2022 Gardening Thread

[Fordnandez]

Originally Posted by rtp

I just went out and looked and was coming back to report my findings......my plants are definitely of the sausage fest genetics! Your post is spot on with my plants.

Its rough out there for male cucumbers out there. Supply is much larger than demand lol.

[SaltwaterSlick]

Richard, one of the drawbacks to planting only a few cuke plants in a raised bed or bag, etc. is that many of the varieties of cukes today are Gynoecious plants. That means they only produce female flowers. In order to germinate, the seed suppliers will put a few seeds in the packet that are of a similar variety (pickling, slicing, burpless, etc.) that are not Gynoecious to make sure there are male blossoms available. If you plant 3 or 4 plants/seeds and don't happen to get one of the male producing plants, you'll have a bunch of tiny cukes and no germination... This happened to us this year! The only thing that saved us is my wife planted several plants in a bag that she always has grown in the past and they are not of the Gynoecious variety, so now that the plants are all growing wildly, we are about to have more cukes than we will know what to do with!! Those pickling cukes have hundreds of tiny little female cuke flowers... I just need more bees!!

[SaltwaterSlick]

Oh yea, my grandsons brought out their Bug-a-salt's this weekend!! There was carnage!! And agreed... there's no possibility of LDP's... Literally ain't nuthin' left!! Got a couple squash bugs (stinkers), one borer fly... Those suckers are stealthy! and several "unknowns"... Told the boys any bug that was sitting and not buzzing around like a bee was fair game except round red lady bugs... A couple squash were sacrificed... bug happened to be sitting on them... now just a salty hole in the squash...

[rtp]

Yes sir, after hearing about all this bug a salt gun fun, Im going to break mine out this evening. If it is a bee or a lady bug it is going to die. Ive been killing my bugs by hand but Im probably only successful 1 out of 3 attempts. The bug a salt gun should be close to 100%. My bird netting came in so I may attempt to get it up this evening as well.

[SaltwaterSlick]

Originally Posted by rtp

Yes sir, after hearing about all this bug a salt gun fun, Im going to break mine out this evening. If it is NOT a bee or a lady bug it is going to die. Ive been killing my bugs by hand but Im probably only successful 1 out of 3 attempts. The bug a salt gun should be close to 100%. My bird netting came in so I may attempt to get it up this evening as well.

You made a typo, right? I fix'd it fer ya...

[eradicator]

Originally Posted by SaltwaterSlick

Richard, one of the drawbacks to planting only a few cuke plants in a raised bed or bag, etc. is that many of the varieties of cukes today are Gynoecious plants. That means they only produce female flowers. In order to germinate, the seed suppliers will put a few seeds in the packet that are of a similar variety (pickling, slicing, burpless, etc.) that are not Gynoecious to make sure there are male blossoms available. If you plant 3 or 4 plants/seeds and don't happen to get one of the male producing plants, you'll have a bunch of tiny cukes and no germination... This happened to us this year! The only thing that saved us is my wife planted several plants in a bag that she always has grown in the past and they are not of the Gynoecious variety, so now that the plants are all growing wildly, we are about to have more cukes than we will know what to do with!! Those pickling cukes have hundreds of tiny little female cuke flowers... I just need more bees!!

[rtp]

Originally Posted by SaltwaterSlick

You made a typo, right? I fix'd it fer ya...

Thanks!


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[rtp]

Went out the other evening with the bug asalt gun. It no worky. I’m guessing the nephews were the cause . I bought another one online immediately and it came in today. I’ve been wearing those nasty bugs out today. Pretty sure I won’t need to add salt to any of the cukes I pick at this point forward.


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[TexanDuke]

Plenty of maters coming off the plants. Ramped up this week


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[rtp]

Originally Posted by TexanDuke

Plenty of maters coming off the plants. Ramped up this week


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Look great. What variety?

[TexanDuke]

Originally Posted by rtp

Look great. What variety?

