24,795 Garden Web Discussions | Vegetable Gardening

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Priya J

Thank you for the valuable advice about warm temps! I'll look for rucola selvatica, as suggested, and shade the plants I have.

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Priya J

Just wanted to update carolb_w_fl and anyone in my situation: I probably had a combination of factors contributing to my problem.

1. I happened to come across wild arugula (rucola selvatica) and have been planting that alongside a new packet of regular arugula. You were right, I can tell it deals much better with heat!

2. That seed batch seems to just be poor quality, with none of them managing to make it to adulthood. Another brand gave me noticeably better results, even if not as robust as back home in Wash DC.

3. The weather here has cooled somewhat (afternoon highs are about 5-10 degrees lower than May/June), which helped. I also moved plants to semi-shade. Cool season lasts until January, so I'll make the most of it!

4. I tried watering with ice water, or putting many cubes on the soil and letting them melt in, hoping to lower soil temp. I can't tell if that alone has made a difference, because factors 1-3 are confusing the experiment. But it doesn't seem to hurt, so I'll keep doing it every few days.

Thanks again!

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floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK

I don't deliberately plant flowers in the vegetable garden but I selectively leave those which self sow there. So there are Opium poppies, nasturtiums, aquilegias and Nigella every year.

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carolb_w_fl(zone 9/10)

Don't forget blooming crops too - my basil, mint, fennel, arugula, chicory & garlic chives are all good attractors - & I grow spilanthes for the flowers.

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zzackey(8b GA)

I read you can put vegetable oil under the silks to stop corn worms. I've never tried it.

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Chad Chambers

Cool, thanks for the $0.02 farmerdill!

I grew some Silver Queen in my nursery (I work for a seed company, but I'm not a corn breeder) and it did well. The biggest issue we had in the Texas Panhandle this year was heat during pollination and the corn in my garden was questionable for a while. The silks didn't emerge until the tassels were almost done shedding pollen. So an earlier hybrid would also help to beat the heat.

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farmerdill

If seeds have not formed, yes they will be similar to a young butternut or a Trombocino.

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donnabaskets(Zone 8a, Central MS)

Thank you! That's what I will do.

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Alisande

Thank you, Peter. Yes, I saw a lot of PM on my winter and summer squash plants this year. It was not my best season.

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Jim's(6 East end of Long Island)

All of my butternut vines have died about halfway out from the base and still get plenty of new growth. I have about 6 large squash per vine and seem to be doing fine, except for the dead leaves/stems on the back end. The main part of the vine appears to be still green and healthy. I thought this was just a basic growth pattern of the vine. My vines are about 100 days old and I definitely have no SVB on these plants.

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bart1(6/7 Northern VA)

This might not work in your situation, but I've had great success catching ground hogs by putting my traps inside the garden in the spot where they're digging under the fence. The ground hog enters the garden as usual through the little hole he's dug and walks right into the trap that positioned just on the inside of the fence.

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galinas(5B)

That's a good idea, if I only have a fence) My yard is 6-level slop yard of a duplex, and it is just 6000sq feet, including house, 2 sheds, and small orchard(front lawn)). So I garden in every possible spot - where I can feet at least smallest raised bed. The passes between beds are just enough to get through. I even use few feet of my unused neighbors' land on both sides(bribed them with veggies!). Only area I can fence will be less then half of my current space, and I am not ready to downsize yet).

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NilaJones(7b)

The big rubbermaid-type storage containers make great garden pots. Get a drill bit that makes a hole at least 1/2" in diameter (1" is better). Or stab their bottoms with a strong knife and twist it, depending on what your disability allows :). You want holes you can put your finger through, maybe 6 in the bottom of each pot.

If you don't mind the look, get some kids' wading pools and put the pots in them (before you fill with soil). Bottom watering is much, much, much better for plants and productivity. Add some BT grains to keep mosquitoes from breeding, fill pots with half compost and half whatever (potting soil, peat, coir, coconut, sand....) and Bob's your uncle.

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Jenna Gabel

Bksinaz- how did your squash turn out?

sjkly- your responses has been informative, thank you. I am a beginner when it comes to gardening and I want to keep our newly seeded fruit and veg in containers primarily indoors. However we have the option to place them outside. I keep reading that crookneck is the way to go if using containers for squash. I'm glad that you find that to be true. I prefer containers because the possibility of moving is high and I want to bring our plants with. We don't need to produce a large scale of squash, just enough for a family of three. Thanks again!

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mauldintiger

OK, I qualify as an idiot, went the laundry room, my squash curing are and found these:

Looking exactly like the BC catalog pics of Geramoun Martinique, a neck pumpkin and a flattened pumpkin, just like the description.

From the Seedwise catalog I stole this picThat looks like a 6x6 post to me, and doubt they would use anything smaller in a load bearing situation, so some of the squash pictured could be in the 14-15 lb. class. It appears some of the seeds are producing squash looking more like Seminoles. These were dark green as babies, like Seminoles and weigh 3-4 lbs like Seminoles:

So I guess the takeaway is that one seed produced these and another produced the big ones with baby butternut coloration. Some of the big ones are pumpkin shaped also. The same company sells one called Pennsylvania Roadside Squash, it appears from this pic that I could have gotten them.These are described as large squash with variable eating quality, hope that's not what I have, since none of mine are ribbed. Anyone that has any ideas or experience with these please chime in. Thanks

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zzackey(8b GA)

I think it might be a cushaw squash.

