Are you having trouble keeping your plants alive?

Well I started my garden inside under about 12,000 lumens,March 30th.Was kind of leary about moving them outside because of all the rain and cold temps,but planted them out Mid-May.I'm growing 4 variety of tomatoes,5 strains of peppers,plus beans and Asian finger eggplant.This is my first grow and definitely a learning process.

I started the seedlings in peat pellets and moved them over to Coir,a grow medium,that works really good,with practice.
I use Botanicare nutrient line,cal-mag and silicate,plus some micro-nutes.The plants in the garden are growing bigger than the ones I kept in grow bags which I feed whenever the bag gets light,but the plants in the bags are flowering and producing a higher yield comparably.
The thing I like about growing in pots or grow bags is if the weather gets bad they can be moved inside.The tomatoes on the other hand get to big to move around.Each have pros and cons.But in my opinion,growing and using nutrients in a hydroponic hand watering system far outweighs growing outside in the ground.More control I guess.
This year has been okay so far,also I am located near lake Erie.

reply to post by incrediblelousminds


Yeah actually I mixed up the dates... I started most of my garden indoors on march 15th, iceburg lettuce included...

I moved everything outside a week or 2 into april... at that point the lettuce was only a stem with some leaves coming out of it, maybe 2-3 inches long... I sprinkled the seeds ontop of the little fiber cups(2 rows of 5 in each planter) Should I maybe only put 1 or 2 seeds per cup? they are like an inch and half by inch and half... I sprinkled the seeds, and basically the whole cup was full of these little shoots

reply to post by morder1


any unseasonably warm spells recently?

that would likely explain it.

otherwise, im at a loss and would merely be checking books and whatnot for further insight.

reply to post by morder1


I had the same trouble, until my neighbor schooled me about lettuce. Plant it much later, after the worst heat of summer is over.

The heat makes it bitter, and like beets and broccoli, it likes cooler temperatures.

Try planting again just before summer cools down, and sow your seeds over a couple of weeks to ensure continuous salads through fall.

I dont know about ya'll, but I found a marijuana plant growing wildly in the middle of downtown Columbus, Ohio.
Next to a Porta-Potty, on a construction site.
Oddest thing I ever did see. Lol.

reply to post by Greensage


My Bro has a Nursery in Az and has had much trouble this year too, set up a drip or even mist next year and just keep on trying. Good thick horse poo and organic matter broken down into good mulch.

It is about time to starrt your babies for indoor winter herbs and such, at least they will boost your immune systems.

I am the biggest pro at losing plants, so just keep your chin up because each year it gets better and better. I have been making every mistake in the books for over 18 years now...

Also, use shade cloth over your plants next time, even white sheets, It really does help with these changes in our atmosphere and sun rays.

My garden is doing great. I've not had any trouble with anything much- I had a couple of heirloom tomatoes get wilt disease. They came from Walmart and were in containers. I chunked them and everything else is doing fine, it didn't spread. I doubt I will mess with too many heirlooms in the future. I was really happy with my Early girls putting out, well, so early, and I love my Romas and for the good taste, I think Brandywines will do.

It's getting much too warm for lettuce so it's bolting.

I pick the leaves off and eat it, bolted or not. Lettuce is for much, much cooler weather.

Originally posted by morder1
reply to post by incrediblelousminds

 

Yeah actually I mixed up the dates... I started most of my garden indoors on march 15th, iceburg lettuce included...

I moved everything outside a week or 2 into april... at that point the lettuce was only a stem with some leaves coming out of it, maybe 2-3 inches long... I sprinkled the seeds ontop of the little fiber cups(2 rows of 5 in each planter) Should I maybe only put 1 or 2 seeds per cup? they are like an inch and half by inch and half... I sprinkled the seeds, and basically the whole cup was full of these little shoots

What were the temps in the grow area,were they constant?How often did you water them?How much light and hrs per day did the plants recieve during seedling stage?What was your source of light?
There can be many variables when it comes to locating a source of cause.

reply to post by Daedal


I plant my lettuces in feburary even if I have to go move the snow to do so. They love the cold start.

Originally posted by antar
reply to post by Daedal

 

I plant my lettuces in feburary even if I have to go move the snow to do so. They love the cold start.

