ChewyTree Grow Journal and the inevitable Issues that arise

[chewytrees]

Hello All,

Been gardening for some time, but just started going further down the rabbit hole with starting from seed and taking it more seriously.

My garden space is approximately 50'x14', with another patch that is reserved for garlic and onions currently as it ends up in shade the earliest.

Ill be updating this as the season progresses, but I will be showcasing the issues that I have encountered thus far.

I am in Zone 6b.

I plan on planting throughout the Season:

Tomatoes: Mexico Midget, Ukrainian Purple, Cherokee Purple, Wapsipinicon Peach, and Brandywine

Cabbage: Late Flat Dutch

Carrot: , Chantenay, Tendersweet, Danvers Half Long

Beet: Early Wonder,

Cucumber: Suyo Long, Double Yield

Bean: Fin de Bagnol, Scarlet Runner, Tendergreen and Provider Beans

Melon: Sakata's Sweet

Garlic: Ukrainian and Montana Zemo

Onion: Mako and Yellow Amish Bottle

Eggplant: Diamond

Using seed purchased from Seed Savers Exchange, I found the germination rate to be close to 100%.  So far the only issues I have encountered are from the  imgur.com/a/TDFmBo2, where I pushed the starters too hard too fast, and a one off issue from one of my Diamond Eggplant starters where the top of the stem had withered, I believe this was from a dampening off disease, but I am not sure. imgur.com/a/QPkBG5i

This was compounded by the late freeze I experienced, but thankfully the transplants I had put out survived by cutting milk jugs in half and covering them. imgur.com/a/YG8TMFy

As for direct seeding outside, my Fin de Bagnol, , and Provider Beans have been planted, with a 2 week separation between the bush beans.  The Provider Beans have been experiencing issues where the sprouts have no leaves when coming up.  I am not sue what is causing this issue, whether it be soil or pest issues. imgur.com/a/CiakYT5

I look forward to tracking my issues and accomplishments, and hopefully we all learn a thing or two in the process.

Runner Beans: imgur.com/a/SB3TIID

Giant Red: imgur.com/a/u5s6GYl

Dragon: imgur.com/a/2TmlWa0 I have a crazy issue of squirrels and chipmunks running amok in my garden!

Edit: Looks like embedded Imgur links don't work in this forum using the insert Imagine?  Ill just post the external links until I find a Fix

[feather]

Welcome again. I'm looking forward to your progress too.
Have you tried cheap cinnamon for sprinkling on top of the soil, to prevent damping off? It does help me.

[chewytrees]

Ill have to try that, I had honestly not noticed anything and it seems like it withered overnight. But it only occurred to that one eggplant

[chewytrees]

One thing I am wondering if anyone else has encountered are ants in the carrot plantings? I have noticed many little ants crawling around the leaves and main stems of my carrots....I cant imagine this is beneficial for my carrots.

My tomatoes have survived their shock from the cold and are growing quite fine. I have transplanted the rest of my tomatoes (too small) but I'd rather get them in the ground now rather than keeping them in the containers.

My second sowing of beans are much better than my first sowing, while they are different varieties I cant help but think the cold hindered the first sowing.

Also transplanted my eggplants a few days ago.


photos.app.goo.gl/WQq369paiVVu6v5RA

Edit: Upon closer inspection there are definitely a few aphids on my carrot stems.  I see no larvae, but if the ants are climbing the stems and near the crown then there must be some farming going on.  Has anyone had any luck with Neem oil? What mix per water do you use?

[feather]

chewytrees, I don't know what the correct portions of neem oil to water because I'm not sure all the proportions are the same on each neem oil product. It seems prudent to follow the directions on the outside of the container to make sure you don't put it on too strong or too weak.

Neem oil is usually used for coating a tree or plants, to suffocate and starve the bugs or eggs. It seems to be directed to be used in the spring, for overwintering bugs and eggs.

Sevin is usually used to kill off bugs, as a pesticide. Neem oil is used in many pesticides.

If you can find a product like sevin, that is safe for produce and people, then I'd buy an off brand of sevin and try that.

Diatomaceous earth will kill anything with an exoskeleton, like ants. Don't breath any in. Reapply after it is rained on.

[Maura]

We grew Mexico midget in containers. One we brought inside for the winter, had to put a cage around it as it created a jungle. Put it back outside in the summer. Loved it. Loved having the tomatoes until midwinter.

