Posted by The Ranger on June 30, 2009, 10:44 am
GAH! I'm able to get 5 and 6 yo kindergarteners to grow the most beautiful
peppers, tomatoes, and sunflowers from seeds in less-than-perfect
conditions. Such as having to train 33 kinders that they should not be
making their garden-areas into rice paddies -- "But Mr. Ranger... Plants
like water." Temperatures that were often lower-than-seasonally expected,
"Today's high will reach a stunning 50°F! Wear a sweater." And my favorite,
"It looked like a weed so I pulled it out." Over 60 plants were successfully
grown and, given recently emails, producing buds this week.
So given the boost of confidence I attempted the same in my own patch of
garden. Planted tomatoes (Early Bird, Granny Greens, Beefsteak, and Green
Zebra), peppers (Jalapeņo, Serrano, Tequila Sunrise, and Purple Wonder), and
sunflowers (Sunbright, Valentine, and Florenza).
Everything started out GREAT. I used Miracle Grow garden as my base. The
germination of the seeds were immediate and every one of the shoots showed
strong potential. Daily sun is gradual, with the morning being shadowed
until around 11 and then direct sun from 11 to 6. Temperatures have also
been favorable with nothing too low (60s) and nothing too extreme (nothing
over 100). Recently, the plants came under attack from insects but nothing a
little night-time intervention couldn't control. I lost a few of the
sunflowers' leaves but nothing too major from the remaining plants. Two days
ago, I noticed several of the sunflowers starting to wilt. I checked the
soil and noticed it was damp but not soaking or spongy. I checked pH and it
was within the range I'd found. Yesterday, I noticed every flower wilting.
Today the entire batch are crashed and browned with several showing
predation. Worried, I looked over at the peppers, right next to the
sunflowers, and see the same thing occurring: predation, wilt, crumpling in
on themselves...
The soil isn't soaking. I haven't added _any_ fertalizers. They're starting
to bud and I'd like to save what I have left.
HELP!
The Ranger
PS: For the member that mentioned I am not an experienced gardener, he was
right. I'm not. I normally purchase already-grown plants and simply keep
them growing. This season I wanted to try it from scratch and it's not
looking promising.
Posted by Pat Kiewicz on July 1, 2009, 7:15 am
Two (well, two-ish) separate questions:
Did you mean to write that you used Miracle-Gro Garden *Soil* as a base
and, if so, what is the soil under that like?
Are there any walnut or butternut trees near the garden?
I will say that morning shade followed by sun is much less desirable than
morning sun followed by afternoon shade, but you've got to work with
what you have. (I'm working on my neighbor to get him to agree to
cut down the weed trees on the fence-line, with me footing the bill, so
I'm speaking from experience here.)
--
Pat in Plymouth MI
"So, it was all a dream."
"No dear, this is the dream, you're still in the cell."
email valid but not regularly monitored
The Ranger said:
>GAH! I'm able to get 5 and 6 yo kindergarteners to grow the most
beautiful
>peppers, tomatoes, and sunflowers from seeds in less-than-perfect
>conditions. Such as having to train 33 kinders that they should not be
>making their garden-areas into rice paddies -- "But Mr. Ranger... Plants
>like water." Temperatures that were often lower-than-seasonally expected,
>"Today's high will reach a stunning 50°F! Wear a sweater." And my
favorite,
>"It looked like a weed so I pulled it out." Over 60 plants were successfully
>grown and, given recently emails, producing buds this week.
>So given the boost of confidence I attempted the same in my own patch
of
>garden. Planted tomatoes (Early Bird, Granny Greens, Beefsteak, and
Green
>Zebra), peppers (Jalapeņo, Serrano, Tequila Sunrise, and Purple Wonder),
and
>sunflowers (Sunbright, Valentine, and Florenza).
>Everything started out GREAT. I used Miracle Grow garden as my base.
The
>germination of the seeds were immediate and every one of the shoots
showed
>strong potential. Daily sun is gradual, with the morning being shadowed
>until around 11 and then direct sun from 11 to 6. Temperatures have also
>been favorable with nothing too low (60s) and nothing too extreme
(nothing
>over 100). Recently, the plants came under attack from insects but
nothing a
>little night-time intervention couldn't control. I lost a few of the
>sunflowers' leaves but nothing too major from the remaining plants. Two
days
>ago, I noticed several of the sunflowers starting to wilt. I checked the
>soil and noticed it was damp but not soaking or spongy. I checked pH and
it
>was within the range I'd found. Yesterday, I noticed every flower wilting.
>Today the entire batch are crashed and browned with several showing
>predation. Worried, I looked over at the peppers, right next to the
>sunflowers, and see the same thing occurring: predation, wilt, crumpling
in
>on themselves...
>The soil isn't soaking. I haven't added _any_ fertalizers. They're starting
>to bud and I'd like to save what I have left.
>HELP!
>The Ranger
>PS: For the member that mentioned I am not an experienced gardener, he
was
>right. I'm not. I normally purchase already-grown plants and simply keep
>them growing. This season I wanted to try it from scratch and it's not
>looking promising.
Posted by The Ranger on July 1, 2009, 11:04 am
> The Ranger said:
[snip]
>> Everything started out GREAT. I used Miracle Grow
>> garden as my base.
> Did you mean to write that you used Miracle-Gro Garden
> *Soil* as a base and, if so, what is the soil under that like?
<sigh> Yes... I did mean to include "soil" in the original note... =8^\
The drainage layer is limestone rock. The plants are in 8" X 48" red oak
planter boxes.
> Are there any walnut or butternut trees near the garden?
There is a monsterous liquid amber (curse my municipality for planting this
giant weed!) but that was taken into account when I originally put the
plants in their current placement.
> I will say that morning shade followed by sun is much less
> desirable than morning sun followed by afternoon shade,
> but you've got to work with what you have. [..]
<sigh> I'll move the remaining cluster of plants to the back today. Morning
sun is only of very limited duration, though; four hours versus the seven
they get out in the frontyard.
At this point, I'm willing to give anything a try!
The Ranger
Posted by Pat Kiewicz on July 2, 2009, 7:24 am
The Ranger said:
september.org...
>> The Ranger said:
>[snip]
>>> Everything started out GREAT. I used Miracle Grow
>>> garden as my base.
>> Did you mean to write that you used Miracle-Gro Garden
>> *Soil* as a base and, if so, what is the soil under that like?
><sigh> Yes... I did mean to include "soil" in the original note... =8^\
OK, Miracle-Gro garden soil is not meant to be used in containers.
By their own discription, it is for in ground plants and is meant to be
mixed with soil.
It is far too heavy for use in containers and your plants may well be
suffering from root-rot.
>The drainage layer is limestone rock. The plants are in 8" X 48" red oak
>planter boxes.
Container plants don't need a drainage layer of rocks. That's a planting
myth that just doesn't seem to die!! (And limestone rocks would be a
doubly bad choice as limestone is very alkaline.)
<http://www.puyallup.wsu.edu/~Linda%20Chalker-Scott/Horticultural%
20Myths_files/Myths/Container%20drainage.pdf>
or, http://tinyurl.com/l2b9dm
Do your planter boxes have drainage holes at all?
--
Pat in Plymouth MI
"So, it was all a dream."
"No dear, this is the dream, you're still in the cell."
email valid but not regularly monitored
Posted by The Ranger on July 2, 2009, 9:35 am
[snip good information]
> Do your planter boxes have drainage holes at all?
Yes; six, 1" holes per box.
The Ranger
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