What Are Some Tips for Successful Gardening?

[Astronuc]

I'm just wondering if it's safe to eat the vegetables using that normal fertilizer that I see that you are using. Wouldn't it get into the vegetables.

What does one mean by normal fertilizer? If one means something like mixture of Nitrogen, Phosphate and Potash (Potassium), that's taken up by the plant and distributed appropriately in the right form. There's also organic matter that gets broken down and used by the plants as they grow roots, stalks, stems and leaves, and then flowers and ultimately fruit or seeds. Some plants, like lettuce, are harvested before they produce flowers.

 

[~christina~]

Are you talking to me? I use vegetable fertilizer.

What does one mean by normal fertilizer? If one means something like mixture of Nitrogen, Phosphate and Potash (Potassium), that's taken up by the plant and distributed appropriately in the right form. There's also organic matter that gets broken down and used by the plants as they grow roots, stalks, stems and leaves, and then flowers and ultimately fruit or seeds. Some plants, like lettuce, are harvested before they produce flowers.

What does one mean by normal fertilizer? If one means something like mixture of Nitrogen, Phosphate and Potash (Potassium), that's taken up by the plant and distributed appropriately in the right form. There's also organic matter that gets broken down and used by the plants as they grow roots, stalks, stems and leaves, and then flowers and ultimately fruit or seeds. Some plants, like lettuce, are harvested before they produce flowers.

Hm..well I was referring to the fertilizer in the normal potting soil for flowers.

Never knew that there was a "vegetable fertilizer" since I like to garden but I've only seen the fertilizer for fruit trees so I wasn't sure what to use for my honeydew plant last year(Home Depot)

I did get some organic soil but I have a feeling that it isn't "organic" as we think of the word, or is it. (they say to be careful in handling it and wash hands throughly)

Another random thing was that I tried to pollinate the honeydew plant but nothing happened...maybe I did that incorrectly last time I did that?

 

[Evo]

You can get potting soil with or without fertilizer. The fertilized potting soil for flowers would be ok for vegetables, but potting soil fertilized for house plants would contain too much nitrogen. Be sure to check the fertilizer ratios on anything you purchase. The fertilizer itself will not affect the produce, unless it's "organic" then you have absolutely no idea how safe it is. If it tells you that you need to wash your hands after touching it, I don't think you want your vegetables touching it just before your harvest them either.

How did you pollinate your honeydews? I think it was jimmysnyder that reminded me to make buzzing sounds while doing it.

I'm waiting to see if my pollinization of my cucumbers will be successful. If I remember corectly, bell peppers are self pollinating, so they should be ok.

I finally got a bee the other day and my dog ate him. I heard a yelp and then he was foaming at the mouth. Served him right. He usually eats flies, but made a mistake.

 

[turbo]

Here is my garden in its pathetic "just in" look. The nearest row has spinach, the garlic is doing well, the chives came back strong, and we had them chopped into our potato salad last night for supper. None of the seeded stuff apart from the spinach is up, and those tiny little green things in the lower half of the garden are peppers and tomatoes - they've got a LOT of growing to do. Right now, the best feature of the garden (apart from the very rich soil) is the lack of weeds. I bought a scuffle hoe (stirrup hoe) last year and it does wonders, as long as I keep up with the invaders.

 

[Evo]

It's beautiful turbo!

 

[baywax]

Hm..well I was referring to the fertilizer in the normal potting soil for flowers.

Never knew that there was a "vegetable fertilizer" since I like to garden but I've only seen the fertilizer for fruit trees so I wasn't sure what to use for my honeydew plant last year(Home Depot)

I did get some organic soil but I have a feeling that it isn't "organic" as we think of the word, or is it. (they say to be careful in handling it and wash hands throughly)

Another random thing was that I tried to pollinate the honeydew plant but nothing happened...maybe I did that incorrectly last time I did that?

The warning may have to do with the latest hype about Tetanus going around. There's an advisory in this province that people wear gloves because of two gardener's deaths due to tetanus. Personally I think if you protect yourself all to hell you're more inclined to fall ill to the bacteria and viruses that surround all of us. If you're constantly exposed to them, you're immunity is better equipped to deal with any adversity.