These are called “patio” short stout plants with TONS of fruit. They’re similar in size to a Roma and sweeter


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[MooseontheLoose]

PSA for anyone still looking for plants. I was milling around the HEB garden center earlier and came across a cart full of clearance plants. Snagged a 6 pack of habanero plants for $1.49 and a scorpion pepper plant for $.75. I’ve tried planting my habanero seeds 3 times this year and can’t get any to germinate for some reason. Best $1.49 I’ve spent this year

[basschump]

Originally Posted by TexanDuke

Plenty of maters coming off the plants. Ramped up this week


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Very nice! I was curious how patios did. Are those grown in a container or in ground ?


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[TexanDuke]

Originally Posted by basschump

Very nice! I was curious how patios did. Are those grown in a container or in ground ?


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I have them in the ground. I didn’t want to have to get a ladder to pick 8 ft tall celebrity tomatoes in my 2 ft raised beds lol


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[Geezy Rider]

First harvest. It’s not much but it’s a start.

Question, if the tops of some of my onions have folded over, should I go ahead and pull them now or wait until the tops start turning brown?

The winds up here in north texas have been relentless and hard on my plants. I’m wondering if the winds could be affecting the pollinators. Been seeing plenty of blossoms but no activity.




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[SaltwaterSlick]

We've been getting a little each day out of our bag garden and our berry patch... Earlier this week, we had 5 different varieties of fried squash and MAN were they good!! We had Que-ball, 1 ball, 8-ball, grenade and golden sweet straight-necks... Never grew the round varieties before, but they are prolific producers and delicious! Also had our first mess of Swiss Chard... Never grew it before, but I can tell you it will be in my gardens from now on!! It grows fast, regrows fast, and is a great sub for spinach which I have a hard time growing... Guess it gets too hot here too early for spinach...

Q-Ball



1-Ball



8-Ball




Grenade



Tuesday's harvest... cukes starting to produce too, even a couple Zucc's. even a few banana peppers...



2 more bags of blackberries




Swiss chard sauteed in olive oil with onions n BACON!!




Fried squash floatin' in da grease




Pan seared venison backstrap with a heavy cream/caper sauce, fried squash and Swiss Chard




Man I love it when the garden starts to yield its produce!!

[Tex_Cattleman]

Originally Posted by rtp

Ok next question, my cucumber plant have been putting out a ton of blooms but only a small percentage are turning into cukes. I have noticed the leaves on the very bottom have died and this just above have turned yellow. The rest of the plants seem to be thriving. Any ideas?

I appreciate all the advice given so far.




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I'm 90% certain you have powdery mildew on those vines. You will not get fruit on the vines where they are yellowing and tough. This is all from painful experience for me this year. On all new growth, I keep it sprayed with baking soda. Tablespoon/gallon with 1/4t of dish soap. I spray every leaf on the vine, above and below. Will not help repair, but can keep it from spreading to new growth. Also, I am now self-pollinating every flower that has a baby cucumber. It's made a huge difference. No idea where the swarms of bees are this year.

[eradicator]

Originally Posted by Geezy Rider

First harvest. It’s not much but it’s a start.

Question, if the tops of some of my onions have folded over, should I go ahead and pull them now or wait until the tops start turning brown?

The winds up here in north texas have been relentless and hard on my plants. I’m wondering if the winds could be affecting the pollinators. Been seeing plenty of blossoms but no activity.




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I pulled most of mine today regardless of size(those that have blown over and pinched the stalks). Not sure if thats the right way to do it or not, but in past experience once they blow over they aren't bulbing much more. I typically just grow them to add to my pickles, etc so its not a big deal to me. I have sizes from golfballs to tennis balls. I don't think it will hurt them to leave in the ground and see what happens if you have the space.

