My Urban Garden (1 Viewer)

[TheFanatic]

I'm a little concerned. I simply aren't around during the day enough to "harden off" my seedlings. Am I doomed or is it just a matter that my chances of plant growth are worse than someone who does harden their seedlings off?

Can you do it over a weekend?

Yes but everything I've read leans towards doing this for a week. Basically what I'm doing now is throwing a blanket over the fence I built around the garden. Now the sun shines in through the sides but protects it from the brightest part of the day.

A few years ago, I bought maters from the local green house. The plants were about the size when CC told us to move them from the starter mix to potting soil. They were about 2 inches tall with just a couple of regular leaves. I planted them in the ground and they grew to be something like 9 feet tall (I stake mine to a 7 foot trellis). The place I plant my maters gets decent sun in April May and then really good sun after that. So the place was not full on all day when I first planted them but I put them in the ground and they were fine...

 

[ditka85]

Garden is in. 2 beefsteak, 2 Roma, 2 cherry, 1 patio for tomatoes; 2 zucchini, 6 strawberry (3 returning from last year), 1 raspberry, 1 Mexican pepper, basil, rosemary, thyme, mint, cilantro and marigolds. All on my 12x12 Brooklyn deck! Yes, I'm an idiot. I still have space for the smoker, table and the future larger webber. I'm drinking a high life and admiring the handy work. Here's to you CC, where ever you are.

Wow, got a pic of that deck??

I'll snap a few tonight if it isn't pouring down rain.

Here is a wide shot of the deck looking out the window which is how you access the outside. After you step out of the window, on the left are the berries. Next there is the pepper plant, tulips (covered in chicken wire because of my nemesis, Mr. Squirrel) and patio tomato plant that I bought at the green market. It was already well established so it's cheating but it already has tomatoes on it so I don't really care! I still have to pot the two cherry tomato plants. They will live where the tulips are now once I move those to the front of the house. Moving around the deck you'll see the Roma and beefsteak tomatoes in the earth boxes with herbs up front. The herb and flower boxes get moved up onto the railings when guests are over so we have a little more space. Around the corner with the current tiny BBQ are the two zucchini plants. I fully expect them not to make it, but what the hell. Now I really need to find some way of hooking up a hose to my kitchen sink because it takes about 10 trips in and out of the window with the watering can.

Jeezus! How did you get maters growing already? Aren't you in NY? Did you use a grow light?

 

[Nick Vermeil]

Wow, got a pic of that deck??

I'll snap a few tonight if it isn't pouring down rain.

Here is a wide shot of the deck looking out the window which is how you access the outside. After you step out of the window, on the left are the berries. Next there is the pepper plant, tulips (covered in chicken wire because of my nemesis, Mr. Squirrel) and patio tomato plant that I bought at the green market. It was already well established so it's cheating but it already has tomatoes on it so I don't really care! I still have to pot the two cherry tomato plants. They will live where the tulips are now once I move those to the front of the house. Moving around the deck you'll see the Roma and beefsteak tomatoes in the earth boxes with herbs up front. The herb and flower boxes get moved up onto the railings when guests are over so we have a little more space. Around the corner with the current tiny BBQ are the two zucchini plants. I fully expect them not to make it, but what the hell. Now I really need to find some way of hooking up a hose to my kitchen sink because it takes about 10 trips in and out of the window with the watering can.

Jeezus! How did you get maters growing already? Aren't you in NY? Did you use a grow light?

CC disappeared right after I got in his good graces enough to receive some seed, so I never got them. I bought seedlings instead at the gardening center. The Patio plant was already a foot tall when I bought it. I'm sure it was grown in a greenhouse somewhere.

 

[Men-in-Cleats]

Got my tomatoes in the ground finally this last weekend after getting the soil into my containers (see photostream below). I have 4 purple Russians, 2 Silvery Fir Tree, and a sungold as far as tomatoes are concerned. To the right of the tomatoes are my peas and in front are the half barrels with my herbs, and winter greens. My raised beds are shown in the other photos, including the one that has the bicycle wheel trellis behind it. Have to get a few more old wheels to make the second trellis as I don't currently have enough of them. Those will support my sugar baby watermelons and tigger melons. I didn't get my peppers in the ground or my melons but will do so this week after work one day. Didn't have a ton of time this last weekend as the pergola over my recently finished flagstone patio (also shown in the photostream) took way too much time. Not finished with that yet but soon will be as the hard parts are done.

Flickr Photostream

It's a work in progress but it is coming along.

 

[ditka85]

Got my tomatoes in the ground finally this last weekend after getting the soil into my containers (see photostream below). I have 4 purple Russians, 2 Silvery Fir Tree, and a sungold as far as tomatoes are concerned. To the right of the tomatoes are my peas and in front are the half barrels with my herbs, and winter greens. My raised beds are shown in the other photos, including the one that has the bicycle wheel trellis behind it. Have to get a few more old wheels to make the second trellis as I don't currently have enough of them. Those will support my sugar baby watermelons and tigger melons. I didn't get my peppers in the ground or my melons but will do so this week after work one day. Didn't have a ton of time this last weekend as the pergola over my recently finished flagstone patio (also shown in the photostream) took way too much time. Not finished with that yet but soon will be as the hard parts are done.

Flickr Photostream

It's a work in progress but it is coming along.

