24,795 Garden Web Discussions | Vegetable Gardening

The Rhubarb is happy this year.
Posted by floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
6 Comments
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digdirt2(6b-7a No.Cent. AR HZ8 Sun-35)

Can't say. I never let mine bloom as it turns bitter and I grow it for the edible parts.

Dave

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sleevendog (5a NY)(5a NY)

Mine is massive as it is every year. But it is at least 50+ yrs old...was in the old cow pasture when i bought the farm 25 yrs ago....the farm had not been active for years before that. I've divided it almost every year early spring. When just early nubs. I've started another row of 20 or so the past few yrs.

I always cut the seed stalks before they seed. Another big patch fruitier out the pasture i rarely touch or snip...always looks just like the one i tend.

I pulled about 20 lbs last weekend and gave to neighbors that can't seem to grow it. I leave behind the large leaves and tuck under the plants for a mulch.

Some years the heat gets it in mid July and the stalks get hollow and soft. Other years i've had it all season through fall. One recent year i had another growth and full fall crop after dying back in August...

Some varieties are a bit more red but the taste is the same. Why most use a few strawberries in their pies. I've used grated beets for color. It is my favorite ingredient in my BBQ sauce. Lots of vinegar and maple syrup and hot peppers and dry rub spices. Nice tart wet dipping sauce for ribs and a good mop while smoking chicken and pork. Added to spicy black beans last weekend. Just a great all around free garden gem to make thick sauces from.

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zeedman Zone 5 Wisconsin

Last year, I sowed snap peas over the July 4th weekend, for Fall harvest. They did great... in fact, the germination was better than when Spring sown. You would probably want to use a short DTM variety, though, such as Sugar Lace. It is a short semi-leafless variety, so it doesn't need to waste time growing tall vines.

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sleevendog (5a NY)(5a NY)

It is worth trying a fall crop if you can spare the room. Last fall we had a very late first fall frost...warm through mid October. Not every year. The pea shoots before producing are great in salads and spring rolls so not all is lost if cold temps hit early.

I start some late July in my zone 5a. If you look around you will find some lists for your area when it is recommended to plant for fall crops.

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Chris B(6a NY)

Ugh - Japanese beetles.

I will dig up the compost later and post a picture of one of these mammoths in another thread.

I'm all about using flowers to draw in the "good guys".

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daninthedirt(Cent TX; HZ10, Sunset z30, USDA z8a)

No, no, no no. Butternut is not immune to SVBs. It's "resistant". As in, it isn't hurt AS MUCH as everything else. I routinely have SVBs in my Butternuts. It is a common garden myth that Butternuts, and Moschata's in general, are left untouched by SVBs. But maybe my Texas SVBs are just bigger than everyone elses?

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elisa_z5

plastic over the pots is for indoor seed starting. Outdoors in the sun you would simply bake the seedlings to death as they tried to emerge from the soil. 5 days ago by now? You should be seeing signs soon!

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winorchids(nor CA, USDA 9b, sunset 7/14)

@laceyvail: I planted Wando peas because they are supposedly heat-tolerant and I read several sites that they could be planted mid-summer or July 1 for a fall crop. (Packet says "Best in hot weather! ... produce reliably even in hot or cold temperatures where other peas fail.")

http://homeguides.sfgate.com/can-peas-planted-july-66553.html

Not sure if you didn't notice or aren't familiar with the varietal or if you disagree with what I read? I'm happy to hear your advice/a different view.

To update, today I see several zucchini and lemon cucumber seedlings, and one straight neck and wando pea. So perhaps I did okay with the direct sowing/watering. We'll see!

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ilodato(6b)

Sorry I am not being clear. The green beans are tiny- maybe an inch. not the plants.

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GardenDan 6a

Yes they grow fast I would think thy will be ready in a few days.

You should check them everyday and try to keep them picked, in order to keep you plants in production

Look closely because they can be hard to see.

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theforgottenone1013(MI zone 5b/6a)

"Not a laughing matter -- must go to great lengths to protect the year's garlic harvest!"

Damn straight. Garlic is one of those crops that just cannot be allowed to fail. :)

Ev- When you harvest, get a fan blowing on them if you can. Anything that might speed the drying.

Rodney

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exmar

Harvested garlic today. The sun actually came out this morning. Supposed to rain in the PM. Anyway, decided to harvest and place all around the perimeter of my big cart, that way, when it's not raining, I can back it out and let the wind blow and maybe get a little sun. When it's dry enough I'll hang as usual. Barn has no airflow, typical 24X48 pole barn with metal sides and roof, think OVEN. Not as big as I'm used to seeing, but a worthy harvest for sure. I found about ten that were rotting, so timing was critical.

Ev

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jbalog123

Here is my little garden

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farmerdill

They will do fine with the piece of potao attached. While there is no reason to leave a piece of the potato attached, it does not hurt anthing unless it is a large piece that will will send out additional sprouts.

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xeno(6)

Ah okay. It's a rather small cube. Thanks so much for your input!

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silocity7a

The majority of my plants are grown from seed. I grow 16 varieties of heirloom tomatoes, most of which cannot be found at greenhouses or Lowes/Home Depot. It is much less expensive and all of my plants grown from seed tend to grow better. I once heard a rumor that the greenhouses that sell to Lowes/Home Depot and other hardware stores add a growth inhibitor to them so the plants don't get root bound to quick. I don't know whether that is just a urban legend or the truth, but I do know that most of the store bought plants do not take off very quickly when transplanted.