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Cindy Guy Bellwood

Yes. This recipe of 2 TBS. of Murphy's Oil soap to 32 oz of water was recommended to my by the Cactus and Succulent Society of America to be safe on cactus and succulents to kill spider mites and insects . I use it on all of my plants and have for over 8 years. Petroleum based pesticides will kill succulents and cactus plants, so I know i'm safe with this vegetable based oil. No need to add more ingredients and more oil. It works like an insecticidal soap and much cheaper. Watch out on the Safer products that contain Neem. Neem almost killed my Japanese Maples that I used it on. I think it will also damage magnolias too and a bunch of others. I burnt some of my cactus too. I don't trust neem oil at all.

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rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7

Neem is a great horticultural oil to use for a wide assortment of plant problems, both insects, mites, and diseases. HOWEVER, it can't be used on everything nor at all times of the year.

It is, after all, an oil. Japanese Maples are well known for being extremely sensitive to oil applications in general, but not to neem oil specifically.

I can think of no plant with a specific neem sensitivity, but plenty that require care when using any kind of horticultural oil.

Neem oils are specifically recommended for the management of scale insects on Magnolias. We just need to be watchful of the timing and of our application rates.

As always, following labels is important, as well doing a little bit of homework to make sure that we understand the ramifications of any application.

Any pure soap is made with an oil source. Coconut oil, olive oil, canola, corn, etc. The original soaps were made from animal fats. Liquid vegetable soaps can be found anywhere that sells true soaps, liquid or bars. I prefer to use a soap without artificial colors and scents, which can cause plant problems all by themselves.

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elisa_z5

Awesome - thanks, everyone, for the continued info. Now that I'm learning all about these "fall" squashes, hopefully I'll get more years where I can save them from the SVB.

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tcstoehr(8b Canby, OR)

I harvested one Delicata yesterday. This being a warmer than average year I thought maybe they might be ready. It was terrible. I didn't even bother cooking it. I could tell by the taste, color and texture it was no good. The outside color seemed mature enough but looking again I found there was no orange on the skin. There should be some background pumpkiny orange patches. Same with the Acorns I have grown, those should have an orange patch where they sit on the ground. Anyway, my Delicata vines still have abundant green leaves and live vines, although they are in severe decline. The stem on the squash that I harvested was hard but still green. Live and learn, wait til the vines and all leaves are dead and there is orange on the squashes and the stems are grey and dry. October.

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weirdtrev

It is damping off. Here is the Fact Sheet from Penn State Extension

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marketgardener

Hmm, I wouldn't have thought it was damping off. I'd never seen damping off produce such noticeable white mildew at the root/soil level. If it is indeed damping off, what should I do to prevent spread? I sprayed root shield although the next day everything seems worse. Of course, I had to apply the root shield via a soluble solution, increasing moisture on the flats... Any advice is appreciated, I can't have all these things die.

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donnabaskets(Zone 8a, Central MS)

Great ideas here. For my amen, I just repeat that too vigorous watering will drive the seeds too deeply into the soil, and I think that is the best recipe for failure. If you are really desperate, you can sow the seeds into a pot and then prick them out after germination. I don't think it takes any longer than thinning carrots.

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A J(9A)

antmary explained my problems with "crusting" of soil. I would imagine this is common. I now amend where I am seeding and that helps greatly in germination. If the soil is high in organic matter I have zero issues with germination or "crusting." So your issue may be more germination related and not water.

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springtogarden(6A)

This is all so helpful! I will be looking for the white frost on grass. I want my fruits to mature as much as possible on the plant. I too pick the tomatoes at first blush because I garden away from home. Thanks all!

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A J(9A)

Same here for picking early as well. Turning - spring and early summer; breakers for summer and beyond. I didn't even know the terms until Dave mentioned this. I pick like this because of the sheer amount of tomatoes weighing down the plant and keeps bugs away longer. All ripen perfectly off the vine.

Heirloom varieties and having high organic matter are the only time I leave till fully red on vine. Those are worth it.

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Carl

thanks dave. I think it has been more or less like this for a couple weeks now. Is that typical? The plant is still healthy and has plenty of leaves.

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donnabaskets(Zone 8a, Central MS)

That's a beauty. Be patient and wait for the stem to darken and the tendril to get dry. The skin will be very difficult to pierce with your fingernail. If you remember when you planted it, it typically takes 4 months to maturity. But this is just approximate. Wait for the signs.

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

Look up all the web pics of carrot weevils (a beetle larvae) and carrot rust weevils (a fly weevil) for comparison to what you see in your crop. They will both also infest potatoes.

Dave

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Sabrina Taschereau

Ah thanks Dave. You got me further than I was. It's true the description and damage caused matches the weevils, except for the jumping part.

I'll try to dig up a potato tonight and see if they really jump or they were just "falling off" after I picked up the potato/carrot.

If it's the case, I have nothing to do before winter to prevent it right? If they lay eggs in the potato or carrot and I pick those, I am picking up any remaining eggs. I just have to monitor the crops next spring to stop the adults from laying, but there is nothing I can do to the soil to fix the issue (I think).

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