Nice job on the flagstone and pergola (so far). Do it yourself? I appreciate the difficulty as I did one myself once.Don't forget to stake those tomatoes before the plants get too big. The cages will tip over if they get huge.

 

[Men-in-Cleats]

Got my tomatoes in the ground finally this last weekend after getting the soil into my containers (see photostream below). I have 4 purple Russians, 2 Silvery Fir Tree, and a sungold as far as tomatoes are concerned. To the right of the tomatoes are my peas and in front are the half barrels with my herbs, and winter greens. My raised beds are shown in the other photos, including the one that has the bicycle wheel trellis behind it. Have to get a few more old wheels to make the second trellis as I don't currently have enough of them. Those will support my sugar baby watermelons and tigger melons. I didn't get my peppers in the ground or my melons but will do so this week after work one day. Didn't have a ton of time this last weekend as the pergola over my recently finished flagstone patio (also shown in the photostream) took way too much time. Not finished with that yet but soon will be as the hard parts are done.

Flickr Photostream

It's a work in progress but it is coming along.

Nice job on the flagstone and pergola (so far). Do it yourself? I appreciate the difficulty as I did one myself once.Don't forget to stake those tomatoes before the plants get too big. The cages will tip over if they get huge.

Pretty much the only help I've had thus far was a little help with some digging for the patio and with getting the posts set in the holes. The rest has been a solo effort. Not for lack of trying to get help on much of it.

 

[E Street Brat]

Got my tomatoes in the ground finally this last weekend after getting the soil into my containers (see photostream below). I have 4 purple Russians, 2 Silvery Fir Tree, and a sungold as far as tomatoes are concerned. To the right of the tomatoes are my peas and in front are the half barrels with my herbs, and winter greens. My raised beds are shown in the other photos, including the one that has the bicycle wheel trellis behind it. Have to get a few more old wheels to make the second trellis as I don't currently have enough of them. Those will support my sugar baby watermelons and tigger melons. I didn't get my peppers in the ground or my melons but will do so this week after work one day. Didn't have a ton of time this last weekend as the pergola over my recently finished flagstone patio (also shown in the photostream) took way too much time. Not finished with that yet but soon will be as the hard parts are done.

Flickr Photostream

It's a work in progress but it is coming along.

Look nice,

What do you have supporting the the weight of the inner blue containers? I'm real curious to hear how this type of set up works out for the whole summer?

What is that in the green container?

 

[Men-in-Cleats]

Got my tomatoes in the ground finally this last weekend after getting the soil into my containers (see photostream below). I have 4 purple Russians, 2 Silvery Fir Tree, and a sungold as far as tomatoes are concerned. To the right of the tomatoes are my peas and in front are the half barrels with my herbs, and winter greens. My raised beds are shown in the oother photos, including the one that has the bicycle wheel trellis behind it. Have to get a few more old wheels to make the second trellis as I don't currently have enough of them. Those will support my sugar baby watermelons and tigger melons. I didn't get my peppers in the ground or my melons but will do so this week after work one day. Didn't have a ton of time this last weekend as the pergola over my recently finished flagstone patio (also shown in the photostream) took way too much time. Not finished with that yet but soon will be as the hard parts are done.

Flickr Photostream

It's a work in progress but it is coming along.

Look nice,

What do you have supporting the the weight of the inner blue containers? I'm real curious to hear how this type of set up works out for the whole summer?

What is that in the green container?

green one is sugar snap peas. Supported upper bin by bolting thru both clamped down tight with heavy washer on each side.

 

[TheFanatic]

I called Brad Gates at Wild Boar Farms in CA who Chaos Commish said he knew and asked about him. I know, sounds very weird. Like I'm some sort of stalker. I left a VM stating who I was and that he sent me and a bunch of us hybrid seeds and was mentoring us on how to grow them and how he disappeared a few months back and that we are worried about the guy. I said I just wanted to know if he was OK.

I left the message on Friday. I'm thinking of making another call later in the week, but after that I have no idea what else to do...

 

[Men-in-Cleats]

Hopefully we can get some feedback on what happened to CC before the season. Has anyone who has his name done a google search on the name to see if anything turns up?

On a tomato related note, it doesn't seem like my self-watering bins are doing a good job of wicking up the moisture. I'm a bit worried that the weed barrier that I put between the soil and the air holes I put in the bottom of the inner bin might not be permeable enough. I may have to find a stake or something and try to poke some holes through it above the basket. Either that or the roots aren't going down far enough.

 

[siffoin]

I called Brad Gates at Wild Boar Farms in CA who Chaos Commish said he knew and asked about him. I know, sounds very weird. Like I'm some sort of stalker. I left a VM stating who I was and that he sent me and a bunch of us hybrid seeds and was mentoring us on how to grow them and how he disappeared a few months back and that we are worried about the guy. I said I just wanted to know if he was OK. I left the message on Friday. I'm thinking of making another call later in the week, but after that I have no idea what else to do...