Speaking of pollination... I watched a good old worker bee doing the rounds on my mystery flowers...(not sure what they are ... maybe someone can identify them if i get a pic in here..) but, its 1 more bee than I saw last year.)

Nice Garden Turbo! Is that a tree plantation next door or just some scrub?

 

[Andre]

Awesome Turbo, I remember similar garden sights from my yought. But that would only last a few days before the nettle and /or http://www.agf.gov.bc.ca/cropprot/weedguid/horsetl.htm took over the area within a few days. Their terrible roots some inches to feet below the surface, ready to take over as soon as you sleep. I've seen somebody overthowing his garden for three feet deep trying to get rid of those pest. Cost him his back but it gained half a growing season.

After that I quit trying.

 

[turbo]

Thanks Evo and baywax. I've got less than an acre of clear land, and the rest is all forested, though many of the mature trees closer to the house have been thinned out for firewood. My lot is fairly narrow, but it extends 1/2 mile back into the woods with a brook/beaver bog crossing the center. I let the local snowmobile club maintain a trail along that long eastern boundary, so I have a nice sturdy timber bridge crossing the brook and can get a tractor or ATV to the back of the lot, if I want to cut any trees.

The trees in the background of this picture are my "natural grape arbor". I have Concord grape vines growing all along that tree line, and the vines climb the trees. I have to cut them down and re-train the vines periodically so they will grow on lower vegetation, but grapes love sun and they are designed to climb, so they sometimes produce beautiful bunches of grapes 20 feet in the air.

 

[turbo]

Awesome Turbo, I remember similar garden sights from my yought. But that would only last a few days before the nettle and /or http://www.agf.gov.bc.ca/cropprot/weedguid/horsetl.htm took over the area within a few days. Their terrible roots some inches to feet below the surface, ready to take over as soon as you sleep. I've seen somebody overthowing his garden for three feet deep trying to get rid of those pest. Cost him his back but it gained half a growing season.

After that I quit trying.

Thanks, Andre. That garden looks the size of a postage stamp in the picture, but it's well over 1500 square feet. Hoeing up all those rows Saturday and Sunday made me pretty lame in some little-used muscles. I have a nice Troy-bilt Horse tiller that can go really deep, and I have been adding manure, peat, and organic fertilizers (like blood meal, fish meal, etc) to the plot as well as compost from the black bins in the foreground. When my wife and I moved here, the soil was rocky clay and the previous owner thought that gardening involved flogging the plants with lime and Miracle-Gro. It took me a couple of years of heavy work, but the soil is close to perfect. It is light, with a very high organic content. I hoe it up into raised rows so that heavy rains won't waterlog the plants. I can always water, if needed - we have two wells: the deep drilled well provides our domestic water, and the shallower dug well has a separate pump, etc, that supplies the outdoor sill-cocks for watering.

Oops! Just realized that I cropped out the compost bins - they are not in the picture and I didn't look at it before posting.

 

[Borek]

turbo - its just like a dream...

Do we use "awesome" or not?

 

[turbo]

It won't be "awesome" until it grows up like last summer's garden.

Of course, I planted the tomatoes and the string beans too close together last year, making them hard to harvest (center rows) - live and learn.

 

[baywax]

Thanks Evo and baywax. I've got less than an acre of clear land, and the rest is all forested, though many of the mature trees closer to the house have been thinned out for firewood. My lot is fairly narrow, but it extends 1/2 mile back into the woods with a brook/beaver bog crossing the center. I let the local snowmobile club maintain a trail along that long eastern boundary, so I have a nice sturdy timber bridge crossing the brook and can get a tractor or ATV to the back of the lot, if I want to cut any trees.

That sounds absolutely beautiful to a lumberjack like me. We might have to make you an honourary Canuck with all the beavers (CDN national symbol) and brooks and annoying snowmobiles in your environ!

The trees in the background of this picture are my "natural grape arbor". I have Concord grape vines growing all along that tree line, and the vines climb the trees. I have to cut them down and re-train the vines periodically so they will grow on lower vegetation, but grapes love sun and they are designed to climb, so they sometimes produce beautiful bunches of grapes 20 feet in the air.