Do you use a cover over them?

reply to post by Daedal


I just used a shoplight with 2x fluorescent tubes... temps were like 70ish... sprayed with water every day until i moved them outside..

also i did about 16 hour light on , 8 off.. basically turned the light off when i slept, and back on when i woke up

reply to post by morder1


Try switching the light to about 10 hrs on.This mimmicks the colder days and light variation the plants are used to growing in.Your warmer temp plants will do well though under 16-18 on/off.

Its always a drag when the lettuce is gone before the toms and such. Also planting them where they get morning sun and shaded from the hottest parts of day helps too. I am no expert even though some people think I am aproching that level in my area. It is learning year by year what not to do or to incorporate ways to work smarter not harder that I find the most fun.

I LOVE only heirlooms, but they do take more attention and are a less rapid plant to grow, yet are so so worth it. Good soil is the key.

My flowers have been blossoming non stop since this spring! We have never had so many plants blossom, day lilies peonies, roses, lilies of every possible color! My entire yard is amazing!!!!!! OHHHHH and my vegetables, I am swimming in them. I planted 12 watermelon plants and each vine has 7 melons on it... it's just crazy. In April we had a tornado drop 3 trees right in the middle of our garden so I planted a second one, it seems like this new garden is making up for lost time and our pain and suffering of the clean up process.

I can't really complain, because mostly everything is doing great. Cucumbers, yellow straightneck squash, sweet corn, are all producing like crazy. However, my first round of okra died off fairly quickly. I think I planted them a little too early because like others were saying, the hot weather was fairly slow in coming this year (though I don't mind!), and I should have waited another month or so (I think I planted them in March the first time). My beefsteak tomato plants are all dried up looking, and before the tomatoes get a chance to turn red, most of them just start drying up and falling off. My Cherokee Purple tomatoes are doing great, though.
I planted 10 Blue Lake 274 green bean plants, and I got tons of blooms, but they weren't getting pollinated or something because I only got about 15 beans altogether. I planted them around the same time as the first round of okra, so it was most likely the same problem. I pulled them up and planted some Henderson baby bush Lima beans, and those things are taking off like nothing.

I live in the Central Valley in California, and anyone from this area who actually pays attention would tell you that they spray chemtrails like CRAZY out here. I honestly believe that is the reason a lot of people are having a hard time with their gardens now. They really don't want anyone to be independent when it comes to food.

Most of my stuff is doing great too, although something ate the tops off my Ruby Green tomato plants last night. I think I need to have a talk with some of the neighborhood deer.

Originally posted by morder1
This is my first year gardening...

I started 3 raised beds, everything is going great so far, ate a lot of sugar snap peas and strawberries already... with corn a few weeks away, same with green peppers... mustard greens seem to be ready but I dont know alot about them... and carrots and sunflowers are doing awesome, watermelon as well...

My only problem is iceburg lettuce... It never formed heads at all, and is now shooting up and starting to bolt(I think thats the right term)... I moved everything outside may 15th in PA... anyone who has grown iceburg before could give me some tips?

To add as a second thought... I also have to empty 2 dehumidifiers from the basement every day, and this water I use to water my garden

edit on 9-7-2011 by morder1 because: (no reason given)

lettuces don't like the heat. farmers here grow lettuce but then our summers are usually maxed at 80 degrees.

reply to post by pianopraze


I'm in Aussie and I noticed last summer all the tops of the trees were brown and white spots of rain stained my backyard tiles.

No, you are not imagining anything. I've been watching it closely for 12 months now.

I don't know if I have a green thumb, but almost everything I water stays vibrant and healthy until this year. All the tomato plants got nematodes, trees are dying everywhere, everything is getting these brown and white spots all over them, especially the grapes, some plants look like they are mutating. I haven't changed my watering habits or anything... Probably some disease going around my area.

My tomatoes and carrots have failed miserably But my corn, zucchini, potatoes and sunflowers are great! Even my lettuce is still doing good....

My roses have failed too I have never had to give them fertilizer...........

My blue birds usually nest in March and April, but I have a batch laying on their eggs as we speak

I have also noticed a great many bumble bee deaths????