Please let me know if/when he replies. I have some plants that CC gave me that come from Wild Boar Farms...Beauty King.In the end...I grew 5-6 plants each from the seeds from CC. So I wound up with 48 tomatoes. I also planted from seeds I had in the garage...peppers.No way can I grow 50+ plants in my yard/deck in earthboxes.I asked around in my neighborhood and only got 2 takers for plants....weird. So I then contacted a community garden that helps refugees learn skills and assimilate into American life. They were really excited to have the plants. They grow food for the needy, refugees and also have a CSA/public stand.The head gardener was at one time a professor of agriculture in Bhutan. When I took the plants out to their farm there were surprised at how large and healthy they all looked. I told him about the uniqueness of these plants. He said he will "baby" these plants...and asked me to come to the garden often. He will also save seeds.As of today I have 6 tomatoes in earthboxes...and 6 peppers in earthboxes. I also planted a culinary herb garden in an outdoor raised bed. I think I'm done and will supplement fresh produce from the local farms around here.Weather here is iffy. Nice today (75) but for the next 5 days rainy and cold. I'll probably wind up bringing the earthboxes inside for the next few days and keep them under the artificial lights.They say you can keep earthbox soil for 5 years. I had BER in one last season...so I re-potted them all. Going to also do a calcium-nitrate snack every couple of weeks to help prevent the BER...in addition I'm going to be making worm compost "tea" as a supplement when I water. We'll see how it all goes. I'm always pretty skeptical, since I'm really new to this. However...when I look at my plants vs the ones for sale at farmers markets and high end greenhouses...right now mine are far far superior in every way.

 

[Mr. Yuk]

I called Brad Gates at Wild Boar Farms in CA who Chaos Commish said he knew and asked about him. I know, sounds very weird. Like I'm some sort of stalker. I left a VM stating who I was and that he sent me and a bunch of us hybrid seeds and was mentoring us on how to grow them and how he disappeared a few months back and that we are worried about the guy. I said I just wanted to know if he was OK. I left the message on Friday. I'm thinking of making another call later in the week, but after that I have no idea what else to do...

Please let me know if/when he replies. I have some plants that CC gave me that come from Wild Boar Farms...Beauty King.In the end...I grew 5-6 plants each from the seeds from CC. So I wound up with 48 tomatoes. I also planted from seeds I had in the garage...peppers.No way can I grow 50+ plants in my yard/deck in earthboxes.I asked around in my neighborhood and only got 2 takers for plants....weird. So I then contacted a community garden that helps refugees learn skills and assimilate into American life. They were really excited to have the plants. They grow food for the needy, refugees and also have a CSA/public stand.The head gardener was at one time a professor of agriculture in Bhutan. When I took the plants out to their farm there were surprised at how large and healthy they all looked. I told him about the uniqueness of these plants. He said he will "baby" these plants...and asked me to come to the garden often. He will also save seeds.As of today I have 6 tomatoes in earthboxes...and 6 peppers in earthboxes. I also planted a culinary herb garden in an outdoor raised bed. I think I'm done and will supplement fresh produce from the local farms around here.Weather here is iffy. Nice today (75) but for the next 5 days rainy and cold. I'll probably wind up bringing the earthboxes inside for the next few days and keep them under the artificial lights.They say you can keep earthbox soil for 5 years. I had BER in one last season...so I re-potted them all. Going to also do a calcium-nitrate snack every couple of weeks to help prevent the BER...in addition I'm going to be making worm compost "tea" as a supplement when I water. We'll see how it all goes. I'm always pretty skeptical, since I'm really new to this. However...when I look at my plants vs the ones for sale at farmers markets and high end greenhouses...right now mine are far far superior in every way.

Very cool...nice to know the tomatoes will be appreciated.Good to know your tomatoes are doing better than the greenhouses. How large and when did you start them? Mine look pretty healthy but they're not very big, probably 10 weeks old and 6" tall. I haven't planted them in the garden yet as the weather hasn't been very good. I think next year I'll get a 2nd shop light set up so they're getting more light, I think that might have been my main problem.

 

[D_House]

This week was rough on my garden. The spinach that was looking really good this past weekend bolted in response to 80 degree weather here in New England. Tip: spinach that has bolted tastes like ####.

Also, what is the secret to happy and healthy basil? My sweet basil and purple basil plants both look sickly, and something has been nomming on the sweet basil - lots of little holes in the leaves.

 

[Scarpaggio]

I've got monster tomatoe plants in my containers and the peppers I have in the containers are doing better then the ones in the ground. I have a total of 11 different tomato plants. The ones in the ground aren't looking great but I have tomatoes on all of them. The two in my containers are about 6 ft tall and 5 ft wide with about 2 dozen clusters each of cherry tomatoes. I have 5 cucumber plants in 1 container and they suck that thing dry in 2 days, but I've taken 2 cucs from the plants in the last 2 days. Its hard to make sure the stuff gets watered since I've been working at the Mobile ICC for this oil spill. The 90 degree weather and afternoon rains seem to be keeping my basil and eggplant happy.

 

[D_House]

Anyone grow butternut squash?

I used some partially finished homemade compost to start a raised bed and have had several squash seedlings come up. I didn't know what they were at first and was pulling them as weeds but decided to let one go to see what the heck it was and was able to identify it. We did make a lot of butternut squash soup over the winter, so that explains where the seeds came from.

It would be great to grow our own winter squash this year. Any experiences? What's not clear from what I read online is if/how you stake these things. I don't think we have enough space on the ground to let it grow without pulling up some of our planned plantings.

 

[Mr. Yuk]

Ever hear anything back about CC?

 

[ditka85]

Ever hear anything back about CC?

not a word.

 

[TheFanatic]

Ever hear anything back about CC?

not a word.