Ha ha... so you have some pretty fat birds falling near the BBQ!?

 

[baywax]

BTW... my sister has 40 acres in Eugene Oregon and she's tearing out the blackberries with a tractor and a back hoe. I like to bug her about it because she really started out leaving her acreage alone to grow naturally until her new Irish husband arrived on the title.

So I say, ohhhhh the poor black berries. And she justifies their destruction with "ah, their not even native to the area (baxwax)".

Are black berries native to North America? As far as I know the Firstnations I have studied so much found them to be a fine dietary staple during the 4 weeks of summer we get around here...(exaggeration).

 

[lisab]

BTW... my sister has 40 acres in Eugene Oregon and she's tearing out the blackberries with a tractor and a back hoe. I like to bug her about it because she really started out leaving her acreage alone to grow naturally until her new Irish husband arrived on the title.

So I say, ohhhhh the poor black berries. And she justifies their destruction with "ah, their not even native to the area (baxwax)".

Are black berries native to North America? As far as I know the Firstnations I have studied so much found them to be a fine dietary staple during the 4 weeks of summer we get around here...(exaggeration).

There may be native berries that are called blackberries, but the ones your sister's dealing with are likely Himalayan blackberries. They grow everywhere in the Pacific Northwest. The best way to deal with them is to bring in some goats!

 

[baywax]

There may be native berries that are called blackberries, but the ones your sister's dealing with are likely Himalayan blackberries. They grow everywhere in the Pacific Northwest. The best way to deal with them is to bring in some goats!

Thanks lisab. What will the goats do with the blackberries? How did Himalayan blackberries get to the PNW?

 

[turbo]

That sounds absolutely beautiful to a lumberjack like me. We might have to make you an honourary Canuck with all the beavers (CDN national symbol) and brooks and annoying snowmobiles in your environ!

Ha ha... so you have some pretty fat birds falling near the BBQ!?

My mother's side of the family is French-Canadian and Indian. As for the birds, the wild turkeys hang out when the grapes are ripe. Yum!

 

[~christina~]

You can get potting soil with or without fertilizer. The fertilized potting soil for flowers would be ok for vegetables, but potting soil fertilized for house plants would contain too much nitrogen. Be sure to check the fertilizer ratios on anything you purchase. The fertilizer itself will not affect the produce, unless it's "organic" then you have absolutely no idea how safe it is. If it tells you that you need to wash your hands after touching it, I don't think you want your vegetables touching it just before your harvest them either.

I did use the fertilizer for normal plants when I planted them.
I guess, I wouldn't want my plants touching the stuff, but it's labeled for vegetables...(miracle grow, organic potting mix)

How did you pollinate your honeydews? I think it was jimmysnyder that reminded me to make buzzing sounds while doing it.

I used, a paintbrush, but obviously it didn't work.

I'm waiting to see if my pollinization of my cucumbers will be successful. If I remember corectly, bell peppers are self pollinating, so they should be ok.

Maybe I should grow some bell peppers then...

The warning may have to do with the latest hype about Tetanus going around. There's an advisory in this province that people wear gloves because of two gardener's deaths due to tetanus. Personally I think if you protect yourself all to hell you're more inclined to fall ill to the bacteria and viruses that surround all of us. If you're constantly exposed to them, you're immunity is better equipped to deal with any adversity.

well I don't know, but I purchased this bag of vegetable organic soil mix, last year so I can only assume that this is a standard warning. And I do agree with the fact that if you are always afraid of germs, then you are more likely to fall ill.

 

[baywax]

My mother's side of the family is French-Canadian and Indian. As for the birds, the wild turkeys hang out when the grapes are ripe. Yum!

Viva la Quebec! Excellent gardening you're doing.

EDIT:

The panarama shot was my daily commuter's view.

The Alpacas are neighbours who bought by the lake.

The soil is so fertile because of volcanic activity in the area
that happened long before glaciation. The water is left
behind from the meltdown 11,000 years ago.

The swimming is the best as long as you avoid the lake monster.

 

[Evo]

Ahahaha, the Alpaca's are so cute! I used to have an Alpaca sweater.

Here are one of my squirrels and a dove. They remind me of Kurdt's puppy standing at attention. Definitely show material.

