New England May 2017

Nice, QB!  I love fresh leaves!  Had a couple kale pieces in my salad today.  I think I will have enough lettuces etc. for an actual garden salad this weekend!  I am experimenting with cute and come again methods...

Scorpio Rising wrote: I am experimenting with cute and come again methods...

So I'm getting ready to plant some 'headache' seeds, the ones I really never have any luck with but for some reason feel compelled to keep trying :

Questions for you New Englanders...or anyone with a similar climate...
Have you had any luck with any of these?   Direct planted or started in?  What temps were you planting out at? Trellised? Protection?

CapeCoddess wrote:So I'm getting ready to plant some 'headache' seeds, the ones I really never have any luck with but for some reason feel compelled to keep trying :

Questions for you New Englanders...or anyone with a similar climate...
Have you had any luck with any of these?   Direct planted or started in?  What temps were you planting out at?  Trellised?  Protection?  

I've had good success with cucumbers both started indoors and direct seeded. Also grew Acorn squash last year in a regular soil bed. However, the crop from the acorn squash plants was very small. I may try growing them on a trellis this year.  Since I am inland the mid summer temps may be a bit higher than on the Cape.

I've had success with direct seeding of cukes and squash both at home and at the comm. garden. They like it warm so I always waited til June to plant the seeds and the soil was warmed up.

Thanks TD & QB.  I'll wait for warmer weather.  Maybe try starting some inside.

Here is the latest Regional Notes from UMassAmherst:
https://ag.umass.edu/landscape/landscape-message-may-19-2017

countrynaturals wrote:

Scorpio Rising wrote: I am experimenting with cute and come again methods...

They are, umm, cute

Yep!  You will do good!

Trellis the cukes for sure.  I am growing my cukes and small melons on trellises, as well as pole beans of course!  Watermelons sprawl.  

New squash for me; Delicata and Acorn.  Will probably trellis, since space is a consideration!  

And also new melons...charentais!  True cantaloupe.  Will see!  

I start my super hotties in the hot pad and quickly move outside!

Scorpio Rising wrote:

I start my super hotties in the hot pad and quickly move outside!

Okay, I will start them today. Do you start yours in plantable pots or just don't worry about that?

Also, do you cover your squashes to protect them from svb? Or is he not in your area?

Hey CC, I have had more luck with the squash when started in a bigger starting pot inside, then put out as early as possible in the hottest place with full sunshine. I have great luck with any cucs  as long as they are off the ground. 
Now that I think about it, squash are starting to remind me of what Quilt Bea showed me about tomatoes, to to use a bigger starting pot to get them started. But, these squash don't do well in the cooler summers here. They like heat and sun, with plenty of water. The best I ever did was a hot summer with a drip system with plenty of mulch around them.
When I lived in CA, I could direct seed them early, but here in New Hampster the season just isn't long enough, or maybe it isn't warm enough in the beginning. Another trend I see here, is anything that can be held up off the ground the better it does, I think I am beginning to be an advocate of the "trellis everything society" 

CapeCoddess wrote:

Scorpio Rising wrote:

I start my super hotties in the hot pad and quickly move outside!

Okay, I will start them today. Do you start yours in plantable pots or just don't worry about that?

Also, do you cover your squashes to protect them from svb? Or is he not in your area?

I plant the squash, melons and cukes in peat pots.  They don't like root disturbances.  It is the only thing I use peat pots for.  

I don't cover them, and yes, I have the dreaded SVB.  I lost one of my 3 patty pans last year to SVB late in the season.  It was still alive but I didn't want it to affect the other plants...so it went.  If I were you and had some PTSD with the SVB, I would cover with tulle.  Sure won't hurt!  Then uncover for pollination.  Or do it by hand.

Five weeks out from hip replacement surgery and I was finally able to mow my lawn and mow down the raspberry escapees from this 2x7 box.

The plants looked so healthy this year that I really wanted to dig up and transplant the escapees but decided it was too much work right now.

Yum!  Lookin good!