Yeah. Never replied. Sad....And to top it off I have that friggin black spot disease again. At least it's only on the one side of my shed. The seeds that CC Sent me that I nearly killed and I had to nurse back to healthy I planted on the other side and are doing nice. WAY behind the ones on the other side that are getting close to 4 feet and have have all kinds of fruit on them. I removed an overgrown hedge from that side of the shed and hope they will get enough sun to do something...

 

[siffoin]

Well all of the tomato plants I have going are ones I grew from seed sent from CC.

At this point I think they are all doing pretty well. I have 6 maters and 6 peppers going.

It's been a mild and wet Spring here, and all the plants got planted about 3 weeks ago - into earthboxes or containers.

Because of that I've been able to bring them inside on cold nights or when it rains.

Here are some pics...

The first is all of the plants under lights...this pic was taken the first week of May...

http://picasaweb.google.com/steelhedge/Gar...463546859951570

I planted the 12 best plants around May 21...here is what they look like now...

1) Chocolate Cherry in a container:

http://picasaweb.google.com/steelhedge/Gar...462448624263330

2) Peppers in an ebox

http://picasaweb.google.com/steelhedge/Gar...462482263996658

3) Maters in an ebox

http://picasaweb.google.com/steelhedge/Gar...462519443046546

4) You can see they've grown to about 3 feet tall.

http://picasaweb.google.com/steelhedge/Gar...462548095196658

I also sepnt some time re-working the trellis system, in an effort to make it stronger and straighter...I wanted it to look neater too. Here is how that came out...

http://picasaweb.google.com/steelhedge/Gar...462584065485106

All the maters have flowers, but no fruit yet. Hopefully in a week or 2 I'll see the "fruits" of my labor.

This afternoon I'm going to get all of the supplies needed to make a work compost tea.

So an aquarium pump (for aerating), a 5 gallon bucket and a painters strainer bag. I'll put a couple of cups of worm castings into the mesh bag, place it in the 5 gal bucket filled with water, add a little molasses, and turn on the pump. In a couple of days I should have a really nice liquid fertilizer. We'll see.

I'll take some pictures of that process.

 

[TheFanatic]

Siffoin,

Are you pulling the suckers now that the maters have flowered?

 

[siffoin]

Siffoin,Are you pulling the suckers now that the maters have flowered?

Not really. I've pinched a few, but not with purpose. I was kind of thinking of just letting them go this year.Is that bad?

 

[TheFanatic]

Siffoin,Are you pulling the suckers now that the maters have flowered?

Not really. I've pinched a few, but not with purpose. I was kind of thinking of just letting them go this year.Is that bad?

Let one or two go, but then pinch the rest after that. Each one of those adds another stalk to the plant. The first one makes the plant go from one stalk to two. Each time one develops the plant subdivides again. This is great to make great big plants but not so good to make great big tomatoes. Each separate stalk needs so much energy and nutrients. Remove the suckers and the plant has to send that energy and nutrients into one location - the fruit. Thus you get more fruit that is larger and more flavorful if you pull them as you see them. You won't get them all as they get bigger but you want to start pulling after they flower. Let one or two go early to get two or three stalks going and then yank the rest.

 

[siffoin]

Siffoin,Are you pulling the suckers now that the maters have flowered?

Not really. I've pinched a few, but not with purpose. I was kind of thinking of just letting them go this year.Is that bad?

Let one or two go, but then pinch the rest after that. Each one of those adds another stalk to the plant. The first one makes the plant go from one stalk to two. Each time one develops the plant subdivides again. This is great to make great big plants but not so good to make great big tomatoes. Each separate stalk needs so much energy and nutrients. Remove the suckers and the plant has to send that energy and nutrients into one location - the fruit. Thus you get more fruit that is larger and more flavorful if you pull them as you see them. You won't get them all as they get bigger but you want to start pulling after they flower. Let one or two go early to get two or three stalks going and then yank the rest.

Even now...with the cool weather...tomatoes in the earthbox drink more than 1.5 gallons of water per day...now EBs don't need any fertilizer since you add that pre-planting in a strip, but I'm thinking to supplement food 2x per month with the liquid worm tea when I water via the fill tube/water reservoir...any thoughts on that?

 

[siffoin]

Well all of the tomato plants I have going are ones I grew from seed sent from CC.

At this point I think they are all doing pretty well. I have 6 maters and 6 peppers going.

It's been a mild and wet Spring here, and all the plants got planted about 3 weeks ago - into earthboxes or containers.

Because of that I've been able to bring them inside on cold nights or when it rains.

Here are some pics...

The first is all of the plants under lights...this pic was taken the first week of May...

http://picasaweb.google.com/steelhedge/Gar...463546859951570

I planted the 12 best plants around May 21...here is what they look like now...

1) Chocolate Cherry in a container:

http://picasaweb.google.com/steelhedge/Gar...462448624263330

2) Peppers in an ebox

http://picasaweb.google.com/steelhedge/Gar...462482263996658

3) Maters in an ebox

http://picasaweb.google.com/steelhedge/Gar...462519443046546

4) You can see they've grown to about 3 feet tall.

http://picasaweb.google.com/steelhedge/Gar...462548095196658

I also sepnt some time re-working the trellis system, in an effort to make it stronger and straighter...I wanted it to look neater too. Here is how that came out...

http://picasaweb.google.com/steelhedge/Gar...462584065485106

All the maters have flowers, but no fruit yet. Hopefully in a week or 2 I'll see the "fruits" of my labor.