One of my eggplants was broken over with just a tiny shred on one side keeping it from being two pieces. I stood it up, shoved a pile of dirt around it and watered it and it looks just as fresh and healthy as if nothing happened. It can't be possible that it's going to live, but...

 

[Astronuc]

BTW... my sister has 40 acres in Eugene Oregon and she's tearing out the blackberries with a tractor and a back hoe. I like to bug her about it because she really started out leaving her acreage alone to grow naturally until her new Irish husband arrived on the title.

So I say, ohhhhh the poor black berries. And she justifies their destruction with "ah, their not even native to the area (baxwax)".

Are black berries native to North America? As far as I know the Firstnations I have studied so much found them to be a fine dietary staple during the 4 weeks of summer we get around here...(exaggeration).

We have wild blackberries (brambles) at the back of our property, but I grow cultivated blackberries in a small plot. The wild blackberries grow close to the ground and have sharp thorns on the stems. The berries have large seeds, and are rather tart in taste. The cultivated blackberries grow long canes and have no thorns, and the berries are larger, juicier and sweeter than the wild ones.

The Willamette Valley, OR, is perhaps the biggest producer of berries in the country.

According to the Oregon Ag Stats Service, Oregon accounts for 95% of the Black Raspberries, 17% of the Red Raspberries, 95% of the Loganberries, 95% of the Blackberries, and over 68% of the Boysenberries that are commercially produced for processing in the U.S.

Oregon's Raspberries and Blackberries - http://www.oregon-berries.com/cx1/cx1.htm
Some Berry History - http://www.oregon-berries.com/cx1/cx1a.htm

Red raspberries are grown over a wider area from the northern Willamett Valley throught Washington and up into the Fraser Valley of BC, Canada.
http://www.red-raspberry.org/raspberry/rasp.html

 

[Andre]

Ahahaha, the Alpaca's are so cute! I used to have an Alpaca sweater.

Here are one of my squirrels and a dove. They remind me of Kurdt's puppy standing at attention. Definitely show material.

One of my eggplants was broken over with just a tiny shred on one side keeping it from being two pieces. I stood it up, shoved a pile of dirt around it and watered it and it looks just as fresh and healthy as if nothing happened. It can't be possible that it's going to live, but...

That's an nice couple indeed. Now should you ever get the idea to want to take pictures with those critters much bigger in the shot like Larkspur and Turbo, but don't want to bother about dragging along a lot of expensive equipment, it may be known that there are http://wwwnew.dpreview.com/reviews/panasonictz5 .

 

[rewebster]

I've seen squirrels attack birds before--in fact, I saw a squirrel kill a bird before-----it was a baby (blue jay); but it was something I've never seen, or have never heard of before.

 

[baywax]

Ahahaha, the Alpaca's are so cute! I used to have an Alpaca sweater.

These people also have 2 llamas to protect their alpacas. They only have 5 acres or so but its enough to raise the number of alpacas you need to make money off of their "wool". They got a beautiful farm for their endeavor and there is an alpaca wool/hair processing and manufacturing facility in the valley. About 2-3 miles away there is a box canyon full of cougars so the llamas come in handy!

Nice photo of the squirrel and the dove!

 

[baywax]

We have wild blackberries (brambles) at the back of our property, but I grow cultivated blackberries in a small plot. The wild blackberries grow close to the ground and have sharp thorns on the stems. The berries have large seeds, and are rather tart in taste. The cultivated blackberries grow long canes and have no thorns, and the berries are larger, juicier and sweeter than the wild ones.

The Willamette Valley, OR, is perhaps the biggest producer of berries in the country.


Oregon's Raspberries and Blackberries - http://www.oregon-berries.com/cx1/cx1.htm
Some Berry History - http://www.oregon-berries.com/cx1/cx1a.htm

Red raspberries are grown over a wider area from the northern Willamett Valley throught Washington and up into the Fraser Valley of BC, Canada.
http://www.red-raspberry.org/raspberry/rasp.html

I can't believe the fertility of Willamette Valley! It takes about 2 hours just to drive the width of it. In fact, the picture that comes to mind when people mention it are the humungous, juicy blackberries coming out of that place! And everything else of course.