[huntandfishguy6]

This is my first year trying my hand at yellow squash. Last week all the leaves were pretty, and green. I have six plants in a 5×8 raised bed, they were crowded but growing great. This week they seem to be giving up, yellowing, and have a powdery mildew. What kills the powdery mildew, and did it cause their decline ? I was planning to post pictures but i guess i cant with the java turned off, right now thats the only way i can log on to TBH.

[huntandfishguy6]

Ok i just scrolled up and read about baking soda solution, so I'm going to give that a try on my squash plants. I forgot to mention that i cut a lot of the dead leaves, and the ones with the mildew on them.

[SaltwaterSlick]

The diseased leaves should be removed. They cannot be "cured". The baking soda solution will only help new growth to prevent infection, but bad leaves should be removed... If you do that and keep the plants watered, but from the bottom so as not to splash water/dirt up onto the plants, you can grow yourself out of the problem.

[eradicator]

Originally Posted by SaltwaterSlick

The diseased leaves should be removed. They cannot be "cured". The baking soda solution will only help new growth to prevent infection, but bad leaves should be removed... If you do that and keep the plants watered, but from the bottom so as not to splash water/dirt up onto the plants, you can grow yourself out of the problem.

Agreed. Don't let the leaves get wet. Also better to water/irrigate in the morning as opposed to the evening.

[rtp]

Keep the info coming guys! I’m learning and appreciate your input.


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[Blood Trail]

Originally Posted by MooseontheLoose

PSA for anyone still looking for plants. I was milling around the HEB garden center earlier and came across a cart full of clearance plants. Snagged a 6 pack of habanero plants for $1.49 and a scorpion pepper plant for $.75. I’ve tried planting my habanero seeds 3 times this year and can’t get any to germinate for some reason. Best $1.49 I’ve spent this year

Any peppers that are Capsicum chinense varieties take up to 30 days to germinate. I started my super peppers indoors and they took 2-3 weeks to sprout.


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[eradicator]

Originally Posted by Blood Trail

Any peppers that are Capsicum chinense varieties take up to 30 days to germinate. I started my super peppers indoors and they took 2-3 weeks to sprout.


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This......Ours are usually right at 3 weeka to germinate every year.

[eradicator]

Well, had a clean shot at a vine borer yesterday and whiffed

I've been picking eggs off of the zuchinni on a daily basis the last week or so.

[Passthrough]

Got our first batch of green beans yesterday. Thinning all my squash and zucchini back….way too thick. Staking,pruning and tieing them today. I’ve always grown in “hills”….but I’m gonna try this vertical growing thing. Peppers looking good….tomatoes looking good and okra straying to come on. You fellars in SETX get a big jump on us NTX guys by the looks of yalls progress. Enjoying this thread!

[basschump]

Having a great squash harvest.
Peppers are doing great. Ancho and chilis. First year growing chilis. Grew several varieties of tomatoes and they are loaded. Lack of rain and heat has made it challenging. Potatoes did really well too.

[basschump]

[ctom87]

Two squash, a bunch of Swiss chard, 2 okra... my small garden should be taking off this week if the forecast comes to fruition.

Anyone know why this squash is green? The others are yellow like the one above it.

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[SaltwaterSlick]

Well the in-ground garden fared better than in years past with a big rain event... We got 2.74" according to my electronic rain gauge, and a 5 gallon bucket my bride left out by the bag garden pretty much agreed with that...
Rain started around 4:00 AM Sunday morning and most of the rain total fell between then and 6:00 AM... This is a shot of the plot right after we got home from church Sunday afternoon...






Within a couple hours, that water was all gone... I put a pump in the middles and pumped it out. Sure could do without the rest of the rain we're supposed to get tonight and later in the week!!


The bag garden did great... excess water just ran right through the bags!! Here's the post rain harvest from the bag garden... Wife is canning jalapenos and banana peppers this morning! Gonna be another dinner featuring fried squash this evening!! CAN'T WAIT!!
Even that little jar of cut Zinnias came out of the garden!
The rest includes banana and jalapeno peppers, Bok Choy, various squash varieties, cukes (pickling and burpless), and a few strawberries. What is not in the pic is 2 quarts of blackberries we picked after this pic was taken...