This afternoon I'm going to get all of the supplies needed to make a work compost tea.

So an aquarium pump (for aerating), a 5 gallon bucket and a painters strainer bag. I'll put a couple of cups of worm castings into the mesh bag, place it in the 5 gal bucket filled with water, add a little molasses, and turn on the pump. In a couple of days I should have a really nice liquid fertilizer. We'll see.

I'll take some pictures of that process.

Here is what the finished "tea" looked like just before I sprayed it...everywhere. My yard is about 1/2 acre...I used a hose end sprayer...5 gallons did the whole thing. I'm going to be very interested to see the results.

The foam on the tea is indicative of a healthy batch full of micro-organisms. The batch smelled earthy and sweet all at the same time...kind of like the smell of a forest in the morning or after a rain.

I think I'm going to make 1 batch a week and use it all summer long and see what the results are.

http://picasaweb.google.com/steelhedge/Sif...980425717357410

 

[TheFanatic]

Pulled my first maters yesterday after I removed the branches with black spot. I hate that crap.

I have some grape size tomatoes that are yellow and shaped like pears. Pretty tasty and going to go great in salads.

The ones that CC sent me that I salvaged are growing like CRAZY. Two feet tall and THICK....

 

[Franknbeans]

I know it's a little late this season but I read somewhere last year to put a whole egg in the hole before planting the tomato plant. It supposedly provide all the nutrients the plant needs for the year. I tested this theory last year on about half a dozen plants. It was a pretty rough growing season last year but those with the eggs underneath were noticeably healthier and larger than those without. So much so that I planted almost 4 dozen eggs beneath my tomato plants this year.

 

[siffoin]

I know it's a little late this season but I read somewhere last year to put a whole egg in the hole before planting the tomato plant. It supposedly provide all the nutrients the plant needs for the year. I tested this theory last year on about half a dozen plants. It was a pretty rough growing season last year but those with the eggs underneath were noticeably healthier and larger than those without. So much so that I planted almost 4 dozen eggs beneath my tomato plants this year.

From what I understand...the egg shells provide calcium to the tomatoes...a much need nutrient...also will prevent Blossom End Rot.A liquid snack of calcium nitrate (1 TBS per gallon of water) 2x per month will also do the trick.

 

[D_House]

I know it's a little late this season but I read somewhere last year to put a whole egg in the hole before planting the tomato plant. It supposedly provide all the nutrients the plant needs for the year. I tested this theory last year on about half a dozen plants. It was a pretty rough growing season last year but those with the eggs underneath were noticeably healthier and larger than those without. So much so that I planted almost 4 dozen eggs beneath my tomato plants this year.

I've heard of using egg shells, and I did add egg shells to my tomato planting holes. The calcium in the egg shells help prevent a calcium deficiency disease called blossom end rot.Whole eggs would definitely provide additional nutrients, but I think you risk attracting pests and there are definitely cheaper ways to fertilize your plants than using eggs.

 

[D_House]

I also use crushed eggshells on the soil around my plants as a slug barrier. They don't like crossing over the sharp edges.

 

[TheFanatic]

I know it's a little late this season but I read somewhere last year to put a whole egg in the hole before planting the tomato plant. It supposedly provide all the nutrients the plant needs for the year. I tested this theory last year on about half a dozen plants. It was a pretty rough growing season last year but those with the eggs underneath were noticeably healthier and larger than those without. So much so that I planted almost 4 dozen eggs beneath my tomato plants this year.

HArd boiled? DId you crack it?

 

[Franknbeans]

I know it's a little late this season but I read somewhere last year to put a whole egg in the hole before planting the tomato plant. It supposedly provide all the nutrients the plant needs for the year. I tested this theory last year on about half a dozen plants. It was a pretty rough growing season last year but those with the eggs underneath were noticeably healthier and larger than those without. So much so that I planted almost 4 dozen eggs beneath my tomato plants this year.

I've heard of using egg shells, and I did add egg shells to my tomato planting holes. The calcium in the egg shells help prevent a calcium deficiency disease called blossom end rot.Whole eggs would definitely provide additional nutrients, but I think you risk attracting pests and there are definitely cheaper ways to fertilize your plants than using eggs.

At 69 cents a dozen, it's not that bad an investment. You're right on the pests though, I believe we had a a woodchuck dig up one of the eggs and eat it but it was one that had broken. I threw it in the ground anyway. Probably much easier to detect by said woodchuck. Fortunately, the woodchuck family got a rude awakening when they wandered over to the neighbors yard and got taken out by their mutt. Charlie-2, woodchucks-0.

 

[Nick Vermeil]

I could use some zucchini advice. I've got a big healthy plant with lots of leaves and flowers, but I'm not getting any zucchinis. I've had a couple small ones form, but after a day or two they are gone. I'm not totally sure what is happening to them. What's the trick here?