Himalayan and evergreen blackberry species are introduced from Eurasia (~1885) and currently dominate many regions of the Pacific Northwest. Both tend to form impenetrable thickets due to spreading vines with very prickly stems. Himalayan blackberry is generally more widespread than its evergreen cousin. However, both species are a cause for concern as they are extremely competitive on disturbed sites, degrading the quality of riparian habitats along with fence lines, roadsides, and forest edges. In the Lower Mainland, blackberries deteriorate valuable stream habitat by preventing the establishment of deep-rooted native shrubs, which are a critical for healthy streams, providing food, shade, and bank stability. However, blackberry shrubs do offer limited food, nesting sites, and wildlife cover (and make great blackberry pies!). Evergreen and Himalayan blackberry are extremely difficult to remove as they grow very fast and have efficient reproductive success. Nevertheless, stands can be controlled through vigorous cutting, planting, and monitoring efforts as outlined in the sections below.

http://www.shim.bc.ca/invasivespecies/_private/blackberry.htm

Now... about the goats...

Goat Grazing: Goats have a long history of use for blackberry control, particularly in Australia and New Zealand where they have been used since the 1920s. Goats eat blackberries readily, and seem to prefer them over other plants.10 An economic analysis in Australia showed that running goats on a blackberry-infested pasture was cheaper than using herbicides to manage the berries.11 Clearly goats are not suitable in all locations, but in pastures they may be an excellent option. Use of goats could also be considered in firebreaks,12 utility rights of way, and other similar sites.

http://www.pesticide.org/pubs/alts/blackberry/blackberries.html

I think goats are great... this sounds like a win - win solution.

 

[rewebster]

shoot, shooot, shoot--------my lawnmower won't start----

Last fall I changed the plug, the oil, the air filter, sharpened the blade, cleaned the under deck, even emptied out the gas, re-built the carb, oiled the cable housing---it ran great for three cuttings--now this year, it runs for 30 seconds and dies (starting fluid doesn't help)--one time it ran for about 3 minutes-----spark plug is set right at 30--I got new gas, no help--I think I'm going to take the carburetor apart just to check for a clog---after that, I may have to do something that I hate having to do...


And now---The grass is long enough that the two sets of mourning doves, the cardinal, and I think even the blackbird have lost their chicks to the *%&*%ing cats that are able to hide in it--waiting. I've had to squirt cheap hot sauce in the garden because of the cats too.----aaaaARRRRggGGGG

 

[Astronuc]

shoot, shooot, shoot--------my lawnmower won't start----

Last fall I changed the plug, the oil, the air filter, sharpened the blade, cleaned the under deck, even emptied out the gas, re-built the carb, oiled the cable housing---it ran great for three cuttings--now this year, it runs for 30 seconds and dies (starting fluid doesn't help)--one time it ran for about 3 minutes-----spark plug is set right at 30--I got new gas, no help--I think I'm going to take the carburetor apart just to check for a clog---after that, I may have to do something that I hate having to do...


And now---The grass is long enough that the two sets of mourning doves, the cardinal, and I think even the blackbird have lost their chicks to the *%&*%ing cats that are able to hide in it--waiting. I've had to squirt cheap hot sauce in the garden because of the cats too.----aaaaARRRRggGGGG

I had something similar happen with our lawn mover. I had to remove the reservoir under the carburetor and clean out a microbial deposit that had grown in the water that had collected with the gasoline. Also, I found a float inside the reservoir which adjusts the flow of gasoline into the reservoir. The float had a leak which I fixed with some solder, as soon as I got all the gasoline out of the float.

 

[rewebster]

well--thanks---I hadn't thought of that (the float)--that may be it---I will check for those things--(funny that those things can grow there)

 

[baywax]

shoot, shooot, shoot--------my lawnmower won't start----

Last fall I changed the plug, the oil, the air filter, sharpened the blade, cleaned the under deck, even emptied out the gas, re-built the carb, oiled the cable housing---it ran great for three cuttings--now this year, it runs for 30 seconds and dies (starting fluid doesn't help)--one time it ran for about 3 minutes-----spark plug is set right at 30--I got new gas, no help--I think I'm going to take the carburetor apart just to check for a clog---after that, I may have to do something that I hate having to do...


