowers, thanks for your help I will try it.

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