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Zucchini (also Courgette/Marrow, Summer squash) 10 Feb, paul swan (New Zealand - temperate climate): why does the young growing marrow/zucchini go brown or rot on the flower end of the vegetable before maturity.
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Zucchini (also Courgette/Marrow, Summer squash) 14 Mar, Harry (New Zealand - temperate climate): Hi Paul, blossom end rot can also be associated with water issues and/or calcium issues. Sometimes the plant suffers because water is too unreliably available, i.e. it dries out between adequate waterings. The growing zucchini will be
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Zucchini (also Courgette/Marrow, Summer squash) 15 Feb, Liz (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate): Rot in young flowers usually means that they have not been pollinated. You might have to try hand pollination
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Cabbage 10 Feb, ER (USA - Zone 7b climate): What does plant seeds "undercover" mean?
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Cabbage 15 Feb, Liz (Gardenate) (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate): Young seedlings can be affected by sudden changes of temperature. To prevent this seedtrays are usually kept under cover for a few weeks. Any area which mantains even, frost-free, temperatures 24 hours will do. e.g. Unheated greenhouses, a covered area close to the house, or small frames covered with frostcloth or with a piece of fabric like old bed sheets. If possible put the trays above ground level. Too much strong sunlight can do as much damage as cold nights to seedlings.
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Cabbage 14 Feb, Domanique (Canada - Zone 5b Temperate Warm Summer climate): Plant undercover in seed trays (with a dome or other thing like that)
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Watermelon 10 Feb, Rob Taege (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate): After last year's disappointment of being so wet, this year has had lots of sun hours with intermittent rain. However, a few weeks ago I noticed two watermelon fruits had their skin punctured. I just chucked on them today and now half of my fruit has punctured holes in them. I have a few pukekos in the paddock that come over and pick my unripe tomatoes from the plants. Would they peck at watermelon fruit as well? If not, what other animal or bird would do this and how do I stop them? I'm 100% sure it isn't rats as the holes are punctured not gnawed, Any suggestions, please before I lose my whole crop.
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Cardoon 08 Feb, Sofia (USA - Zone 6b climate): Hi! Can anyone suggest varieties that are likely to overwinter and establish as perennials in Zone 6b? Thanks!
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Watermelon 07 Feb, Lawrence Msibi (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate): Which is best fertilizer to use in Mpumalanga for planting watermelons and when to apply such fertilizers. Furthermore, the pesticides etc when to start spaying my watermelons, Thank you so much.
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Onion 07 Feb, Brenda (USA - Zone 5a climate): What do you mean when you say plant out
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Onion 07 Feb, (USA - Zone 5a climate): Hi, it means to take the seedlings you've grown from seed, and plant them in the ground or bigger pots.
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Onion 08 Feb, (USA - Zone 5a climate): Thanks
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Squash (also Crookneck, Pattypan, Summer squash) 06 Feb, Mike Johnson (USA - Zone 6a climate): I have Georgia Candy Roaster squash seeds, Heirloom. Can they be grown in 6A?
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Eggplant (also Aubergine) 05 Feb, Annette James (New Zealand - temperate climate): I have 2 healthy looking plants of the large purple variety. They are producing flowers ok but no fruit. Any ideas on why this is happening?
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Eggplant (also Aubergine) 12 Feb, (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate): May be no bees - try hand pollination in the mornings.
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Tomato 05 Feb, Barbara Shaw (USA - Zone 8b climate): What should I pretreat my soil with before I plant tomatoes . They are pretty and then they get root rot on bottom. I heard calcium . Is there anything else Thanks
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Tomato 20 Feb, jacob (USA - Zone 10a climate): my understanding is that root rot is due to a lack of calcium, but calcium is usually plentiful in garden soil. the real issue is with inconsistent watering, meaning the plants cannot properly absorb that calcium. water more!
