All Vegetable Gardening (flowers, growing, containers, tomatoes) - Trees, Grass, Lawn, Flowers, Irrigation, Landscaping... - Page 363 - City-Data Forum

Nomadicus · 07-13-2018, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by greatblueheron

I did order Miracle Gro....

That will feed the hour you put it on. Regular farm granular my take several days to be available as the bacteria in the soil also help prepare it for the roots to take up. It must be broken down in to an ionic form from where it attaches to clay particles and organic matter. there is a little realized relationship between mineral and organic matter. They hang together very well. It's clay and organic matter that help keep the minerals from leaching down. Years ago I kept a compost pile as large as the bed of a full size pickup truck. I fortified it with bagged minerals so when it was applied it was ready to got to work. I had pictures of tomatoes trellised to 6' until Hurricane Charlie destroyed them.

in_newengland · 07-22-2018, 08:54 PM

Looks like I'm finally going to get a tomato! This has been a rough season since moving to an apartment and being confined to container gardening and the cooold month of June didn't help. Most of the tomatoes rotted, probably because it was so cold when they first started to emerge.

Trying to build up more compost to replace the huge pile I had to leave behind.

Nomadicus · 07-24-2018, 12:37 PM

This is the first time I've beat the bugs at keeping an eggplant alive. I have some organic type insecticide and fungicide that I've kept this one alive with. Last year flea beetles destroyed 3 plants. This is the only once this year container growing. With I had taken the photo before dousing it.

The basil is doing quite well too. One container will yield a years supply of both fresh and dried. I'm not sure if the off yellow blotches are normal or if caused by a trace mineral deficiency.

A1eutian · 07-24-2018, 11:53 PM

Must admit I have a bit of basil envy. My first attempt at window ledge growing isn't so luscious.

Early on I had to trim off a lot of the leaves due to blackened edges and tips that was spreading. That really slowed down the growth, and then I disturbed the roots during transplanting. That and only getting 6 hours of direct sun means that my planter won't be as awesome looking. Nice job.

Did that require any feeding? I am using a 1/3 diluted soil mix with coco coir, perlite and gravel that drains well. I haven't been adding any fertilizer. There isn't much for the plants to feed on, but I've heard that you should not use much because it could affect the flavor negatively.

Nomadicus · 07-25-2018, 02:33 AM

The planter was filled with Miracle Grow potting mix that contained plant food in it last year and it grew 3 plantings of summer squash. The soil is full of organic matter from the peat as well as decomposed pine bark mulch. The basil and eggplant get regular feedings of Miracle Grow diluted at a weaker strength than recommended but they get it more often to keep the nutrients coming at an even pace. There is a third planter that has a Goliath tomato in it at it is doing really well that also produce 3 crops of summer squash last year. I've done a pruning of it to 2 main stems and not allowing each cluster of blossoms to set but 2-3 tomatoes each and it is looking like it will produce 25-30 tomatoes before frost. The basil has not had any off flavors so far as it has been to our liking in spaghetti sauce. This is only our second year for basil. The basil gets sprayed with nothing. Bugs don't seem to like it. The small basil plant will get used this week in some red meat sauce in a dish where riced cauliflower will be substituted for the wheat based spaghetti and hopefully it will still will be something we can enjoy. The only other herb that has grown for us has been rosemary and that grows like weeds. Tarragon will be the next project. I've got a pair of LED grow lights that we will attempt to have one indoor tomato plant produce this winter over in an unused corner. Fresh herbs will be planted around the sides of the container. This will be a first time project.

phonelady61 · 07-25-2018, 06:59 AM

Looks like im going to have tomatoes all summer long thanks to my mortgage lifter that sucker has spread as wide as the garden and now I have it tied up to an iron pot hold that is stuck in the ground . Yes it is going to town and has little tomatoes all over it again and more blooms too . Im super happy with mortgage lifter and goliath is in there too and it is spread wide too . LOL .I think this will be the first season I have had tomatoes all season long . Yeah ….

Nonchalance · 07-25-2018, 08:24 AM

I think we have to try growing Mortgage Lifter next season!

The peppers (Cubanelle, Carmen, Santa Fe and a half-hot Jalapeño) are spewing forth....got our first ripe Patio and Celebrity 'maters....I pulled the kale and collards, as something was eating them, and I decided they're not for me....bad year for beans, though.

Nice basil and eggplant, Nomadicus!

Nomadicus · 07-25-2018, 11:22 AM

This is what flea beetles do if I am correct in identifying this beetle as a flea beetle.
The is a new leaf and this can happen overnight. It can only be prevented. Once the damage is done it's done. The whole plants last year looked like this when I missed a few days checking on them.

And this is the beetle magnified about at least 50x. To my eyes their actual size is about 1/16 or less long.

nmnita · 07-27-2018, 07:19 AM

need help and suggestions and quickly: ok, my tomatoes are doing fine: something ate my peppers, so good bye peppers for this year, herbs, especially basil and rosemary are doing very well and okra seems to be coming along but, my squash did nothing. I only saw one bee and only for a day or so. Even my winter squash isn't doing anything except for producing a lot of green leaves and nice blossoms. I want to try at least one winter/fall something. Any suggestions as to what I might be able to plant this late in the season. We are about 3 months away from any threat of frost.

Nomadicus · 07-27-2018, 08:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nmnita

need help and suggestions and quickly: ok, my tomatoes are doing fine: something ate my peppers, so good bye peppers for this year, herbs, especially basil and rosemary are doing very well and okra seems to be coming along but, my squash did nothing. I only saw one bee and only for a day or so. Even my winter squash isn't doing anything except for producing a lot of green leaves and nice blossoms. I want to try at least one winter/fall something. Any suggestions as to what I might be able to plant this late in the season. We are about 3 months away from any threat of frost.

Possibly a bush variety of acorn squash. It’s normal for vining type winter squash to flower heavy with male flowers before the female flowers come on. Don’t give up the ship yet. No more nitrogen is one suggestion.