I have purchased some seeds from Tomatofest and large seed retailers and they tend to be high on their prices. The past several years, I purchased seeds from Ebay and have had great luck getting seeds at a reasonable price. I generally get the majority of my seeds for an average of $1.00 per pack.

I have found that local greenhouses carry 4-6 packs of plants if you do go that route. We are very fortunate where I live to have the Veterans Administration hospital which has a very large greenhouse run by veterans with the proceeds going to VA issues. It is one of the best greenhouses I have been to with a huge variety of very healthy plants at very reasonable prices. They actually had some varieties of tomatoes that I thought could only be found by growing seeds myself like: Blue from Tula, Roman Speckled, Big Rainbow & Paul Robeson to name a few. I had already planted most of those varieties by seed, but it was a wonderful surprise that I could find the plants (they were $1.75 for a four pack). You might want to check your local VA hospital to see if they do the same thing.

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chigardenlady(5b)

I got onions from dixondale too this year and I wasn't very happy with them. I also started a ton from seed. I planted out the teeny tiny seedlings along with the starts I ordered and the seedlings are much bigger and look much better.plus I know my seedlings are grown organically and I know the others were not. I only planted a few of them and gave some to my dad and the compost ate the rest. I did get them in super late this year. Last year around the first week of July I was pulling huge onions. This year I am going to start my onions inside around the end of November. This is contrary to all info I find but they grow very slowly and I want them to be a large size when I put them out like the starts I purchase. One thing with the starts from dixondale they weren't in dirt and they were very dry because they are dormant. I always purchased potted starts in previous years maybe that's why they are so far behind. After I planted them I found it a lot of work because they had dead leaves that needed to be removed from the outside to release the inner leaves which were growing. Not removing this meant very slow growth or no growth at all and even a few died. I pulled several and replaced them my seedlings. It is very tedious work to transplant onion seedlings. Tedious but manageable. I have onions now they just are not the size i expect for the end of June.

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rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7

Organ control of ONE little guy caught in the act would call for a quick spray of soapy water, or a knock down into a can of soapy water, or a grab and flush.

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hoppedup(Maine zone 5a)

That's what I did. Just curious, I noticed quite a few leaves on my hops had been chewed up, he's the only one I've seen though

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gumby_ct(CT it says Z5)

I am thinking you have more than one problem. As mentioned you need to see + ID the culprit before you can fix the problem.

Suggest going out after dark with a flashlight to look for slugs on the ground, on the plant, and on anything nearby.

You can use scissors to cut em in half. If it turns out you have lots put some ammonia + water in a spray bottle to 'melt em' when you spray em.

Still have more? pick up some Sluggo or other slug bait to help protect seedlings.

HTH

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ekgrows(5 - Northern Illinois)

Earwigs do that to my pepper plants, and they completely ruined my lettuce crop this year. Took me a while to realize it was them until I went out early morning, and found them all hiding in the plants. If you are not seeing any pests during the day - I bet it's earwigs. Possibly slugs.

The bug picture looks like an aphid. They would not do that to your plants.

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gumby_ct(CT it says Z5)

Worm castings are great - if I had em I'd use em.

I'm not sure about anything with manure but thought the ecoli thing came from people harvesting improperly in the fields.

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Chris B(6a NY)

I bought a bag online initially.

I'm gonna try building a vermicompost bin next.

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hokiehorticulture(z7 RIC/VA)

From my experience a well planned out and properly spaced garden will easily outperform a "jungle garden", not to mention being easier to maintain and navigate. So yes, you have to suck it up, be ruthless and thin out those overcrowded rows to ensure a decent yield. Not sure why most beginning gardeners insist on trying to "save" every germinated seed (and thus leading to a "jungle garden") , but I assure you, vegetables do not have feelings. (After thinking about it, I guess they believe that more plants will equal more harvest, even if they are an inch apart, maybe they are not thinking about the "mature" size of the plant at planting time?) Also, regarding the vertically growing melons, hopefully you have planned out a way to support the fruit once it begins to size up? The Victorians that grew melons under glass (in greenhouses) used burlap nets tied to the structure of the house to support fruit weight. I would suggest something similar if you want any hope of harvesting a melon.

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hoppedup(Maine zone 5a)

Hokie nailed it

I've seen vertical melons often with a good strong structure and something (melon hammock) to support those heavy fruits, you'll be fine.

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gumby_ct(CT it says Z5)

To prevent another outbreak what I have done is to take some tape (duct tape works good but any wide tape should do) wrap around the palm of my hand so the sticky side is out.

Then lift each leave to look for eggs on the backside. Press the tape on the eggs to remove them. This works for any critters you see while you are there. It works like fly paper.

Time consuming yet very effective, tho it has to be done for several days.

HTH

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Peter (6b SE NY)

Yes I have been looking for eggs, I scouted thoroughly today (and looking for SVB - I have been spraying the stems with BT in hopes it will get them as they borrow in (which may be a waste of time IDK... I am ready to inject those vines if I see signs of them burrowing... alas it is about to rain AGAIN!) I did not find many eggs. Thanks for the tape idea, I tried to squish and they just fell off my fingers. I will definitely keep an eye out. I squished a whole bunch of flea beetles on the potatoes today, they were sluggish in the heat.

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farmerdill

Yoy may be a bit late, Broccoli does not like summer temps in many areas. At any rate it is several weeks from heading. Broccoli (most varieties) is a huge plant.

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mfran12345 (Zone 6b, northeast PA)

Thanks farmerdill. It's been very hot and raining for a few weeks now. Maybe my plants are just behind schedule.

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