 

[Men-in-Cleats]

Here is a photostream of my garden with a few pictures ranging from when it was first finished to some photos uploaded on the first. I've harvested some pattypan squash, all the beets and radishes, a handfull of Sungold cherry tomatoes, the last of my sugar snap peas, and have continued to harvest the kale from last winter. Have some green beans almost ready to harvest and have some cucumbers and squash almost ready for harvest. Other tomatoes are getting quite big although one of my containers of purple russians has been losing a bunch of tomatoes to blossom end rot. My tigger melons and sugar baby watermelons are happily climbing up the bicycle wheel trellises I built and I have a few tiny baby watermelons already beginning. All in all I'm doing quite well other than the BER. I also need to add that I've tried to fix the problem but my earthtainers are just not wicking the water up like they are supposed to. I think the landscape fabric I put on the bottom of the inner container is too impervious or something and is preventing the moisture from wicking so I've been having to water those from the top. I've tried punching holes down into the wicking basket but nothing seems to work to get them wicking and it's too late to get them out since they're mostly 6' tall. It's been hot the last week and I've been having to water them nearly every day or they start to droop at the tops by evening and look too dry.

Garden Photostream

Toms on July 1st

 

[E Street Brat]

I could use some zucchini advice. I've got a big healthy plant with lots of leaves and flowers, but I'm not getting any zucchinis. I've had a couple small ones form, but after a day or two they are gone. I'm not totally sure what is happening to them. What's the trick here?

Sound like they are not being pollinated. I had the same problem with my cukes. You can do it by hand or plant flowers that will attract more bees.

 

[Cunk]

Well, my raised bed garden was a complete failure. My lettuce went from not growing to bolting. I figured out I only get about half as much sun as I thought so all of my plants, while still growing, are still very small. A trip to my friends garden made me realized that I should just toss in the towel.

It's not all bad. I realized I wasn't getting much sun over there so I made 4 earthtainers with tomatoes and eggplants, placed them in the sunniest spot in my backyard and they are doing quite well. I'm going to plant carrots there today.

Question: In my raised bed I have about 6 broccoli plants that are healthy and are about the size you'd find at a market for transplants (about 5 inches high). Is it too late to transplant them into an earthtainer where there is a lot of son and expect a crop? I live in the Boston area FYI.

 

[D_House]

Well, my raised bed garden was a complete failure. My lettuce went from not growing to bolting. I figured out I only get about half as much sun as I thought so all of my plants, while still growing, are still very small. A trip to my friends garden made me realized that I should just toss in the towel.

Had the same problem with my Spring spinach and lettuce due to the quick onset of hot temps. I think in the Northeast the leafy greens are better as Fall vegetables. However, my one Swiss chard plant is kicking butt. I've partially harvested it three times and it keeps chugging along, even with those 90+ degree days. I'll definitely plant more of those next year.As for your transplant question, it doesn't sound like you have much to lose by trying it. They will probably suffer from transplant shock but if they like the conditions in the Earthtainers better than in your raised bed, they'll quickly recover.

 

[Nick Vermeil]

I could use some zucchini advice. I've got a big healthy plant with lots of leaves and flowers, but I'm not getting any zucchinis. I've had a couple small ones form, but after a day or two they are gone. I'm not totally sure what is happening to them. What's the trick here?

Sound like they are not being pollinated. I had the same problem with my cukes. You can do it by hand or plant flowers that will attract more bees.

Thanks. I have lots of flowers around, and lots of bees although they seem to like the tomato plants better. Do you have any tips on hand pollinating? I should be an expert at this at my age.

 

[Regular Crust Pizza]

I could use some zucchini advice. I've got a big healthy plant with lots of leaves and flowers, but I'm not getting any zucchinis. I've had a couple small ones form, but after a day or two they are gone. I'm not totally sure what is happening to them. What's the trick here?

Sound like they are not being pollinated. I had the same problem with my cukes. You can do it by hand or plant flowers that will attract more bees.

Thanks. I have lots of flowers around, and lots of bees although they seem to like the tomato plants better. Do you have any tips on hand pollinating? I should be an expert at this at my age.

It might be a bit tricky depending on your eyesight, but hand pollinating is relatively simple. With some of the more fertile varieties you can simple give the flower a few gentle flicks. Those are the minority. Less fertile varieties can still be hand pollinated though. I've used a dissecting probe with good success. I suppose a large sewing pin you work as well. The anthers are the long yellow appendages in the middle of the flowers growing in a cone around the pistil. Use your needle to slice through the cone between two anthers. Different plant release their pollen in different ways. Tomatoes release via slits. These slits run the length of the anther - you should be able to find one on the anther and use that. It's the easiest way in without destroying everything. Once open there should be some pollen. It will look sort of like very small white wet sand. Try to scoop up as many grains as possible and gently wipe those grains off on the tip of the pistil. That should be all there is to it. If there is no pollen in the anther, you're probably to early and the flower is quite ripe yet. Wait a day and try again.

 

[shake zula]

First time poster, long time vegetable consumer.

Wife and I have Green, Yellow, and Red Peppers going this summer. Also have basel, cinnemon basel, dill, green onion, parsley, and oregano in a smaller herb garden.

As for flowers, I've got red sunflowers and a bunch of smaller annuals.

Thoughts on how often I should water them? Also, is there anything special I need to do to guarantee that I get peppers? I already have one green one growing but it was already on the tree when we bought it.

 

[Cunk]

So since I figured out my raised bed wasn't getting any sun I decided to try and salvage what was in there. So I transplanted just about all of my scallions and carrots. The actually looked pretty good and healthy but they were much to small.

So I carefully transplant them all, put them where I get the most sun. All there stems were flopped over and they all looked doomed immediately after I transplanted them. This was on Sunday. Here we are on Wed. and some of the onions have perked (and seemed to have doubled in size since then) up but only a couple of carrots have. Should I be concerned or just be a little more patient?

