23,948 Garden Web Discussions | Vegetable Gardening

IMO there is no way that plants can get that leggy unless they are reaching for the sun. I'm guessing that they are getting no more than 5 hours of sun per day.

It does look a bit dry.. tomatoes need plenty of water.. the leaves look healthy albeit spaced out.. might try digging it up, cut off all the branches except the top two., dig a trench and plant it laying down with only top sticking out.. the entire stem that is planted will become part of the root structure. don't worry if it is crooked. it will right itself.. but,, if you don't have it in full sunlight,, it continue to get long and lanky.. maters need full sun.. and plenty of H2O

Well, the plant started getting dry, and every time i watered it, the water would run STRAIGHT THROUGH the canna coco, like ALL the water...

I'm thinking that the canna coco isn't the best choice for a container (don't know what it is, though)
Any time the water runs straight through usually means the soil is so dried out that it repels water, and either needs to be broken up and soaked or replaced. If you want to try and salvage what you have, I would soak the pot (we're talking under water) until bubbles stop coming up. I would also poke the soil deep with a chopstick or something to get the water into the soil.
This is mostly house plant/container ideas. I truly think it's time to start over!
Look into the container gardening forum for better advise! Nancy

I think the one thing that needs to be zeroed in on, is what nancyjane said.. "so dried out that it repels water"
seed starting mixes and other types of soil are so fine they will repel the water.. my sons friend almost killed 10 plants.. he replanted ,, watered and walked away.. I was in the greenhouse and picked up one of the pots.. which was as light as a feather.. the water just ran through. the top looked wet bet it was bone dry underneath.. water is heavy. so a well watered container should be heavy also. it is a good way to tell how moist your soil is..

Good luck.. :)

I would not do anythind. All you need eyes on seeds.
The seed will actually rot in the ground anyway. The starch in the seed is just food for the genes to nurish on while growing roots and stems.

Thanks for your input. Still haven't planted because there is still snow / ice on my planting area. I have been trying to clean it but there is still ice... also still probable freezing in the future

I think the term "scallion" simply means the young green shoot of an edible allium. It doesn't tell anything about species. A young garlic plant could be called a scallion, though certainly most of what are called scallions are in allium cepa.

Then we have the term "onion" which is at least as broad and imprecise.

in our area they sell green walla walla sweets, and they label them as walla walla. but iv'e never tryed regrowing them.

Yes, the oaks leaf-out very late here because of the cool maritime spring (I guess). Beeches and maples are leafed, mostly. Further inland the oaks will be more advanced. Probably it is about equal here to way upstate NY.

I just chopped down mine a week ago. :) They are pretty, for sure. I left one for the bees, though they have plenty other sources... Like my strawberries! Do you just let that self sow?

coffee grounds are great, and if you live near a coffee house/cafe - maybe able to get them in quantity.

I think I'm going to end up buying and putting down mini bark nuggets on Monday unless I get a better suggestion before that.

Pine straw sounded like my best option but is not available at any of my local garden centers. Online it is $59 for a box delivered, a bit more than I want to pay for a cover.

I am not going to a coffee house to ask for grinds. Besides it would take a long time to accumulate the quantity I need. I want to put the cover down all at once.

I an not going to use straw (whole or shredded) based on the possiblity of it having been previously treated with something (there is another thread in the soil forum that I created after I started this thread in the veggie forum).

Actually, I've put some toothpicks into a sweet potato, put the bottom half in water (changing the water every couple of days) and had the vines grow all the way around my kitchen window! It would save some garden space and you'd have them right there in the house year round!
I'm hoping I'm not confusing sweet potatoes with yams (if there's a difference) I don't know, I don't eat either one.LOL Nancy

What they commonly sell as "Yams" in the USA are sweet potatoes. There are actual yams, but they are not common in the US.

Sweet Potatoes are easy to grow, especially if all you care about is the leaves. The vines could be ornamental, just like the light green and purple types they sell for just the looks.

Frankly, I would just restart them directly in the ground. You haven't really lost much time, plus pumpkins don't have to be picked until October. I'm not even starting my pumpkins or melons yet. Will direct seed them late May or Early June, and the pumpkins will probably still be ready too early.

After your last frost date.

did you rip the bottom of the peat pot off? that always binds them in I find....not as easily rotted as reputed to be.

Thanks all.... I hardened a little - only a couple days. IT seems to be doing better... I didn't rip the bottom of the peat pot off but the roots were already starting to come out the bottom of it so I did not want to hurt anything... thanks for the follow up.

and final post today. Another shot of the infected area...

I sure wouldn't pull those plants! They look fine. Except for that one strange thing.

Uaskigyrl, you have a great attitude! All new gardeners make mistakes, so expecting them and having fun with them is the best way to learn. :)

Dave, you taught me something new. I had no idea about the roots of marigolds and sunflowers having a growth retardant affect. Does that apply in the main garden, too, or just containers? I don't generally companion plant, but I'd be curious how far away marigolds need to be planted from veggie crops to be "safe".

And me too. I knew about sunflowers, did not know about marigolds.....So maybe it was the marigolds in the early years that were causing less than outstanding tomatoes....maybe I double dug my beds for nothing? Either way, no more marigolds with tomatoes.

Compare planting depth, watering, and mulching for starters. Differences in them could be possibilities, especially planting depth.

It must be depth. Nothing was watered nor mulched. Just planted and covered and left for spring rains. This fall I'm going to have her at my side when planting!