New to gardening...
Being new to this group, I will introduce myself. I am 36, single (nurseries
have a lot of women in them. My bar-hopping buddies will never learn my secret.) and live in NYC. That, I think, is zone 7. Due to my recent unemployment I have had a lot of time on my hands. Gardening happily filled that gap. Plus it allows me to spend a lot of quality time with my parents as it is at their house that I garden. I have read many of the past posts to see if my questions have been asked. Please bear with me if I ask a question already answered. Hopefully, in the future, I will be an asset to this forum. Some background for those who dont live in this part of the country. Spring was very rainy. I planted in early spring and almost saw many of my perrenials drown. Summer started off extremely hot - we have experienced many +90 degree days since late June. Ok, now for the first of many questions. 1. I planted watermelon in a container this year. The vine started growing against a chain link fence. Mind you - I didnt think I would be sucessful or I wouldnt have planted in a container against a fence. The plant is intertwined in the fence and now I am starting to see tiny melons. Shocker, huh? Anyway, I dont want to disrupt its growth but dont know what to do when the melons get heavier. The container is about 3 feet off the ground and I desperately will try anything to keep the plant as healthy and fruitful as possible. Anyone have a thought on some type of support I can give to the fruit. 2. Tomatoes. I planted about 30 beefsteaks in containers. The pot sizes ranged from 2 gallon to 15 gallon. I am worried that the 2 gallon containers arent big enough and that I overstuffed the larger containers (two in a 10 gallon). Also, I am considering using stakes that have varnish or paint on them (they are just sitting there in my garage). Is that safe? 3. Roses. I have a sick rose bush. Yellow leaves with black spots. Obviously fungus right? As I stared at it yesterday, a small bee landed on one of the leaves and cut a half inch semi-circle in it. Right before my very eyes. I thought I was seeing things. I dont know the variety of the rose bush. Your thoughts? In the 2 months I have lurked here I have gained such valuable insight on gardening. I thank all of you - even those who ask questions for without them we would have no answers. This is my first year gardening. For the stress relief and relaxation it provides, I should have started long ago. Fito |
New to gardening...
From: "Fito"
m starting to see tiny melons. Shocker, huh? Anyway, I dont want to disrupt its growth but dont kn what to do when the melons get heavier. The container is about 3 feet off the ground and I desperately will try anything to keep the plant as healthy and fruitful as possible. Anyone have a thought on some type of support I can give Slings made of old panty hosehe pot sizes ranged from 2 gallon to 15 gallon. I am worried that the 2 gallon containers arent big enough and that I overstuffed the larger containers (two in a 10 gallon). Also, I am considering using stakes that have varnish or paint on them (they are just sitting there in my garage). Is that safe? The small pots will not suport a full size plant--you can trim it to one leader and put it somewhere where it can be supported or can sprawl freely' Your stakes are ok to use. The plants in the larger plots might have to be trimmed to two leaders each plant. I never prune my tomatos and do not ordinarily reccommend it, however in your case where the plants are crowded it will probably be necessary. |
New to gardening...
2. Tomatoes. I planted about 30 beefsteaks in containers. The pot sizes
ranged from 2 gallon to 15 gallon. I am worried that the 2 gallon containers arent big enough and that I overstuffed the larger containers (two in a 10 gallon). My mother-in-law planted some tom's (don't remember the varitiy, I think early girls or similar) 4 to a pot in about a 5 gallon pot. they got to about 3 feet tall and stopped growing. the tom's are still green, but about 3 inches accross. she put four stakes in the pot, and ran string around them as a kinda trellice, and they are doing great. not as large as a ground-planted, but for just her and her husband, it works fine. She also did this with bell peppers. they are considerably smaller than ground-planted, but she will still get a half-dozen peppers off one plant. she used two gallon containers for them, and only one plant each. good luck! follow the (unofficial) rules of this forum: LET US KNOW HOW IT TURNS OUT!! :) email: daveallyn at bwsys dot net please respond in this NG so others can share your wisdom as well! |
New to gardening...
