24,795 Garden Web Discussions | Vegetable Gardening

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digdirt2(6b-7a No.Cent. AR HZ8 Sun-35)

<Do eggplants need to be hand pollinated under cover? I thought they are self-pollinating, like peppers...>

Have to? No just as you don't have to uncover them when they bloom for pollination. But it makes big difference in production just as it does with all other members of the family. They are also shielded from the wind when under cover and wind plays a role in pollination of eggplants, tomatoes, and peppers.

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jocoyn

Planting peppermint between our eggplants seems really to have with the flea beetles though something else has ravaged them. I am not sure why eggplants are so attractive to bugs.

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wayne_5 zone 6a Central Indiana

I've got some Kennebecs on a table that I did not need to plant. they are green sprouted. Some eyes have up to 8 shoots. I believe that nice sized seed pieces provide more starting food than small ones, but small ones that are fertilized are ok. I do cut large potatoes in 2 pieces usually and rub off some of the eyes....they do not rot for me.

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elisa_z5

If you're fussy about weeds, you won't like my mulch of choice: hay. Are you near a bay? Eel grass is very effective mulch and has no weed seeds.

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digdirt2(6b-7a No.Cent. AR HZ8 Sun-35)

<Mother nature is doing most of the watering, but if there's no rain for 2 days, I'll hand water. >

Watering every 2 days IS over-watering and then rain on top of that within the same week is definitely over-watering. Unless plants are in containers think about water in terms of "this week" not days. :)

Dave

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gumby_ct(CT it says Z5)

Not to mention that peat moss will retain water. AND some areas on this planet have gotten 20 inches or more of rain.

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njitgrad(6A/6B)
They are 20 gallon containers so I guess that's fine. Next year no cages definitely. We'll see what happens as the season goes on.
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digdirt2(6b-7a No.Cent. AR HZ8 Sun-35)

Yeah 20 gallon containers will handle 2 plants fine. I have done 3 in 25 gallons with no problems. Just space them further apart next time.

Dave

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hokiehorticulture(z7 RIC/VA)

I'll agree with Dave and place my bet on rabbits as well

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smelvis36

Never caught the bugger but a small fence has seemed to work. I'm glad whatever it was wasn't a glutton.

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farmerdill

No, It is jst a standard NPK in soluble form with the additionof micronutrients . None of the micros are harmful to common plants.

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wayne_5 zone 6a Central Indiana

Suckers are common on early planted Ambrosia corn. I have had them so abundant that inner rows were...well very thick looking.

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farmerdill

Lawn grass ferilizer is also very expensive for what you get. If you want a processed nitrate supplement, field fertizer which comes in 50 lb bags at farm suppliers is much less expensive. You will have your choice of Ammonium nitrate, ammonium sulphate, urea, and possibly sodium nitrate.

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lgteacher(SCal zone 9b)

You can give it a try. There are way more seeds in a packet than you will need unless you are planning on having a farmstand. You can plant a few now and save the rest for next spring. I'm in 9b in SoCal and I'd do it (except I already have more zucchini than I know what to do with).

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Joe B

Im in 8a, and will probably plant a few more today fyi. I usually plant less than I want because sometimes a plant or two will really produce way more than we eat, other years it may take more plants. just so happens this year we are loving squash and zuch's so I am gonna plant a couple more. It helps zuchs especially love heat, so I set them up on my drip system, or if not, make sure I keep the soil watered well until they start taking off. I don't have to worry about squash bugs here in west texas, and if I am seeing borers, I will spray new plants with spinasad every few weeks on the stems and that seems to do the trick.

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Miss_Moose (Winnipeg, Canda. Zone 2)

@Weirdtrev, thanks for the advice, they're outdoors. I know tomatoes have both sexes in one flower... I vibrate them to mimic the effect of a bug or bee landing on the flower and shaking the pollen loose so it can pollinate itself. What's been happening in the past, is I let nature do the work and I get a super tiny tomato harvest... lots of blooms, no maters.

Growing some hybrid determinate bush tomatoes, they're at about maturity now and pushing out blooms

Then growing some heirloom indeterminate tomatoes, they too are at maturity and some are pushing out flowers. Thanks!

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weirdtrev

I don't think pollination is your problem, it is likely the temperatures. Blooms can abort on nights below 55 F and I see you are still getting nights in the high 40s low 50s. Hopefully it warms up for you so you can get some fruit set.

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jnjfarm_gw(5a)

I guess I don't understand what is so hard about watering it? if you are there to pick the beans it could be watered at the same time. I you dig a big hole and bury the pot, you are still going to have to water it till the roots get through the drainage holes which will be about the same time the plant quits producing.

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solarays

Watering anything every other day is pretty ridiculous. We are in a severe drought in California.

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n2xjk

I have 3 levels of defense around my garden, 4' 2x3 mesh fencing, 2' rabbit fence (8" buried), 2 hot wires (solar "10 mile" charger--burns plants that touch it). I'll still get the occaisional deer that jumps the fence, and a raccoon or two when the sweet corn is ready.

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Miss_Moose (Winnipeg, Canda. Zone 2)

this was hilarious lol

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digdirt2(6b-7a No.Cent. AR HZ8 Sun-35)

how-do-you-support-your-tomatoes

Hi Keith - here is a thread running right now about this question over on the Growing Tomatoes forum. Folks are posting pics of their various types of supports. The search there will also pull up many of the previous discussions about it.

Dave

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Miss_Moose (Winnipeg, Canda. Zone 2)

Yeah I did cages the first year of tomato season and ended up with a cage flopped over along with my plant... it was zero help. lol

I also stake mine now.

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Miss_Moose (Winnipeg, Canda. Zone 2)

Wow are people in other zones only now planting sunflowers? It never fails to amaze me the growing season differences across climate zones! Mine were started in march indoors and are currently 4' tall and pushing out flowers.

I don't know if they'll survive, but if they do I'd bet you'll get a few little sunflower heads rather than one large head. Flowers aren't like veggies in that they get cut back and grow right up again... the main stem produces one main flower. If it's damaged then the flower will produce off shoots to survive, and possibly several little sunflower heads. They won't be as big as the one large one and I don't know about harvest. At least that's been my experience. Google some images to see what I'm talking about... good luck

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jimmy56_gw (zone 6 PA)

When I mix my fertilizer in a 5 gallon bucket I always throw a handful of Epson salt with it.

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Molex 7a NYC

Provide me an .edu site recommending amending with Epson Salts I will happily eat crow. Unless there is a major deficiency in the soil, adding these salts just to add them is not a good idea, and I stubbornly stand by my broad statement. ;)

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