23,594 Garden Web Discussions | Vegetable Gardening

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flora_uk(SW UK 8/9)

This question was asked a few years back. Seems tricky to source. Someone on the linked thread says it is the same as Pentland Brig but I am not convinced. I've grown PB and there was no indication from the seed company that it was perennial.

You can get Daubenton over here but not sure how easy it is to find in the States. http://www.pennardplants.com/products.php?cat=401

Here is a link that might be useful: Kale question

    Bookmark   March 26, 2013 at 5:41PM
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sunnibel7 Md 7(7)

Oh, good, Dave. I was outside doing my chores and suddenly thought, "what if what I wrote came off the wrong way? Crud!" Glad to see it didn't.

I think that's why I included experience in the mix. I know you are right, but with everything I'm learning( a whole new soil type, all the ins and outs of growing produce for the restaurant, etc.) I just haven't been able to hit my stride on the soil improvement yet. But the seasons keep rolling and I want to grow things and learn even though my conditions leave something to be desired. Maybe it is hard to explain, but learning to mulch still takes learning.

Sweetquietplace- your dead spot sounds alarming, unless you know what is causing it, maybe? The way you described it I imagine this circle of yellow, dying plants right smack in the center of your garden. Eek!

    Bookmark   March 26, 2013 at 12:45PM
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soilent_green

"Successful gardening requires effort on the part of the gardener. There is a well documented correlation between the amount of effort put into the garden and the success of that garden, the more the better; the less the worse."

I agree 100%. IMHO this is the number one issue new gardeners need to understand and it encompasses all the issues brought up by others here, including the OP. A gardener can have the best soil, the best varieties, the best weather, even the best of intentions, and if the garden ends up becoming a dense stand of 3 foot tall weeds and grass due to neglect and inattention, it will surely fail.

I want every new gardener to be successful but, unfortunately, lack of commitment or simply comprehending that a commitment is necessary are the primary reasons why I have seen most new gardeners fail or simply just give up after a year or two because they feel gardening is too much work for them.

Rant ON/
BTW I hear it all the time, and I find the excuse of not enough spare time available to be a big bunch of baloney. It all comes down to proper personal time management. People will tell me that they can not find the time to do proper garden maintenance but then I find out that they do have the time to sit on the couch in front of the television to watch the latest pathetic installment of some lame reality McShow or tasteless sh*tcom. Life is all about priorities, and that speaks volumes...
/Rant OFF

Have a good day.
-Tom

    Bookmark   March 26, 2013 at 3:38PM
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Hilary McDaniel

Thnx everyone

    Bookmark   March 26, 2013 at 12:02AM
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tripleione(6b)

Last year, my potato patch lost all of its leaves from a cold snap that wasn't even freezing temperatures (33 degrees F) in late April. They came back but it took them a while to get going again.

I agree that some cover will definitely be helpful.

    Bookmark   March 26, 2013 at 3:25PM
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digdirt2(6b-7a No.Cent. AR HZ8 Sun-35)

What varieties specifically?

Late varieties have a much longer DTM so they are normally planted at the same time in spring as any other variety. If you wait until later you risk the soil temps being too warm for them, slow growth and low production. Or if there should be an early winter onset then low production because they were planted so late.

But if you want to wait then no longer than 2-3 weeks after your last frost or the soil gets too warm.

Come fall you don't have to dig them as soon as the vines begin to die back. They can be left in the ground for weeks prior to digging if the weather cooperates.

But the bottom line is that potatoes are an early spring planted crop for specific reasons, regardless of the type.

Dave

    Bookmark   March 26, 2013 at 3:06PM
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raiquee

Might be better just to start over ;) less back breaking work!

    Bookmark   March 26, 2013 at 12:22PM
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lizzslilies

ok, thanks all for the input!

    Bookmark   March 26, 2013 at 1:17PM
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lonmower(zone8 Western Oregon)

cool idea
I agree with sunnibel7...need to speed it up. Less time for each exposure.
Seedlings need the light RIGHT on top of them. This video is good to show how seedling reach for light (which wasn't there)
Love the sound track
Keep the experiment going

    Bookmark   March 26, 2013 at 11:38AM
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thebutcher(6b (Philadelphia area))

Thanks all and I aggree it needs to be sped up by at least 2-3x. It was neat when I just put a regular desktop lamp with a standard 40 watt bulb and saw the seedlings go to it in the darkness of the main lights.

I think the next one I will make them dance in sync by moving the light around every hour or so lol. But next one will be with my grow light, right now it is all taken up by my other plants waiting to go out in May, so I got to wait.

But I guess in the meantime it would be fun to do some experiment light tricks to make them move with my extra seeds and even find some music to sync with the movement.

Thanks again all for watching and advice.

-Mr Beno

    Bookmark   March 26, 2013 at 12:34PM
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Raw_Nature(5 OH)

Thanks for your post! But you don't have to tell me, trust me my friend... Was just using it as an example...

Joe

    Bookmark   March 21, 2013 at 2:22PM
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jacksonblake543

metal roofing installation can be used for roofing for rain water harvesting and its better to use water for other household purposes, than drinking...

    Bookmark   March 26, 2013 at 12:01AM
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Creek-side(5)

I have never had any trouble with these varmints until last year, when they took everything I had except for just a few of my zucchini, acorns and butternuts. My pumpkins and patti pans were a total loss. Unfortunately, having never had any issues I wasn't prepared during or after, so I didn't remove the afflicted vines, or perform any of the other post-event actions. I am terrified of what might happen this year.