Hey Fito,
Welcome to the group. You could can or freeze some of those tomatoes. I wouldn't move them now but water them often and if you think the plants are bearing enough fruit(about 15-20 per plant) pinch off the new flowers so that the plant can put it's energy toward the fruit. Re the watermelon. I might consider getting a net and cutting it to fit around the melons and tie the net to the fence. Don't net them until they are about half the size they should be before harvest. Probably about the size of a grapefruit Good luck, -- Jayel "Fito" wrote in message ... Being new to this group, I will introduce myself. I am 36, single (nurseries have a lot of women in them. My bar-hopping buddies will never learn my secret.) and live in NYC. That, I think, is zone 7. Due to my recent unemployment I have had a lot of time on my hands. Gardening happily filled that gap. Plus it allows me to spend a lot of quality time with my parents as it is at their house that I garden. I have read many of the past posts to see if my questions have been asked. Please bear with me if I ask a question already answered. Hopefully, in the future, I will be an asset to this forum. Some background for those who dont live in this part of the country. Spring was very rainy. I planted in early spring and almost saw many of my perrenials drown. Summer started off extremely hot - we have experienced many +90 degree days since late June. Ok, now for the first of many questions. 1. I planted watermelon in a container this year. The vine started growing against a chain link fence. Mind you - I didnt think I would be sucessful or I wouldnt have planted in a container against a fence. The plant is intertwined in the fence and now I am starting to see tiny melons. Shocker, huh? Anyway, I dont want to disrupt its growth but dont know what to do when the melons get heavier. The container is about 3 feet off the ground and I desperately will try anything to keep the plant as healthy and fruitful as possible. Anyone have a thought on some type of support I can give to the fruit. 2. Tomatoes. I planted about 30 beefsteaks in containers. The pot sizes ranged from 2 gallon to 15 gallon. I am worried that the 2 gallon containers arent big enough and that I overstuffed the larger containers (two in a 10 gallon). Also, I am considering using stakes that have varnish or paint on them (they are just sitting there in my garage). Is that safe? 3. Roses. I have a sick rose bush. Yellow leaves with black spots. Obviously fungus right? As I stared at it yesterday, a small bee landed on one of the leaves and cut a half inch semi-circle in it. Right before my very eyes. I thought I was seeing things. I dont know the variety of the rose bush. Your thoughts? In the 2 months I have lurked here I have gained such valuable insight on gardening. I thank all of you - even those who ask questions for without them we would have no answers. This is my first year gardening. For the stress relief and relaxation it provides, I should have started long ago. Fito |
New to gardening...
Fito said:
1. I planted watermelon in a container this year. The vine started growing against a chain link fence. Mind you - I didnt think I would be sucessful or I wouldnt have planted in a container against a fence. The plant is intertwined in the fence and now I am starting to see tiny melons. Shocker, huh? Anyway, I dont want to disrupt its growth but dont know what to do when the melons get heavier. The container is about 3 feet off the ground and I desperately will try anything to keep the plant as healthy and fruitful as possible. Anyone have a thought on some type of support I can give to the fruit. When I was space-limited, I grew melons and squashes on fences and trellises. I finally settled on making hammocks for the fruit out of chicken wire. I cut a piece maybe 8" x 8" and fastened one end to the fence. Then I used wire to fasten the outer corners to higher up on the fence, making a shelf. You might want to limit your watermelon plants to just a couple of melons (if the plant doesn't do that itself). 2. Tomatoes. I planted about 30 beefsteaks in containers. The pot sizes ranged from 2 gallon to 15 gallon. I am worried that the 2 gallon containers arent big enough and that I overstuffed the larger containers (two in a 10 gallon). Also, I am considering using stakes that have varnish or paint on them (they are just sitting there in my garage). Is that safe? Use the stakes. Be prepared to water a lot. Several of times a day wouldn't be outrageous for the smaller containers. Maybe prune some of the stems back to keep the plant load more in proportion to the containers. Certainly consider using a *dilute* fertilizer solution fairly often, particularly one that contains micronutrients, with all that watering going on. 3. Roses. I have a sick rose bush. Yellow leaves with black spots. Obviously fungus right? As I stared at it yesterday, a small bee landed on one of the leaves and cut a half inch semi-circle in it. Right before my very eyes. I thought I was seeing things. I dont know the variety of the rose bush. Your thoughts? Black spot is a problem with a lot of roses. Best handled preventatively. Cleanup is important, so remove the leaves that are most effected and discard them (don't compost). The bee is a leaf-cutter bee. It's one of the smaller pollinators. She used the pieces of leaves to close off sections of her nest. They nest in holes and crevices. Each section is packed with gathered pollen, then she lays an egg, closes of the section, and starts another. A favorite place to nest is in old rose or raspberry canes which have been cut to expose the pith. The pith is easy for the bee to remove and the canes make nice nesting places. That little bee might have pollinated your watermelon. So don't go begrudging her a little bit of rose leaf. http://www.producer.com/articles/200...17prod01a.html http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/insect/05576.html -- Pat in Plymouth MI Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced. (attributed to Don Marti) |
New to gardening...
