A Few Dumb Questions

[ElGato]

My yard is not suitable for a garden and a very dear friend plowed us a huge spot for a garden on his farm. I have had small gardens in the past but never one this big. I am very grateful for this opportunity

I have a few dumb questions to ask about it.

I have never grew corn and I planted 400 seeds. The packet said harvest in 85 days. Is that 85 days from planting the seed or 85 days after germination? Can I also plant a second crop in July?

I still have about 300 baby lima beans to plant as well. How do you dry them for storage? Can I let them dry on the plant?

Can cucumbers be left on the ground without trellising? I have plenty of extra room to let them wonder around.

Thanks

[Summerthyme]

Corn and other direct seeded plant "days to maturity" are based on "from when you put the seed in the ground". BUT... it's an average... if you plant seed in soil which is cold, it may take an extra week or so before it sprouts, and that will potentially extend your days to harvest. However, corn especially is funny... farmers don't look at "days" to harvest- we look at "growing degree days". IIRC (been awhile since I looked at it) they don't count days which don't stay above 50°... it's basically based on the amount of warmth over time. For your use, you can figure if the corn sprouts fairly promptly (5-7 days) you'll be harvesting around 80- 90 days later.

Dry beans of any kind dry best on the vine, but you need to be careful that they don't fall over and then rot. If they're holding up well above the ground once they're mature, you can leave them there. If they start to fall over, either find a way to support them, or pull the plants and hang them up to dry the rest of the way. Limas NEED warm soil to sprout- don't jump the gun on them, or they will rot (especially if it's not treated seed).

And sure, most folks don't trellis cukes, it can be easier to pick them that way, but there's no need.

And the only "dumb" question is the one you didn't ask...

Summerthyme

[Sugaree]

what a great thread :)

I also have a corn question- we started ours from seed & now have them in a window boxs, along with some sweet peas (peas in the pod) ...they are really taking off now and I would like to give them more room, would it hurt them to re-pot? Someone told me you could absolutely not re-pot corn or it would not produce.(???) btw the peas are already flowering. Corn looks good & healthy.

Also what can I use on my green peppers to keep them from being chewed up (the leaves) by insects? Would like somehting that might also keep those weird little black critters from boring into the actual peppers when they come. Thanks!

[Parakeet]

Also what can I use on my green peppers to keep them from being chewed up (the leaves) by insects? Would like somehting that might also keep those weird little black critters from boring into the actual peppers when they come.


Sugaree,

I make an insecticidal tea by putting a couple of crushed cloves of garlic and 2-3 drops of dish soap into a canning jar and fill the jar with water. Let it sit a couple of days and then strain mixture into a spray bottle. Spray liberally on plant leaves about once a week.

[Summerthyme]

Sugaree... not sure about the corn... are you planning on putting it in the ground, or are you trying to grow it in *window boxes*???? If the latter... you're way beyond my level of experimentation, and while I have a strong suspiscion you'll be disappointed, you'll just have to carefully try and see what happens.

For the peppers, you can try insecticidal soap, but unless they are really getting chewed to shreds, it's probably not necessary. The easiest (and certainly safest!) solution is a lightweight fabric cover tossed over the plants (reemay). Peppers are pretty much self pollinating, so you could theoretically leave the covers on pretty much all season, but at least if you leave them until the plants are bigger and well established, you'll reduce much of the stress.

Summerthyme

[Meemur]

Sugaree, I had children of a friend visit once and start "Silver Queen" corn in my planters.

Since Silver Queen stalks grow about 6' high, it was either transplant them or let them die.

I soaked the soil in the planter and then dug the holes for the stalks in the garden and soaked them with water. I also put some rotone (sp?)(rooting hormone) in the holes. Then I carefully lifted out the plants, being careful not to disturb the roots, and put them in the ground. I tamped them down carefully, again so as not to disturb the roots. I left them alone for a few hours and then watered them again.

All of the transplants survived and went on to produce several ears of corn. I did that mostly for the children. I don't like to grow corn because it takes up a lot of room in my small beds. However, I did plant several rows in the community garden, Silver Queeen. Yes, it's a hybrid, but it freezes well.

[Sugaree]

I can't remember what type of sweet corn it is, my first try with it.

We are doing all our veggies in containers- apartment dwellers here.

I was going to try and move them to a box of their own so they wouldn't be so crowded. Guess all I can do is give it a shot & see what happens.

Thanks for all your responses, I really appreciate it!

[shortstop]

I have a tomato question- I planted tomatoes in containers and they were doing wonderful but now they are turning yellow... the soil I used had fertilzer in it.... we have had a lot of rain (I'm in DFW)... what can I do to help them... ?

[Summerthyme]

The rain is the issue. (as I've said probably too often, there's an old truism which IS absolutely valid: "a dry year will scare you to death, but a wet year will starve you to death"

Make sure you have plenty of drainage holes in the containers! Otherwise, your plants are literally drowning.

If that's already been taken care of, they are likely in need of some more fertilizer... heavy rain can "wash out" the nutrients from soil, and in container gardening, they can't extend their roots to find more! Unless you're rabidly organic, I'd use some Miracle gro, as a foliar spray.

NOW.. there's one other possibility, although you didn't mention "spots" or "deformed leaves". But blight loves high humidity and rainy weather. If the leaves are yellowing mostly from the bottom up, and are actually dying, you probably have late blight (or early blight, or any one of several... they can be tough to tell apart, but it doesn't really matter). There isn't a whole lot you can do about it once you get it, although I've seen one variety (Royal Chico, an OLD heirloom paste tomato which I absolutely love) "grow out of" blight when the weather improved.

Summerthyme

[shortstop]

Yes, the yellowing is on the bottom of the plants. Blight- Oh that's just great! well, I dont even know what that is.... it sounds bad.... Should I try the miracle-gro in case it's not blight? We really have had a ton of rain and other people have said how terrible looking their plants are doing now.... altho they have a lot of flowers on them but the leaves look a bit wilty....

[Summerthyme]

Sure, try the Miracle Gro. Also, pinch off or snip off the "affected" leaves. Blight spreads leaf by leaf... I suspect you could control it if you caught it really early. It's generally soil borne, though, so unless you used "Real" dirt (not packaged potting soil, which is generally sterilized and doesn't carry disease) it's possible it's just too much water and lack of nutrients). Anyway, pinch off the yellowed leaves and LOOK closely at them. If you Google "early blight" or "late blight" and Images, you'll probably see what you're looking for.

And WASH your hands before touching the plant again, after removing the bad leaves.

Possibly (I mean to try this myself this year, because we have a big problem with blight), either colloidal silver (a very dilute solution, obviously.. maybe 1-2ppm?) spray or a spray with tea tree oil may help. I'm not sure if the commercial sprays with copper and lime would do any good. First, look for "spots" or "lesions" on the leaves. Fertilize the plants GENTLY (follow the label!), and then, if you think there's a chance of disease, either talk to your Co-op extension folks, or Google up some info on sprays for what you think you have.

Or come back and tell US what you think you have (if anything!) and we'll see what we can find.

Summerthyme

[shortstop]

Summerthyme,

I just did a search and I don't think it's blight!!! I'll look more closely in the morning to be sure tho.... what I did read what to not water in the evenings so I'll change that...and I'll follow what your said about adding the fertilizer....

I so appreciate your advice and wisdom! Thank you!