    Bookmark   March 25, 2013 at 7:45PM
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glib(5.5)

Tromboncino, butternut and Long Island are all moschata. That means woody stems and no SVB. They all die of frost in October. I see from wikipedia that there is a number of edible pumpkin types which are moschata, it may be worth for me to expand into pumpkins, since most of our squash ends up in soup anyway.

    Bookmark   March 25, 2013 at 8:44PM
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bluebirdie(Z8 SF E Bay)

I would love to hear any suggestion to this too!

I have shrubs over 6 feet away (and trees over 12 feet away) from a raised bed. Underneath the bed, a thick layer of newspaper plus two layers of thick weed barrier from Costco. After a season, the roots still came through all layers just like your photo. I really wanted this to work because this is the only raised bed that's on flat ground...

    Bookmark   March 25, 2013 at 1:42PM
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jonfrum(6)

I would dig it over to break up the roots. There's no sense leaving that space open.

    Bookmark   March 25, 2013 at 7:21PM
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brittanyw(8a)

It depends on the crops. What plants are you concerned about?

    Bookmark   March 25, 2013 at 6:26PM
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sunnibel7 Md 7(7)

My first question is which direction is which? Like, is the elm N, S, E or W of the garden? That will let me better picture where all the shadows are going to go over the seasons. But from my experience removing limbs from a tree that was shading my old garden, getting those two limbs gone will indeed make your garden much better. You may not ever get the results you would with a garden with no shade, but you may get good enough.

I'm not sure what about your set up you don't like visually, but it will soften up its hard lines once you have plants growing in it. You could put decorative finials on the the posts I suppose. A couple of clumps of ornamental grass outside the fence to give the winter a bit of interest without competing too much with the garden? A happy scarecrow or some garden decoration? It looks good to me. Cheers!

    Bookmark   March 25, 2013 at 3:31PM
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NilaJones(7b)

It looks like you put the garden in the shadiest part of your yard, and then attempted to grow plants that need a lot of sun.

Cutting the branches will help. You should also move the tomatoes, and maybe the cukes, to the beds farthest from the trees. Grow the lettuce and parsley in the shadiest bed, and the rest in between.

If your tomatoes still don't do well, focus next year on vegies that like part shade -- kale, chard, broccoli, etc.

For your fence, I think it needs some vegetation :). I would grow climbing beans and nasturtiums (edible leaves and flowers) in the sunny areas, and runner beans like 'Painted Lady' on the shadier side/s. Careful you do not get the bush varieties of nasturtiums and beans :).

    Bookmark   March 25, 2013 at 5:17PM
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bluebirdie(Z8 SF E Bay)

In our zone, the best performers and favorite to my taste are: Blue Lake, Northwestern, and Fortex. I purchase Northwestern and Fortex seeds.

My favorite is Blue Lake. Though a bit late, they do exceptional well in our weather. Each year I save a few Blue Lake, and allow them to either self seed, or scattered to another bed. What's interesting is... though being open pollinated, they came out true after years of group planting of 4 beans. I'm not a bean expert so not sure why... but they just do.

I haven't learnt how to do canning yet so my rating is only for fresh eating.

    Bookmark   March 25, 2013 at 1:55PM
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jimster(z7a MA)

I agree that Fortex is an excellent snap bean. It is not especially high yielding however.

Jim

    Bookmark   March 25, 2013 at 2:33PM
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pnbrown

I don't think many of us here have experience with tropical tree crops. I have attempted to grow some of those on the list in north florida with not good results other than citrus.

    Bookmark   March 25, 2013 at 1:53PM
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harveyhorses(7 Midlothian Va)

Such a different set of challenges! I don't know what varieties of trees you can choose from ,but a friend had a dwarf date tree (at least I assumed it was a dwarf) that did well for her for years. It was in a really sunny spot in her house. So other kinds might do well too. Maybe ask at the nursery?
I would also stick with heavy mulch if you can to keep the soil from drying too fast.

    Bookmark   March 25, 2013 at 2:32PM
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thebutcher(6b (Philadelphia area))

Thanks both of you I will be carefull, speaking of watering though, what is the average amount of water and how often for a 3 week old sedling to be watered with organic potting mix?

Thanks again,
-Mr Beno

    Bookmark   March 25, 2013 at 12:26PM
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digdirt2(6b-7a No.Cent. AR HZ8 Sun-35)

It isn't a formula, a fixed amount, or a set schedule. The plant's environment is a flexible thing so watering needs to flex accordingly. Failing to do that quickly leads to over-watering.

It is as the plant needs it. You determine that by sticking your finger deep into the soil and if it feels at all damp then you don't water. When in doubt you don't water. When the air temps are low you don't water. If the leaf and stem turgidity appears healthy you don't water.

More seedlings are killed by OVER-watering than by anything else.

Dave

    Bookmark   March 25, 2013 at 12:34PM
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jonfrum(6)

If they sit in wet, cold soil for too long you may have a problem, but the snow won't do harm on its own.

    Bookmark   March 25, 2013 at 12:14PM
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cugal(5b-6a NE Ks)

Thanks folks! There was a recent post (which I'd overlooked) on this topic, however their potatoes had already sprouted........ Supposed to be in the 60s by midweek, so I'm hoping mother nature is done with her tricks! We need the moisture badly, but I prefer rain to snow........ ;)

    Bookmark   March 25, 2013 at 12:21PM
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