Garden in May

[Marilyn]

Gayle, I looked at my garden again last night. I've been making sure the moisture is right, and it has plenty of sun. Been watering and spritzing with the liquid seaweed. I think I may have given it too much fertilizer. Using a 50/50 mix of compost and potting soil may have been too much. It looks like my plants are burning up. The squash plants especially. My eggplant is about a foot tall and has a tiny purple eggplant already. The squash are blooming but the leaves are almost burned up. The leaves on the tomato plants are turning yellow at the bottom and dying. The tomato plants haven't grown very much at all. My basil was doing good, but it's beginning to turn yellow, too. The only thing that looks good is the rosemary. Not sure what to do now.

[gja1000]

I'm thinking that the soil may have been too rich. Have you been using seaweed only once per week? That's all that is needed. Also, I heard on the gardening show that the rain we have had, while wonderful for gardens, causes some temporary problems, such as yellowing leaves and the like. All my little squash turned brown and fell off - the blooms fell off too and that is the result (or so the gardening guru said) of being too wet for too long. He said it would reverse as the rain stopped and we went back to a wet to dry watering pattern.

Indeed, my squash have set on and I have little yellow buggers getting bigger every day.

One more thing, the things you have planted need a wet to dry watering cycle. Water, let them dry out and water again only when the soil is completely dry - but do not let the vegetation droop. Do not keep them wet all the time. For me, that is about every other day, so far. In the heat of the summer, I will probably need to water every morning, because by evening it will be completely dried out.

I would use potting soil only - and use a good organic potting soil. Most potting soil has stuff in it to promote growth, so if you added more compost, then that is likely why the leaves look burned.

Good luck, gardening is an art, I think.

[Lindsey]

Gayle, your garden is beautiful! We can't start planting anything here yet. Gardens usually go in at the end of May or start of June. I think I will be putting tomatoes in my planters in the next couple of weeks and bringing them inside overnight.

[gja1000]

Originally Posted by Lindsey

Gayle, your garden is beautiful! We can't start planting anything here yet. Gardens usually go in at the end of May or start of June. I think I will be putting tomatoes in my planters in the next couple of weeks and bringing them inside overnight.

That's a good idea, to go ahead and plant, it gives them a head start - as long as you protect them at night!

[gja1000]

Originally Posted by Marilyn

Gayle, I looked at my garden again last night. I've been making sure the moisture is right, and it has plenty of sun. Been watering and spritzing with the liquid seaweed. I think I may have given it too much fertilizer. Using a 50/50 mix of compost and potting soil may have been too much. It looks like my plants are burning up. The squash plants especially. My eggplant is about a foot tall and has a tiny purple eggplant already. The squash are blooming but the leaves are almost burned up. The leaves on the tomato plants are turning yellow at the bottom and dying. The tomato plants haven't grown very much at all. My basil was doing good, but it's beginning to turn yellow, too. The only thing that looks good is the rosemary. Not sure what to do now.

I should add to my reply above, that I tried to grow tomatoes in containers a few years ago. I bought great organic potting soil, didn't add anything to it - but didn't use seaweed either (didn't know about it back then) and nothing grew very much. The tomatoes just did not grow, didn't bloom and eventually turned yellow and died. Don't know why............

[Gina]

Gayle your veggies are growing beautifully. I don't have a green thumb at all. I have plenty of dirt but no ambitions.. In Bklyn I had a 2x4 garden and my husband use to plant.. Here nada go figure.. lol

Diana , Marilyn you girls to have green thumbs... Judy, I wouldnt dare put any veggies outside on your deck. Bears now thats scarey..

[Marilyn]

My garden is looking terrible. I'm definitely not overwatering, but have watered sufficiently that this should not be the problem, and have been using the liquid seaweed only once per week or once every other week. I really think it's the compost that I mixed in with the potting soil. I think it was just too much nitrogen or something. Too much of a good thing. My squash have blooms and little squash, but the leaves are all dried up. Still don't have my computer back so can't post pics.

[judy]

Originally Posted by Marilyn

My garden is looking terrible. I'm definitely not overwatering, but have watered sufficiently that this should not be the problem, and have been using the liquid seaweed only once per week or once every other week. I really think it's the compost that I mixed in with the potting soil. I think it was just too much nitrogen or something. Too much of a good thing. My squash have blooms and little squash, but the leaves are all dried up. Still don't have my computer back so can't post pics.

They still have your computer? I hope you get it back soon.