 

[Nick Vermeil]

I could use some zucchini advice. I've got a big healthy plant with lots of leaves and flowers, but I'm not getting any zucchinis. I've had a couple small ones form, but after a day or two they are gone. I'm not totally sure what is happening to them. What's the trick here?

Sound like they are not being pollinated. I had the same problem with my cukes. You can do it by hand or plant flowers that will attract more bees.

Thanks. I have lots of flowers around, and lots of bees although they seem to like the tomato plants better. Do you have any tips on hand pollinating? I should be an expert at this at my age.

It might be a bit tricky depending on your eyesight, but hand pollinating is relatively simple. With some of the more fertile varieties you can simple give the flower a few gentle flicks. Those are the minority. Less fertile varieties can still be hand pollinated though. I've used a dissecting probe with good success. I suppose a large sewing pin you work as well. The anthers are the long yellow appendages in the middle of the flowers growing in a cone around the pistil. Use your needle to slice through the cone between two anthers. Different plant release their pollen in different ways. Tomatoes release via slits. These slits run the length of the anther - you should be able to find one on the anther and use that. It's the easiest way in without destroying everything. Once open there should be some pollen. It will look sort of like very small white wet sand. Try to scoop up as many grains as possible and gently wipe those grains off on the tip of the pistil. That should be all there is to it. If there is no pollen in the anther, you're probably to early and the flower is quite ripe yet. Wait a day and try again.

Thanks for the advice. I'll give it a shot.

 

[Franknbeans]

I know it's a little late this season but I read somewhere last year to put a whole egg in the hole before planting the tomato plant. It supposedly provide all the nutrients the plant needs for the year. I tested this theory last year on about half a dozen plants. It was a pretty rough growing season last year but those with the eggs underneath were noticeably healthier and larger than those without. So much so that I planted almost 4 dozen eggs beneath my tomato plants this year.

I've heard of using egg shells, and I did add egg shells to my tomato planting holes. The calcium in the egg shells help prevent a calcium deficiency disease called blossom end rot.Whole eggs would definitely provide additional nutrients, but I think you risk attracting pests and there are definitely cheaper ways to fertilize your plants than using eggs.

At 69 cents a dozen, it's not that bad an investment. You're right on the pests though, I believe we had a a woodchuck dig up one of the eggs and eat it but it was one that had broken. I threw it in the ground anyway. Probably much easier to detect by said woodchuck. Fortunately, the woodchuck family got a rude awakening when they wandered over to the neighbors yard and got taken out by their mutt. Charlie-2, woodchucks-0.

Update: That was no woodchuck but the local skunk population that was digging them up. Tangled with one a few nights ago when I surprised him with a hose. Didn't deter the skunk though as he just came back when I was asleep and dug up some more plants. I have since fenced off the entire section of my plum tomato plants. Despite the upset, the plants are doing very well this year with tons of fruit. Should have a couple fully ripe tomatoes by the weekend.

 

[Cunk]

So how is everyone's garden going? For me is started out nice. Grew a ton of seedlings starting in mid March. Built a raised bed outside and planted my seedlings in May. Then after a while, to my dismay, I found that once the trees around the yard filled out that I wasn't getting nearly enough son in that spot. So I basically have an 8x4 9 inch deep raised bed which things are living but not growing fast enough.

So I thank my fbg brethren in alerting me to the self-watering containers. I built 3 of them, put them on my driveway (I'm an apt. renter) where it gets the most sun and transplanted my eggplant and tomatoes into it. Immediate success. The plants love those containers. I've got the same kinds of plants in regular containers to the sides of these self-watering containers and they are not nearly as large and as healthy looking. I've got a ton of tomatoes (not yet ripe) and just cut my first eggplant off the plant a couple of days ago.

So I'm trying to figure out if I can use the raised garden for anything. It gets about 5 hours of sun during mid day. In the morning it gets about an hour before the trees start blocking it.

So I've learned a lot from this first year of gardening. Next year will be so much more productive. Thanks for everyone's advice and tips here.

 

[D_House]

So how is everyone's garden going? For me is started out nice. Grew a ton of seedlings starting in mid March. Built a raised bed outside and planted my seedlings in May. Then after a while, to my dismay, I found that once the trees around the yard filled out that I wasn't getting nearly enough son in that spot. So I basically have an 8x4 9 inch deep raised bed which things are living but not growing fast enough.So I thank my fbg brethren in alerting me to the self-watering containers. I built 3 of them, put them on my driveway (I'm an apt. renter) where it gets the most sun and transplanted my eggplant and tomatoes into it. Immediate success. The plants love those containers. I've got the same kinds of plants in regular containers to the sides of these self-watering containers and they are not nearly as large and as healthy looking. I've got a ton of tomatoes (not yet ripe) and just cut my first eggplant off the plant a couple of days ago.So I'm trying to figure out if I can use the raised garden for anything. It gets about 5 hours of sun during mid day. In the morning it gets about an hour before the trees start blocking it. So I've learned a lot from this first year of gardening. Next year will be so much more productive. Thanks for everyone's advice and tips here.

