23,821 Garden Web Discussions | Vegetable Gardening




Yes, grad.....you'll need to water it and then stir it. It doesn't need to be saturated, but the moisture needs to be distributed well. You don't need to be afraid of getting it moist....it's not my favorite medium but it coarse enough maintain structure when moist.


Agree that those dates are just recommendations. They mean do not plant before but anytime after is fine.
Please include your location or at least your gardening zone in any posts or replies. Your location makes a BIG difference in the information we supply to you.
For example, in much of the country this year normal last frost dates aren't valid as frosts are coming as much as 2-3 weeks late. So be sure to check your long term weather forecast before planting.
For future reference, it is your soil temp that best determines when seeds should be planted, not some artificial dates on a calendar. So learn to measure and monitor your soil temps.
Dave

I think flat collars would be easier to fit than cups. You can buy them ready made or make your own. Google cabbage root fly collars.
Here is a link that might be useful: Root fly collars


Jerusalem artichokes are quite late to show here. Mine are not yet up. BTW 'germinated' applies to seed, tubers just 'come up' or 'sprout' ;-)
If the old stems are visible you could dig carefully down a bit next to one and see if there is any sign of growth.


We had a very cold spring over here and things have only just started growing. Hence the weed explosion. Nothing has yet germinated on my allotment and I didn't even bother to sow anything until last week.
Assuming you marked each end of your rows with sticks or markers of some kind, you could just remove any plants growing either side of, say an 8 inch strip along the row and leave the rest. Then your rows would be defined and once any seedlings start to appear you can begin to id them.
Germination is generally slow still due to the chilly start so you need to wait at least 2 weeks before expecting to see anything, maybe even longer.
Lastly, allotmenteers are usually friendly people, so ask for help from your neighbours.

Zucchini is not a plant that lends itself to container growing anyway. The stems and leaf shanks will always break as it drapes over the container edges simply from the weight of the leaves not to mention the fruit..
It works best in ground where it has support for the stems as it spreads. This one is beyond salvage I fear. You have plenty of time to direct seed in the ground.
Dave

Just so you know there is a Soil & Compost forum here for questions such as this.
What is enough? Recommended minimum is enough so that at least20- 25% of the soil in the bed is compost. More is better. Goal is 50% compost.
For most people "enough" means as much as you have or can afford to buy.
Old or new? Old means the composting process is finished and called "finished compost". So that is the best for mixing in with the soil. "New" means it is still decomposing, still using up nitrogen, and it isn't "compost" yet. It can be used as mulch on top but should not be mixed in with the soil as it can bind up nitrogen needed by the plants. Or it can be left in the pile to finish decomposing.
Dave


Yukkrui -
What I did was to store my leftover seed potatoes from the spring planting in the 'fridge. This kept the growth of the eyes slow enough that when I planted them in July and August they were "normal" I.E. the eyes hadn't formed 6 inch long stems!

Ok thanks, I have noticed that some plants are more temperamental than others. My cilantro and green sweet basil was very sensitive to the sun for hardening more so than my others that I have already hardened off. I just started hardening my ornamental peppers and red basil. I put them out for about two hours yesterday and four hours today in direct sun, they look like they are handling it well but it is a cool day today around 50 degrees. I just put them in the shade though to be safe.

I have just been putting my plants out as weather permits. Leaving them in full sun all day, but the weather has been cool so far with highs in the 70's. I just watch them and see how they do. Yesterday there was a few looking a little stressed so I moved them to the shade for the night. I will have to bring them back in this evening tho as we are expecting 30 degree temps again tonight.
Tammy


A few years ago I used some old ones that were laying around for a few tomatoes, and they were the only tomatoes I have every grown which did not do well. They kind of stopped growing and looked sort of yellow and sickly.But I am trying a few for cucumbers this year.
I noticed that the trays are constantly dry.