23,594 Garden Web Discussions | Vegetable Gardening
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.
I had a similar surprise today. I had carefully weeded my vegetable garden before adding my plants, so was puzzled when something was growing from under one of the stepping stones I had laid down.
I forgot I had planted a potato last fall after it had sprouted in my kitchen. It must have sat dormant over the winter, but now it's growing strong.
I'm going to leave it, since it's not really taking up much room with its roots under the stone.
This post was edited by SaraElise on Sat, Apr 13, 13 at 17:52
It isn't squash bug egg nor SVB egg nor cucumber beetles egg, the most common squash pests. The next most likely is aphid clusters.
But it could be many different things and may easily be something beneficial if various species of butterflies or moths are active in your area already. So there is no reason to assume it is an "enemy". :)
The real clue to identity often comes from the number of them found and the type and degree of damage, if any, being done.
If there is no real damage being done then just monitor it to see what happens.
Dave
Raw_Nature "... I have a 5 tier shelf holding 70 seedlings each, right by a south facing window. Each tier gets about 12000 lumens, not including the sunlight..."
I'd love to see your setup, any chance of posting a photo? Did you buy the whole thing as a single unit or is it your design? I think I would like to have something like that for next year, or, whenever."
Sid:
I bought everything separately.. I'm way to cheap to buy a "grow kit" that's probably inferior to what you could make half the price... i wouldnt say I put a patent on it, it's just shelfs with a light hanging from every tier.. The light is your basic four-light T8 shoplight, each t8 bulb produces a little under 3000 lumens each.. Now, I would take credit for this one: instead of using plain old solo cups that fall over and are a pain in the but, I used plain old storage/shoe bins, you know the plastic box that you buy at walmart,etc... I made sure the dimensions were divisible by whatever you plan on spacing your seedlings,(easier, cleaner,etc), wasn't to concerned about the depth, think it was 4-6" or something.. I marked the sides every three inches, so each bin would hold 35 seedlings space 3" centers... Plus you have all the root growth you wouldn't normally have.. With a little cheap seedling trays, they are normally 2" centers, plus there is only a pinch of soil in them.. In my containers you have tons of soil so the plants could get a huge rootmass.. Whenever you have to move it, you jus carry the bins, 35 seedlings at a time, no need to deal with clumsy solo cups that fall over! Real easy, and cheap! The mos expensive part was the light an the shelf... I'll try my luck at posting a picture...
Joe
Assuming that you are in a Deep South Zone 9, you will find that it is basically immaterial whether you grow determinates or indeterminates. When your daytime temps begin to hit above 90 degrees, all your tomato plants will stop blooming and/or setting fruit. I always keep 2 or 3 cherry tomatoes in large pots that I coddle and pamper through August so that they will begin to fruit again in September and go till frost, but I pull out all the plants in the ground in July and plant my peppers which love growing in a blast furnace.
As far as pruning is concerned, if you are staking your plants, pruning makes it easier to stake them. If you are caging your plants, there is really no reason to prune. As far as removing leaves, I wouldn't advise it. The fruit will suncald without the shade cast by the foliage.
I really like your trellis, Mandolis--how deeply do you bury it in the garden? How tall is it at its height? Thanks!
Helped a friend today build his. If you look close there's green string