23,594 Garden Web Discussions | Vegetable Gardening
Warmth makes a big difference for both basil and peppers.
Also - did you purchase the seed this year? I have some genovese basil seed that germinated ok the first year - hardly at all the second year and nothing the third year. You may need fresh seed.
I used this yesterday for lettuce. Just sprinkled tp squares with water and spaced the seeds out, wetting as needed. I planted each square immediately, so I didn't worry about glue or drying.
The dark seeds were a LOT easier to space against the white paper. Light seeds were still easier than broadcasting.
Will know how it worked, assuming my seeds were good, in a few days!
I had the same problem , and i tryed seed tape. But I need alot.
Instead I made a planting stck out of a old hollow mop handle. It has a part that sticks out to one side. I use that part as a measure.
The Stick allows me to plant seeds ever 2 and 4 inches apart, while standing up.
I use a funnel at the top of the tube so it's easy to put the seeds in the tube.
I'm in 7a, northern Virginia.
And yes, around late July or August I lose some plants.
I am okay with that because I don't have a lot of options-I am somewhat disabled, can't really do an inground garden but have tons of space on my huge deck to do some container gardening.
Seeds are cheap, it's easy to have replacement plants to replace the ones I lose so I do things that may not be ideal.
So, it depends on your goals-if your goal is to get a few servings of squash a week and you are willing to lose a few plants, have some back ups etc you can grow just about anything in containers.
I would rather plant a lot of plants and lose some then not have a garden at all so I do what I can.
The big rubbermaid-type storage containers make great garden pots. Get a drill bit that makes a hole at least 1/2" in diameter (1" is better). Or stab their bottoms with a strong knife and twist it, depending on what your disability allows :). You want holes you can put your finger through, maybe 6 in the bottom of each pot.
If you don't mind the look, get some kids' wading pools and put the pots in them (before you fill with soil). Bottom watering is much, much, much better for plants and productivity. Add some BT grains to keep mosquitoes from breeding, fill pots with half compost and half whatever (potting soil, peat, coir, coconut, sand....) and Bob's your uncle.
Depending on the grubs you have they can be devastating to your root crops.
In the past we have had a slight grub problem and they liked to eat into our potatoes making them impossible to store.
If you contact Natural Insect Control (they're in Stevensville, ON)
http://www.natural-insect-control.com
they will help identify your pest and provide advice on how to help with your problem.
Good Luck!
This is a photo I took today of mint that I have planted in a bottomless pot. This is a 2 year old chocolate mint that is just starting to grow this Spring (my other mint varieties are slowly beginning to wake up). As you can see there are no sprouts outside of the pot.
I'll admit that the bottomless pot method may not work for everyone but it works for me. I also harvest them heavily during the growing season so maybe that factors into it as well.
Rodney
I have my mints in a new landscape bed, in pockets of potting soil in a sea of mulch (literally, the entire end of the bed is filled, six inches deep, with pine mulch over grass). They seem well-behaved, but now I'm suspicious of what they're doing under there.
This post was edited by nialialea on Sun, Apr 14, 13 at 21:35
The site you found (clickable link below) is excellent. I use it as a source of info for starting seeds indoors. By using optimum temperatures germination can be very quick, two or three days in some cases.
I think you are wise to not rush planting seeds outdoors, except the ones, such as peas and spinach, which like lower temperatures.
Jim
Here is a link that might be useful: Germination Temperatures
On another note, if you see signs of life(earthworms,spiders,insects,etc), it is probably OK to use without to much of a concern... What do you plan on doing with the clippings? Compost will probably further break down any herbicides etc, making it less of a concern.. Whereas mulching with it is more of a concern... How much clipping are there? Is it really worth the risk?
As I mentioned earlier they have been piled since last year. In a few days I am going to spread them on my garden and then till and mix them with the soil. my neighbor already assured me that he uses only turf builder so I don;t have to worry that te clippings will kill my plants. Thanks to all for shining some light to this matter.
Frank
yes just needs a path down the middle, for now .5 of a meter wide will do we found even at 1 meter wide tomatoes especially crowd a bit. but we can for the main get a large wheelbarrow along our paths.
stepping stones sound nice but you need to be able to reach with safety to the lower back muscles.
that is why we have progressed from beds like your to these latest, no bending.
len
I thought the chief complaint was
"The problem I have with it is that I'm still on my hands and knees while tending to my plants; doesn't that defeat the purpose of having a raised bed?"
I don't see where or how stepping stones can help that? Not having to get on hands and knees that is.
I have a raised garden of 10 x 12. Would you find this raised bed too large? The problem I have with it is that I'm still on my hands and knees while tending to my plants; doesn't that defeat the purpose of having a raised bed?
I was thinking of putting a path between and making it two beds, however, it is pressure treated wood and was told it's hard to work with once it's set. Is that true? What would be the best solution converting it into two bed?
I've been advised by nursery that strawberries can not take the full sun of the summer times here in Tucson, AZ.
So I thought about building some type of dome made of sun shade netting, but do not want the garden to look like a dump.
Thought of bell peppers also....
It is possible to grow potatoes by setting them on bare ground and covering with a few inches of hay or straw. As the foliage comes up one thickens the mulch periodically. If you are inclined to save money the combination of wood ash and urine gives NPK.
Potatoes are heavy feeders while carrots are light feeders. Carrots do need decent levels of P and K while potatoes also need ample levels of N. Loose soil is always desirable for raising crops and when first preparing a garden in most soils that is achieved by some tillage.
Lastly, in that very high latitude you can realize bumper harvests and you may even be lucky enough to have volcanic soil.
I did use the MiracleGro that has the feeder that attaches to a hose and uses the dried blue crystals and mixes as the water flows. It kind of makes sense because it appears to be a "blast" pattern that these spots make on the plants - hitting in a line, missing some and hitting others.
Has it been colder or wetter than usual? A lot of my stuff seemed to take a while to take off this year.
Could you try getting more and different types of compost? I think Sq Ft gardening recommends 5, at least, for optimal results.
I would buy some Miracle Grow and try it on a single plant, just to see if that made a difference. I know composting won't help much this year, but a soil test would help you rule out a lot of issues.
I know that's not much help, but at least it could give you an idea of if the potential is there. I mean, you don't know what's been dumped on there in the last eight years. Or what was in the compost you bought. I'm getting read to buy a bunch so I can sympathize!
On the one hand, nine bags of composted manure in that much garden space isn't a lot. On the other hand, it's not as if soil is a blank slate without amendments, plus you're adding other fertilizer. So I don't think that your seedling issues are likely to be due to soil fertility issues.
I would lean toward other possibilities, like the suggestion that perhaps it's been colder or wetter (or warmer or dryer) this year than it was for your other garden. Is this new area just as sunny? Higher? Lower? Better drained? Swampy? Are you planting at the same time as last year?