And now---The grass is long enough that the two sets of mourning doves, the cardinal, and I think even the blackbird have lost their chicks to the *%&*%ing cats that are able to hide in it--waiting. I've had to squirt cheap hot sauce in the garden because of the cats too.----aaaaARRRRggGGGG

For mowing the lawn I use the minimalist's method... don't do it.

When I am forced to "keep up with the jones" and to quell their fear of weeds seeding all over their manicured lawns... I use a push mower. Non polluting, leaves mulch for the remaining grass, great exercise. This one says its silent..

 

[Evo]

I love reel mowers. About 10 yearsago I tried to buy one, but the only ones I could find were shoddily made, nothing like the old ones I used to use. That one looks nice.

 

[baywax]

I love reel mowers. About 10 yearsago I tried to buy one, but the only ones I could find were shoddily made, nothing like the old ones I used to use. That one looks nice.

I know what you mean about the shoddily made ones. I had one that I broke the vertical bars on. It was brand new as compared to my old one which was like an antique. It worked fine but I wanted to keep it as an antique and bought a new one. When the new one broke I went back to the antique.

There are cordless electric mowers now. That's a plus if you tend to run over the cord ever! It would be cool to see that technology in cars. Just pull the battery cartridge out, charge it with solar, hydro or whatever, put it back in and go. I'm buying a Volt once their de-prohibited. For now, I'm driving my lawn mower.

 

[turbo]

I bought a Scott 20" reel mower from Amazon. $110 with free shipping, and it works great. The cutting height is adjustable from 1-3" and it pushes pretty easy.

 

[lisab]

http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/2215/mowerlj3.jpg

This is the 16" I got from Amazon. It was a bit tough to push at first, but it loosened up and now it's a breeze.

 

[Borek]

Iris time

 

[turbo]

Nice color and nice focus. I often get too shallow depth-of-field when I shoot flowers.

 

[rewebster]

yep

another purple variety

nice color

and peony time

the blooms on this one are about five inches

 

[Borek]

Irises in my experience grow like weed. Just drop the rhizome on the ground and wait

But it may depend on variety. Mine are growing like crazy, my father-in-law has yellow/orange ones and they are very capricious - they don't flower each year. We will move some of them to our garden this autumn to see what happens.

These below are not from my garden - these are from botanical garden in Piaseczno, close to Warsaw. Picture is far from being perfect, but it at least partially shows how variable iris is. Taken yesterday.

Peonias are in full flowers here too, but I don't have them. They require too much attention

 

[rewebster]

Some little worm gets into my irises, and in the summer kills quite a few. I've talked to the local extension office who told me about them and what to do, but I haven't been able to get rid of the little buggers.

I wouldn't mind getting some of those dark ones in your photo.

 

[rewebster]

Funny thing with the peach and nectarine this year (they do take some care)--both had an over abundance of fruit this year on the tree--It may be that we've have 7 inches of rain over our normal amount already. I went out today, and half the leaves on the nectarine had fallen off. I looked up to see how many fruits were there, and they were pulling too much of the nutrients away from the leaves--so I knocked off about 2/3 of the nectarines with an old golf club--and I may have to knock more off. The peaches are splitting (I think from the rain too, or the little extra fertilizer I put on this winter).

 

[baywax]

Nice color and nice focus. I often get too shallow depth-of-field when I shoot flowers.

Very nice photo and flowers. My irises still haven't bloomed. It may be that they need sun!


lisab, did you try oiling your lawn mower?

 

[lisab]

Very nice photo and flowers. My irises still haven't bloomed. It may be that they need sun!


lisab, did you try oiling your lawn mower?

No, I didn't use any oil. The blades cut like scissors, and they were juuuuust a bit too close. But after just one use, the cutting blades were in perfect alignment. And it's still new, so they're very sharp.

I like how the grass looks two or three days after being cut with this mower. The top of each blade of grass is still green. With my old mower (an electric one), the tops would turn brown. The old one tore the grass, I think, while this one trims it.

 

[~christina~]

nice color

:!) Wow I've never seen that color!

I have to get this.

