Weekly Garden Thread Volume 24 June 13, 2014

Free Republic | 6/13/2014 | greeneyes

[trisham]

This is our container corn as of 6/8/14:

It's at least an inch taller now.

[greeneyes]

LOL. The soup was very spicy. I have several other recipes to try. Don’t want radishes to go to waste.LOL

[SisterK]

what extraordinary blooms
thank you for sharing photos

[greeneyes]

Sounds like you got lucky with the storm and no actual damage to your house? Our yard is very overgrown. We have had lots of rain, and the mower was in the shop. Hubby used the weed eater on some of the taller stuff in the front yard to kinda tidy it up a bit.

I was able to get out and sweep a little on the patios today, but cooking, babysitting, and garden thread have kept me indoors for a good part of the day.

I have lots of trouble with squash, cukes, and melons. The start out great get a fruit, and then the vine dies starting at the ground and moving toward the rest of the plant.

I didn’t even try to plant any this year since it was so cold and damp.

[dirtboy]

I had something kill one squash plant this week. I’ve never seen that before. It got a rot just about two inches above the ground and the stem just disintegrated like a gummy type of rot.

Here in SE PA, that does in just about all my zucchini plants each year. One of these days I will look up what causes it, I just plant them every three weeks to accommodate.

[Bon of Babble]

Believe it or not, those California poppies WERE transplanted. I bought them in a 6-pack from the local hardware store.

They took off like weeds...

My rose garden is almost overrun and I’ve had to cut some of them back, they’re also spilling across my lawn.

[Bon of Babble]

That is BEAUTIFUL.

In California, where I live, they only last a short while but when they’re in bloom, they’re spectacular...

[greeneyes]

I can’t grow squash, melons, or cukes, except once in a while I have grown 2 or three cuke vines. The first year I did have good luck with melons etc. but that was it. I got some cukes last year, but all other corcubits - nada.

We have to cover the berry bushes in order to get any. Critters and birds get them otherwise.

[greeneyes]

Thanks for sharing the picture. Those are lovely. I planted some all along the front of our property line, but none of them survived. I love those, and other shrubby plants with giant flowers.

[greeneyes]

That’s a nifty rig you have there.

[greeneyes]

Will you transplant, or will it grow all together in the container?

[trisham]

This is what Burpees says at their site:

Corn, On Deck Hybrid
The first-ever sweet corn you can grow in a container.
Burpee Exclusive
And now on deck sweet corn! Ever so tasty breakthrough bicolor variety is perfectly sized—4-5’ tall—to spend the summer on your deck, patio, or terrace, adding vertical interest as well as producing two to three delicious 7-8” long ears per stalk. This first-ever container-ready corn is a revolution—one you can enjoy from the comfort of your patio. Simply plant 9 seeds per 24” container and get ready to harvest in about 2 months! Supersweet (Sh2). For best germination results, make sure that soil temperature is above 55 degrees Fahrenheit prior to planting.
Spread: 12-18 inches
Height: 4-5 feet
Thinning: 6 inches
Days to Maturity: 61-63 days
Sowing Method: Direct Sow

If it works, I’m going to be thrilled. I’ve never grown corn before.

[Arrowhead1952]

I know about the insect that bores into the stalk and kills squash and zucchini plants, but this was totally different. I’ve never seen that type of rot on a main stalk. It was doing great one day and dead the next.

[trisham]

Thanks! It’s been so cold here at night that we wouldn’t be this far without it.

[Nepeta]

I have 5 tomato plants in pots, last year I did this and got a BUMPER Crop of Tomato LEAVES but no tomatoes. What do I need to do different this year?

When blossoms appear, gently tap them with a finger to dislodge pollen. Such mechanical pollination may make a difference.

Check your fertilizer--make sure it is balanced to promote growth and blossoms.

[trisham]

Thank you!

[sockmonkey]

I had something kill one squash plant this week. I’ve never seen that before. It got a rot just about two inches above the ground and the stem just disintegrated like a gummy type of rot.

Sounds like the infamous SVB, aka, Squash Vine Borer. It's a moth that lays a bunch of little brown eggs..like the size of a pinhead.They lay the eggs at multiple places, one or two at a time. They hatch, burrow into the squash, and maggot their way through, eat their way out, pupate in the ground, and come out, and start the evil cycle all over again.

[dirtboy]

I did a Google search and they said you can wrap the young stems with foil to keep the buggers at bay. Will try that on some of the plants to see how that works.

[dirtboy]

Where are you in Texas? Following the rains to see if the lakes can fill back up some. That sounds like some lake-refilling storms.

[trisham]

Thanks, greeneyes. I guess that this climate is suitable for their growing needs, because I don’t do much of anything to them.