I have a small (12' X 3') raised bed garden on the east side of my house in Southern CT that gets 5 hours of afternoon (1PM to 6PM) sun. That seems to be enough for the tomatoes, peppers, cukes, and butternut squash that we have growing there. We've harvested about 40 cherry tomatoes, a half dozen beefsteaks, a couple of cucumbers, and we have one very nice looking butternut squash growing with maybe 4-5 little ones looking like they might eventually produce full sized fruit.Two weekends ago I planted some romaine lettuce seeds after extending the garden another three feet in length and now have good sized seedlings popping out. If I were you, I'd try for a fall crop of greens (spinach, lettuce, kale, etc.) in that backyard raised bed. They need less sun than fruiting vegetables and some do well very late into the growing season and even into early winter.

 

[D_House]

I know it's a little late this season but I read somewhere last year to put a whole egg in the hole before planting the tomato plant. It supposedly provide all the nutrients the plant needs for the year. I tested this theory last year on about half a dozen plants. It was a pretty rough growing season last year but those with the eggs underneath were noticeably healthier and larger than those without. So much so that I planted almost 4 dozen eggs beneath my tomato plants this year.

I've heard of using egg shells, and I did add egg shells to my tomato planting holes. The calcium in the egg shells help prevent a calcium deficiency disease called blossom end rot.Whole eggs would definitely provide additional nutrients, but I think you risk attracting pests and there are definitely cheaper ways to fertilize your plants than using eggs.

At 69 cents a dozen, it's not that bad an investment. You're right on the pests though, I believe we had a a woodchuck dig up one of the eggs and eat it but it was one that had broken. I threw it in the ground anyway. Probably much easier to detect by said woodchuck. Fortunately, the woodchuck family got a rude awakening when they wandered over to the neighbors yard and got taken out by their mutt. Charlie-2, woodchucks-0.

Update: That was no woodchuck but the local skunk population that was digging them up. Tangled with one a few nights ago when I surprised him with a hose. Didn't deter the skunk though as he just came back when I was asleep and dug up some more plants. I have since fenced off the entire section of my plum tomato plants. Despite the upset, the plants are doing very well this year with tons of fruit. Should have a couple fully ripe tomatoes by the weekend.

Oh man... skunks! Next time, I'd eat the eggs myself and save just the shells. Start a compost pile (or secure bin if you're afraid it would attract more skunks) now and use the finished compost to fill in the tomato plant hole next season, and instead of the whole eggs, sprinkle with egg shells. That should be enough nutrition and calcium for booming tomato plants without further fertilization, and hopefully you won't have skunks digging up your plants.

 

[Cheesy McGee]

Have started small for the first time this year. Any advice on keeping bugs from eating the plants up?

 

[D_House]

Garden getting shut down for the season today. Overnight temps in CT will be in the mid-30s, so all the green tomatoes are going into a box with some ripe apples to hopefully ripen.

What do you folks typically do with the actual plants? Pull or leave? Do you mulch overwinter to prevent spring weeds? Anyone plant any late season crops?

 

[Men-in-Cleats]

Pulled the tomato plants and put them in the compost bin a bit earlier this year to be able to get my winter garden in the ground. Have a bunch of kale, chard, cabbages, peas, and a bunch of other salad greens going now with room for some more things if I figure out what to put there. I'm now hoping the seedlings can get established enough prior to a frost that they can survive. Still have to pull up my hot peppers and it's a matter of time before my basil freezes and needs pulling. I took all of the green tomatoes I had and made spicy green tomato pickles out of them. A friend does this and they are incredible so I found a recipe online and tried my hand at canning. Got all the jars to seal so they should be good to go.

Last year was my first with winter gardening and around here I found it easier to do than summer gardening. Everything breezed through the few hard frosts we had and gave us salads all winter. No weeding, little watering required, and some good veggies to show for it.

 

[D_House]

Pulled the tomato plants and put them in the compost bin a bit earlier this year to be able to get my winter garden in the ground. Have a bunch of kale, chard, cabbages, peas, and a bunch of other salad greens going now with room for some more things if I figure out what to put there. I'm now hoping the seedlings can get established enough prior to a frost that they can survive. Still have to pull up my hot peppers and it's a matter of time before my basil freezes and needs pulling. I took all of the green tomatoes I had and made spicy green tomato pickles out of them. A friend does this and they are incredible so I found a recipe online and tried my hand at canning. Got all the jars to seal so they should be good to go. Last year was my first with winter gardening and around here I found it easier to do than summer gardening. Everything breezed through the few hard frosts we had and gave us salads all winter. No weeding, little watering required, and some good veggies to show for it.

What USDA zone are you located in? And do you have that pickled green tomato recipe handy?

 

[Men-in-Cleats]

Pulled the tomato plants and put them in the compost bin a bit earlier this year to be able to get my winter garden in the ground. Have a bunch of kale, chard, cabbages, peas, and a bunch of other salad greens going now with room for some more things if I figure out what to put there. I'm now hoping the seedlings can get established enough prior to a frost that they can survive. Still have to pull up my hot peppers and it's a matter of time before my basil freezes and needs pulling. I took all of the green tomatoes I had and made spicy green tomato pickles out of them. A friend does this and they are incredible so I found a recipe online and tried my hand at canning. Got all the jars to seal so they should be good to go.

Last year was my first with winter gardening and around here I found it easier to do than summer gardening. Everything breezed through the few hard frosts we had and gave us salads all winter. No weeding, little watering required, and some good veggies to show for it.

What USDA zone are you located in? And do you have that pickled green tomato recipe handy?

Pickled Green TomatoesI'm in NorCal in the upper Sacramento valley, Zone 9a.