 

[~christina~]

I have a problem with peonies EACH year. They always come down with a fuzzy leaf disease and then their leaves look gray. I just gave up trying to find out how to cure it because it seems every peony plant around here comes down with this illness. Does anyone else have this issue as well?

And something has eaten ALL of the buds off one of the rose plants in they garden and it is the first time it was planted as well...
other then that all the other roses are blooming and I may just post something.

 

[turbo]

I have a problem with peonies EACH year. They always come down with a fuzzy leaf disease and then their leaves look gray. I just gave up trying to find out how to cure it because it seems every peony plant around here comes down with this illness. Does anyone else have this issue as well?

You may be having problems with dusty mildew. Dust your plants with powdered elemental sulfur and see if that resolves the problem. If your soil is a bit on the basic side, sulfur treatment is a boost, and that may help you, too.

If your soil pH is OK, you might want to consider making a spray of water and sodium bicarbonate to modify/stabilize the pH level of the surfaces of the leaves and stems and deny the fungii a foothold.

 

[rewebster]

:!) Wow I've never seen that color!

I have to get this.

send me a pm---I may send you a tuber

 

[~christina~]

You may be having problems with dusty mildew. Dust your plants with powdered elemental sulfur and see if that resolves the problem. If your soil is a bit on the basic side, sulfur treatment is a boost, and that may help you, too.

If your soil pH is OK, you might want to consider making a spray of water and sodium bicarbonate to modify/stabilize the pH level of the surfaces of the leaves and stems and deny the fungii a foothold.

That just may work. I didn't know what that dusty coating was and I wasn't about to touch it with bare hands either. I'll go and see if I can get my hands on some sulfur.
I've never really tested the soil for the pH either. The thing is I thought that it was a virus of some sort because it afflicted the other gardens in the area as well, but it may just be the pH of the soil in the area as well.

send me a pm---I may send you a tuber

aww, it's alright I'll find it, Thanks though.

 

[Evo]

My bell pepper.

 

[turbo]

My bell pepper.

Lovely!
I hope you aren't thinking that you can reduce your grocery bill with that plant (or even a few more of them) though. Seed prices are up about 30% around here because people who want to try home gardening are driving demand. Unfortunately, many will fail, and will have driven prices for those of us that know what we are doing. Luckily, seed prices are something that we can roll with, as long as we have the costs of compost, and commercially-available amendments figured in. My wife and I will get do fine, as long as the weather cooperates, and we will fill our freezers with food for next year. It's tempting to grow "comfort foods" like sweet peas and sweet corn, but both of those require large investments in land vs. return, and corn especially can lay us open to pests (like corn borer) that are resistant to almost every deterrent (Thanks, local commercial pesticide-using corn growers!) and that also attack peppers, and other crops that we need.

 

[Evo]

Lovely!
I hope you aren't thinking that you can reduce your grocery bill with that plant (or even a few more of them) though.

I have 4 plants and if it's like usual, I will have plenty left over to give away. Seriously, how many bell peppers do you think I can eat? I've also got tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, eggplant, and spring onions. I wish I had room for more, but I have limited space. Still, I will have more than enough.

And I know what I'm doing, I've had very large gardens all of my life and my dad's family are commercial farmers.

My challenge this year is patio gardening.

 

[turbo]

I have 4 plants and if it's like usual, I will have plenty left over to give away. Seriously, how many bell peppers do you think I can eat? I've also got tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, eggplant, and spring onions. I wish I had room for more, but I have limited space. Still, I will have more than enough.

My wife and I have a 35 foot row devoted to bell peppers this year (much less than we have devoted to jalapeno or habanero chilies) and we still won't have all we want. We chop and freeze bell peppers, but we still run out in the summer as we make spaghetti sauce, Spanish rice, and other pepper-heavy dishes.

 

[Evo]

My wife and I have a 35 foot row devoted to bell peppers this year (much less than we have devoted to jalapeno or habanero chilies) and we still won't have all we want. We chop and freeze bell peppers, but we still run out in the summer as we make spaghetti sauce, Spanish rice, and other pepper-heavy dishes.

I live in an apartment now with the only freezer space I have is the left half of the refrigerator. Either I eat it, give it away or throw it away.