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Tomato 24 Feb, Celeste Archer (Australia - temperate climate): I think you might have blossom end rot, and root rot mixed up. Blossom end rot occurs on the base of the tomato, and is caused by a lack of calcium (usually -- it could be other things that cause the calcium to be unavailable - PH, lack of water etc.). Blossom end rot causes the tomato to look deformed. Calcium added to the soil at the time of planting is usually adequate to ensure this does not happen. The calcium really needs to be added EARLY in the growing stages. You could also use egg shells -- I would grind/smash up the shells pretty good then work them into the soil of the planting hole; better yet, enrich with egg shells over the winter and early spring in anticipation of future planting. Root rot usually occurs when water sits around the roots of a plant for long periods of time -- bad drainage, excess watering, soil that holds too much water (which is really drainage). If you have proper aeration this usually doesn't happen since the air flow will whisk away excess moisture (provided it isn't a swamp at the roots). Try to create updrafts in your pots -- you want water drainage holes that do double duty -- let the water run off and allow air in. I find that holes at the SIDE BOTTOM of the pot, rather than directly under the pot, work well. It may seem like a hole at the side of the pot will let the soil out -- but pretty much after the first watering this stops happening -- and once the roots take hold it certainly does not happen. No need for drainage material (stones etc.) -- just use soil/compost top to bottom -- expect soil to come out at first when filling the pot -- after that you should be fine. I make my holes rather large -- on a BIG pot these holes are about 3inches (circular). Roots of plants really like air (maybe not direct exposure) but they certainly like the occasional breeze through the soil. Face the hole on the shady side of the pot for a cooling updraft in hot weather.
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Tomato 03 Feb, Carol Edwards (USA - Zone 6a climate): What is the best tomato to grow in my zone
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Tomato 06 Feb, (USA - Zone 3a climate): What ever variety you like to eat.
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Rhubarb 02 Feb, Mark (Australia - temperate climate): a. Rhubarb leaves - yellowed/dead leaf edges (removed from plant 30 Jan) b. Rhubarb - overall stunted growth & poor stem growth; rhubarb should be in abundance this time of year planted in raised beds good high organic soil Ph 7.6
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Cucumber 31 Jan, filippo italiano (Australia - temperate climate): hi have eg planst and the leaves ar curling and doing up can you recommend the cure for the plants thanks fill
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Brussels sprouts 30 Jan, Greg (USA - Zone 7a climate): It says to avoid growing close to tomatoes. What does "close" mean? 3 ft, 5 ft, 10 ft, 20 ft????? thanks for the help, Greg
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Brussels sprouts 01 Feb, (USA - Zone 4a climate): 3' or so.
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Sweet corn (also corn,maize) 25 Jan, Dot (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate): Is it ok to plant brassica (not celery) after corn, in the same spot?
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Sweet corn (also corn,maize) 30 Jan, (Australia - sub-tropical climate): Yes
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Daikon (also Japanese radish, Lo Bok) 25 Jan, Angela Ojeda (USA - Zone 10a climate): can you add cover crops planting information.
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Carrot 25 Jan, Bill (Canada - Zone 6b Temperate Warm Summer climate): Hello: I live in Zone 6B Stoney Creek. I would like to get 2 harvest of carrots this year but not sure when to plant seeds throughout spring, summer or fall. Can you please advise? I was thinking of planting Bolero Nantes carrot seeds. Thanks for your time! Bill
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Carrot 09 Feb, Celeste Archer (Canada - Zone 5a Temperate Warm Summer climate): I thought I might mention: after you harvest your first crop of carrots you probably have enough time to grow a crop of the smaller varieties of radish. Radishes: ******** Germination temperatures: ideal 15c - 25c acceptable 10c - 30c ************ Germination time: 5 -10 days *************** Growing temperatures: ideal 10c -18c intermediate to short day lengths -Growth must be continuous and rapid for good quality. Acceptable grow temps 4c – 24c. Roots of globe varieties tend to elongate and develop poor shape in hot weather when the tops also grow taller and larger than in cool weather. Long days induce flowering or seed stalks (bolting) and with warm weather the seed stalk may develop so rapidly that no edible root is formed *************** Days to harvest: Regular radish reach market size in 21 to 28 days. Chinese radish take 50 to 90 days (or more) to mature. ** A regular radish seed can produce a radish from planting to harvest in about 33 days. This crop also likes short day lengths and cooler temps making it an ideal crop to “squeeze” in late in the season, before the first frost. With a first potential frost date of October 15 – you could direct sow radish seeds like Cherry Belle, or French Breakfast (both with about 21 days to harvest from seedlings) on September 7th and reasonably expect to harvest your radishes before the first frost. You could also sow in trays and then plant them out… if real-estate is an issue, or if you need to get the radishes started before your harvest your carrots (timing) ************* Storage and Conditioning the recommended storage temperature is 0 C with a relative humidity of 95% to 100%. Topped radishes packaged in perforated plastic bags will keep for 3 to 4 weeks. Bunched radishes will keep 1 to 2 weeks. ********** Temperature information was gleaned from: ATLANTIC PROVINCES AGRICULTURE SERVICES and amalgamated with information from individual radish varieties such as Cherry Belle. ****** if you don't harvest your radishes on time they will be pithy/mealy
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Carrot 01 Feb, (Australia - sub-tropical climate): Use a shade cover while germinating the seeds - like shade cloth.
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