First tomatoes with any "color"! Lots and lots of various size and variety of green 'uns!


Never grown these, but they are Beaver Dam Hot peppers (that are supposed to NOT be hot!)... They are supposed to eventually turn red, but just look at the size of these suckers!! I have big hands and these things are longer than my hand and thick!! If they taste as good as they look, I will be growing these again!

[Bucknaked]

Help! Whatever it is, it’s after all of my bell’s!

[Man]

Looks similar to blossem end rot. If so....lack of calcium in the soil.

I went through that ordeal last year

[waterdog]

how to fix the rot...

EMERGENCY! 3 Fixes for Blossom End Rot || Black Gumbo - YouTube

[Bucknaked]

But it isn’t on the blossom end … I think I need to water more! Thanks

[huntandfishguy6]

Since i lost all my squash, to vine borers what can i plant now ? I thought about more squash but i didn't know if it's to late in the year.

[scotty]

Originally Posted by huntandfishguy6

Since i lost all my squash, to vine borers what can i plant now ? I thought about more squash but i didn't know if it's to late in the year.

I plant okra as I pull plants out.

[MooseontheLoose]

My cucumber plants are churning them out, green beans have done ok, and it won't be long before I can start picking okra, tomatoes, and corn. Peppers are looking strong but they have a ways to go since I started them late.

Had a big food processing weekend. Dad killed a big axis doe a couple months ago and we made sausage out of her.

Spent some time canning this weekend too. Did back beans, pintos, yellow and white potatoes, made 4 pints of pickles, 3 of pickled green beans, 2 of regular green beans, made a garlic/honey ferment and a jar of homemade almond milk.

[SaltwaterSlick]

Dang Moose, those jars look really nice!! We've done pickles, pickled jalapenos (sliced with carrots n onions and whole), Pickled banana peppers (sweet)... Put up about 30 quarts of blackberries so far, and they're just now starting to get going... Wife is getting about 2-4 quarts a day now...

Corn is way behind... still doin' battle with the dang crows! Purple hull peas are behind but looking real good... Cherry maters have given us a few ripe ones, but others are still WAY green, but looking good... Trying to wait until next week to "dig" taters", only planted reds this year... Had a couple messes of "new potatoes" and they were on the small side, but DANG, they were good!!

[eradicator]

Originally Posted by huntandfishguy6

Since i lost all my squash, to vine borers what can i plant now ? I thought about more squash but i didn't know if it's to late in the year.

okra

[eradicator]

Another vine borer went down yesterday I've scraped dozens of eggs off of the plants/stems. Spraying weekly with BT, so far no damage(knock on wood). Pulling a ton of zuchini. Can't keep up, may be time for a batch of squash reli*****omatoes are cranking. We did our first batch of salsa yesterday. Cukes are steady but not enough to make pickles yet. I think last year I did about 4 flats of pickles, hope they come on here shortly. All of the peppers have been steady but really starting to get going now that the heat is setting in. All of the onions and garlic have been pulled and currently drying

[SaltwaterSlick]

Originally Posted by eradicator

Another vine borer went down yesterday I've scraped dozens of eggs off of the plants/stems. Spraying weekly with BT, so far no damage(knock on wood). Pulling a ton of zuchini. Can't keep up, may be time for a batch of squash reli*****omatoes are cranking. We did our first batch of salsa yesterday. Cukes are steady but not enough to make pickles yet. I think last year I did about 4 flats of pickles, hope they come on here shortly. All of the peppers have been steady but really starting to get going now that the heat is setting in. All of the onions and garlic have been pulled and currently drying

If you haven't already, you might want to check into using spinosad instead (or in addition to) BT... They both kill caterpillars, but the caterpillars must eat the BT for it to get 'em... The spinosad kills by contact so they don't actually have to eat on your plant for it to kill 'em and both last about the same amount of time...


