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...
 

In article , "Fito"
writes:

Welcome to you. Here are some remarks:
1. I planted watermelon in a container this year. The vine started growing
against a chain link fence. Mind you - ...... Anyone have a
thought on some type of support I can give to the fruit.
Pantyhose. Find the largest size you can! Use the panty part , tie knots in
the legs and cut off the rest of the leg and feet.. You can then improvise a
sling, fastening it to the fence to hold up the developing fruit.
Even if not successful, it should provide quite a conversation piece.

2. Tomatoes. I planted about 30 beefsteaks in containers
Wow, 30 tomato plants-you must be planning on feeding the whole city of NY!

.. 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).
I don't grow beefsteak or container tomatoes, so I cant help much with this
They will need watering quite often, however. Can you transfer some of the
2 gallons in the ground?
Also, I am considering using stakes that have varnish or paint on
them (they are just sitting there in my garage). Is that safe?
Should be fine.

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 not a great problem here, but when it does occur, the solution is
cleanliness. Remove the infected leaves from the plant, and from under neath
the plant. Destroy/throw in garbage, do not compost. Mulch under the plant
to keep spores from splashing up onto leaves. Water only the roots, avoid
getting water on the leaves, especially at night. Others in NY can probably
help with a spray if needed. I don't spray.
The bee is the Leaf cutter bee. Really a neat little creature. She will take
the
circle of leaf to her nest, where she will curl it into a tube with many other
pieces. She will deposit her egg in this tube nest. They are not harmful to
your roses or other plants, and should just be left to her business.

good luck with your garden, Fito, you have joined with some very cool people on
this newsgroup. Stay around!
Emilie
Nor Calif.

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...
 

"MLEBLANCA" wrote in message
...
In article , "Fito"
writes:

Welcome to you.

Thanks.

Here are some remarks:
1. I planted watermelon in a container this year. The vine started
growing
against a chain link fence. Mind you - ...... Anyone have a
thought on some type of support I can give to the fruit.
Pantyhose. Find the largest size you can! Use the panty part , tie knots
in
the legs and cut off the rest of the leg and feet.. You can then improvise
a
sling, fastening it to the fence to hold up the developing fruit.
Even if not successful, it should provide quite a conversation piece.

A conversation piece it will be as everyone in this neighborhood has had
difficulty growing watermelon.

2. Tomatoes. I planted about 30 beefsteaks in containers
Wow, 30 tomato plants-you must be planning on feeding the whole city of
NY!


As I said- my first year. Looks like I will have a ton of tomatoes to give
away.

. 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).

I don't grow beefsteak or container tomatoes, so I cant help much with
this
They will need watering quite often, however. Can you transfer some of the
2 gallons in the ground?

The plants in the 2 gallon pots are about 2.5 to 3 feet tall. I am wary of
transplanting them now.


Also, I am considering using stakes that have varnish or paint on
them (they are just sitting there in my garage). Is that safe?
Should be fine.

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 not a great problem here, but when it does occur, the
solution is
cleanliness. Remove the infected leaves from the plant, and from under
neath
the plant. Destroy/throw in garbage, do not compost. Mulch under the plant
to keep spores from splashing up onto leaves. Water only the roots, avoid
getting water on the leaves, especially at night. Others in NY can
probably
help with a spray if needed. I don't spray.
The bee is the Leaf cutter bee. Really a neat little creature. She will
take
the
circle of leaf to her nest, where she will curl it into a tube with many
other
pieces. She will deposit her egg in this tube nest. They are not harmful
to
your roses or other plants, and should just be left to her business.

good luck with your garden, Fito, you have joined with some very cool
people on
this newsgroup. Stay around!
Emilie
Nor Calif.

Will try the rose advice Emilie. Sounds simple enough. I also have many more
questions so I will be sticking around. Thanks.

Fito

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