"Dave Allyn (Dave Allyn)" wrote in message ... good luck! follow the (unofficial) rules of this forum: LET US KNOW HOW IT TURNS OUT!! :) Will do! |
New to gardening...
"J. Lane" wrote in message . ca... Hey Fito, Welcome to the group. You could can or freeze some of those tomatoes. I wouldn't move them now but water them often and if you think the plants are bearing enough fruit(about 15-20 per plant) pinch off the new flowers so that the plant can put it's energy toward the fruit. Re the watermelon. I might consider getting a net and cutting it to fit around the melons and tie the net to the fence. Don't net them until they are about half the size they should be before harvest. Probably about the size of a grapefruit Good luck, -- Jayel A net huh? I was considering pantyhose but if I can get the right material a net may be the way to go. Ill look into it. Fito |
New to gardening...
"Pat Kiewicz" wrote in message ... Black spot is a problem with a lot of roses. Best handled preventatively. Cleanup is important, so remove the leaves that are most effected and discard them (don't compost). The bee is a leaf-cutter bee. It's one of the smaller pollinators. She used the pieces of leaves to close off sections of her nest. They nest in holes and crevices. Each section is packed with gathered pollen, then she lays an egg, closes of the section, and starts another. A favorite place to nest is in old rose or raspberry canes which have been cut to expose the pith. The pith is easy for the bee to remove and the canes make nice nesting places. That little bee might have pollinated your watermelon. So don't go begrudging her a little bit of rose leaf. Good point about the bee. I didnt think of that. As for the roses, I will mulch and clean up the infected leaves. I wonder if this is why the bush only gave me one flower this year. Fito http://www.producer.com/articles/200...17prod01a.html http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/insect/05576.html -- Pat in Plymouth MI Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced. (attributed to Don Marti) |
New to gardening...
Hey Fito,
Welcome to the group. You could can or freeze some of those tomatoes. I wouldn't move them now but water them often and if you think the plants are bearing enough fruit(about 15-20 per plant) pinch off the new flowers so that the plant can put it's energy toward the fruit. Re the watermelon. I might consider getting a net and cutting it to fit around the melons and tie the net to the fence. Don't net them until they are about half the size they should be before harvest. Probably about the size of a grapefruit Good luck, -- Jayel "Fito" wrote in message ... Being new to this group, I will introduce myself. I am 36, single (nurseries have a lot of women in them. My bar-hopping buddies will never learn my secret.) and live in NYC. That, I think, is zone 7. Due to my recent unemployment I have had a lot of time on my hands. Gardening happily filled that gap. Plus it allows me to spend a lot of quality time with my parents as it is at their house that I garden. I have read many of the past posts to see if my questions have been asked. Please bear with me if I ask a question already answered. Hopefully, in the future, I will be an asset to this forum. Some background for those who dont live in this part of the country. Spring was very rainy. I planted in early spring and almost saw many of my perrenials drown. Summer started off extremely hot - we have experienced many +90 degree days since late June. Ok, now for the first of many questions. 1. I planted watermelon in a container this year. The vine started growing against a chain link fence. Mind you - I didnt think I would be sucessful or I wouldnt have planted in a container against a fence. The plant is intertwined in the fence and now I am starting to see tiny melons. Shocker, huh? Anyway, I dont want to disrupt its growth but dont know what to do when the melons get heavier. The container is about 3 feet off the ground and I desperately will try anything to keep the plant as healthy and fruitful as possible. Anyone have a thought on some type of support I can give to the fruit. 2. Tomatoes. I planted about 30 beefsteaks in containers. The pot sizes ranged from 2 gallon to 15 gallon. I am worried that the 2 gallon containers arent big enough and that I overstuffed the larger containers (two in a 10 gallon). Also, I am considering using stakes that have varnish or paint on them (they are just sitting there in my garage). Is that safe? 3. Roses. I have a sick rose bush. Yellow leaves with black spots. Obviously fungus right? As I stared at it yesterday, a small bee landed on one of the leaves and cut a half inch semi-circle in it. Right before my very eyes. I thought I was seeing things. I dont know the variety of the rose bush. Your thoughts? In the 2 months I have lurked here I have gained such valuable insight on gardening. I thank all of you - even those who ask questions for without them we would have no answers. This is my first year gardening. For the stress relief and relaxation it provides, I should have started long ago. Fito |
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