Oh and I am also now a Great White Hunter of all garden bugs with the But-a-salt gun!! Got in trouble last week tho... Got sidetracked and left it lying between 2 rows of bags overnight... wife found it...covered in dew... hope it dries out OK...

[Man]

Anyone know what kind of pepper this is? Bought it when it was a little bud at the local Hong Kong market for $.50 but it didn't have a name listed. Well fast forward 2 months its in full bloom. Its not a tabasco like we thought. And they are butt burners for sure.

[Geezy Rider]

Wow, y’all are doing great.
I picked a few green beans and harvested some lettuce leaves but that’s really all that’s done well.
My peppers are still puny but my tomatoes are what’s really confusing. They are about two feet tall and putting out flowers but still no sign of any fruit. I just don’t understand what’s going on with them.

[eradicator]

Originally Posted by Geezy Rider

Wow, y’all are doing great.
I picked a few green beans and harvested some lettuce leaves but that’s really all that’s done well.
My peppers are still puny but my tomatoes are what’s really confusing. They are about two feet tall and putting out flowers but still no sign of any fruit. I just don’t understand what’s going on with them.

When did you plant your tomatoes? They don't set fruit well once it gets to be 94-95 degrees consistently.....Most of mine are 5-6ft tall at this point. I do plant in march though.

[waterdog]

Originally Posted by Man

Anyone know what kind of pepper this is? Bought it when it was a little bud at the local Hong Kong market for $.50 but it didn't have a name listed. Well fast forward 2 months its in full bloom. Its not a tabasco like we thought. And they are butt burners for sure.

maybe a chilly chili pepper?

[SaltwaterSlick]

Originally Posted by Geezy Rider

Wow, y’all are doing great.
I picked a few green beans and harvested some lettuce leaves but that’s really all that’s done well.
My peppers are still puny but my tomatoes are what’s really confusing. They are about two feet tall and putting out flowers but still no sign of any fruit. I just don’t understand what’s going on with them.

Take the main trunk of your tomato plants and shake them when the blooms pop open preferably in the morning an hour or so after the sun is up... You can also buzz them with an electric toothbrush... The blooms need to be shook so that the pollen dislodges from the male stem and goes into contact with the female receptors... Can also shoot 'em with a liquid/or water soluble phosphorus fertilizer... I use that seabird guano when they first start to set blooms...

[bbbuck]

Originally Posted by Man

Anyone know what kind of pepper this is? Bought it when it was a little bud at the local Hong Kong market for $.50 but it didn't have a name listed. Well fast forward 2 months its in full bloom. Its not a tabasco like we thought. And they are butt burners for sure.

I’m not sure what type but holy cow it is loaded with peppers. Time to pick some.

[Strummer]

Got a squash plant question. Why is my plants full of blooms but not squash ? Have zucchini right beside them doing alright .

[eradicator]

Originally Posted by SaltwaterSlick

If you haven't already, you might want to check into using spinosad instead (or in addition to) BT... They both kill caterpillars, but the caterpillars must eat the BT for it to get 'em... The spinosad kills by contact so they don't actually have to eat on your plant for it to kill 'em and both last about the same amount of time...


Oh and I am also now a Great White Hunter of all garden bugs with the But-a-salt gun!! Got in trouble last week tho... Got sidetracked and left it lying between 2 rows of bags overnight... wife found it...covered in dew... hope it dries out OK...

Dang, missed this earlier. Thanks for the tip. I will look into this. Do you have any specific products that you have used? I've had time up until this point to do daily diligence but my time is about to get limited starting TODAY! The 'kill on contact' would be a bonus with my upcoming schedule. Bug A Salt is big fun I ran the smoker all day Saturday so naturally the flies were out. We got our limit