[chewytrees]

feather , Thanks for the recommendation. I purchased both Sevin and Marathion and have applications schedules pertaining to both of these which have been great on warding off any pests. It is interesting how the first application of both pesticides had no effect on the plant development, while the second application of Sevin seems like it had stunted leaf growth on my tomatoes and created a sort of leaf roll. Other than that I have some minor disease on my beetroot, wondering if anyone knows which this is, as well as a beginning disease on a few of my cucumbers, which is surprising as I am growing in a location which previously had never grown cucumbers.


Another interesting thing Ive found is the growth of my garlic. I have no idea which garlic variety I am growing currently, as I had bought a random bag of cloves from a garden store and planted them without writing the variety down. I would imagine these are a hardneck of some kind, but I have had no scapes as of yet, and I am finding the garlic are falling down on their own. In a few I see how I am having little bubils that are exploding through the stem of the plant which I believe is the cause of most of these garlics falling down on their own, but I cannot be sure.

Imgure 1: Disease and Garlic imgur.com/a/lcsvTzz

Imgur 2: Current garden view imgur.com/a/xTduocq

Edit: feather, thanks for the website, regarding the beet it looks to be Cercospora leaf spot  (Aphids)

[feather]

chewytrees , About the pests or disease, you'd have to figure out which pests,for the holes in the leaves. Sometimes beetles, or worms/caterpillars, or ? I really don't know.
It was suggested we use tanglefoot, a non drying glue, painted on signs near our plants to get a handle on which bugs are in which parts of the garden. We put out 12 signs, all in different areas with different plants. I'm hoping this helps us identify the bugs in the area.

About the garlic bursting out mid stalk--this happened to us our first year. We bought some softneck variety at the grocery store. The flower bursts out of the stalk because it is reverting to an earlier form of itself. I've really only grown hard neck garlic since then since I'm in WI and we have cold winters. Hardneck does better in the north while softneck does better in the south, weather wise.

EDIT: we are in 4B and we cut scapes today. I don't think you'll get scapes on the garlic if you haven't already.

[feather]

plantvillage.psu.edu/topics/beet/infos/diseases_and_pests_description_uses_propagation

Down the page there are pictures of different diseases and pests on beets (which also affect other plants.)

[mogal]

Jun 17, 2020 20:09:13 GMT chewytrees said:

feather , Thanks for the recommendation. I purchased both Sevin and Marathion and have applications schedules pertaining to both of these which have been great on warding off any pests. It is interesting how the first application of both pesticides had no effect on the plant development, while the second application of Sevin seems like it had stunted leaf growth on my tomatoes and created a sort of leaf roll. Other than that I have some minor disease on my beetroot, wondering if anyone knows which this is, as well as a beginning disease on a few of my cucumbers, which is surprising as I am growing in a location which previously had never grown cucumbers.

Before you use Sevin, read www.dirtdoctor.com/garden/Sevin_vq484.htm

Before you use Malathion, read www.dirtdoctor.com/garden/Malathion-Article-Problem-for-Farmers_vq3000.htm

AND www.dirtdoctor.com/garden/Malathion-Background_vq3001.htm

AND www.dirtdoctor.com/garden/Malathion-What-is-it_vq3002.htm

There's a reason a friend of mine described me as "rabidly organic."  I took it as a compliment.

[feather]

mogal, it is a compliment, keep us in the know.

[solargeek]

Jun 17, 2020 22:04:15 GMT mogal said:

Jun 17, 2020 20:09:13 GMT chewytrees said:

feather ,

Before you use Sevin, read www.dirtdoctor.com/garden/Sevin_vq484.htm

Before you use Malathion, read www.dirtdoctor.com/garden/Malathion-Article-Problem-for-Farmers_vq3000.htm

AND www.dirtdoctor.com/garden/Malathion-Background_vq3001.htm

AND www.dirtdoctor.com/garden/Malathion-What-is-it_vq3002.htm

There's a reason a friend of mine described me as "rabidly organic."  I took it as a compliment.

I too am rabidly organic and have only used Sevin once for some pest I've forgotten. I agree with you mogal, and can recommend Spinosad for most pests (like Martin did).

[midtnmama]

About those ants, chewytrees, usually you see that where you have aphids. If so, Spray your plants with soapy water (I use recycled dish water). I , too, am rabidly organic.

As for damping off disease (I hate it), I always had that problem with plants started from seed until I learned the winter seed sowing method. I've posted about it before. The air circulation prevents damping off disease and your plants are hardier and less likely to have aphids like yours did.

I am fighting (and winning) against flea beatles and grasshoppers. A little flour shaken on my beans and eggplants does the trick. You do have to apply after the rain, but if you get them early, you can prevent a big outbreak.