Very nice CC and well done on your recovery.  Looks like you have a nice view in the distance as well.

bigdogrock wrote:. . . Another trend I see here, is anything that can be held up off the ground the better it does, I think I am beginning to be an advocate of the "trellis everything society" 

I'm a member

You're a member too? That's cool, we can "hang around together"...


(I just had to)

sanderson wrote:

bigdogrock wrote:. . . Another trend I see here, is anything that can be held up off the ground the better it does, I think I am beginning to be an advocate of the "trellis everything society" 

I'm a member

Not just trellising. I now cut off all leaves that touch the ground. I'm battling slugs and rolly pollies that consider anything green that touches down to be an invitation to lunch.

I'm trying a Three Sisters Garden for the first time ever this year. I'm using Waltham butternut, Kentucky Wonder pole beans and Silver Queen corn. The beans and squash have been sowed and the corn is soaking and will be planted out today. Never had much luck with squash and corn but the local Indians did it so I should be able to, too.  

I also started some of these foreign cucumbers inside and they are now on the heating pad.

CapeC....How are you feeling?  Are you able to do lots in the garden yet?  You really amaze me at what you manage to handle.

I am still awaiting the arrival of my tomatoes but they should be here this week.  I am itching to get growing.  My radishes are coming up in the lettuce pots.
I got a visit yesterday from the director of my old comm. garden.  There are improvements and changes there but they got a late start this year.  At least the peas and greens and now the green beans are planted I was told. They were able to save the squash and zukes from the bugs last year with my bug fabric that I gave them.  A pergola is going to be built and a rail fence was put up around the Children's Garden which was built after my statuary donations last spring.  My tools, pots, bug and frost barrier fabrics, and even my little greenhouse have all been put to good use.  It was good to hear.  She said I was missed.  She and I pretty much planned that garden since its inception.  I was the one that pulled for raised beds.  This year they are making new and longer ones, 12-footers I heard.  I'll have to stop by when I go to visit my son next time.

CapeCoddess wrote:I'm trying a Three Sisters Garden for the first time ever this year. I'm using Waltham butternut, Kentucky Wonder pole beans and Silver Queen corn. The beans and squash have been sowed and the corn is soaking and will be planted out today. Never had much luck with squash and corn but the local Indians did it so I should be able to, too.  

Wait, I thought the corn was supposed to be planted first and then the beans could use the corn stalks as poles to climb up.  Or am I wrong or are you just experimenting.

That sounds logical, Yolos. I truly have no idea what I'm doing. I figured I'd just plant everything at once and see what happens.

So yeah, that's it... It's an experiment. That's what I meant.

Hi QB! Yes, I'm quite well thanks and doing the best I can. I'm 5 weeks out from surgery and I'm getting the basics done in the SFG. The rest of my yard is going to hell in a handbasket but in the fullness of time I'll be able to get out there and take care of all that.

One thing we gardeners have is lots of patience.

CapeCoddess wrote:So I'm getting ready to plant some 'headache' seeds, the ones I really never have any luck with but for some reason feel compelled to keep trying :

Questions for you New Englanders...or anyone with a similar climate...
Have you had any luck with any of these?   Direct planted or started in?  What temps were you planting out at?  Trellised?  Protection?  

I've had better luck starting these indoors. Last year I had squash & cakes out early May & they did fabulous. Not the case this year. I had 2 transplanted cucumbers plants die during the cold snap. Luckily, I still have quite a few under lights. I'm going to wait before putting those out. 

As far as squash, they are HEAVY feeders. I've had success when I transplanted them with A LOT of compost mixed in & then fed them frequently. I have several different types of squash growing out my compost right now. It'll be interesting to see what I end up with.

Ok. So can anyone one tell me what to do about slugs? My lettuces, cabbage, broccoli & kale are all covered to keep the cabbage moth away. However, this morning I plucked 20+ slugs off of my napa cabbage . They did A LOT of damage, but I think the plants will be salvageable. I've never had slugs before (that I saw damage from anyway) so I'm looking to nip this in the bud pronto. Any suggestions?

CAgirlinMA wrote:Ok. So can anyone one tell me what to do about slugs? My lettuces, cabbage, broccoli & kale are all covered to keep the cabbage moth away. However, this morning I plucked 20+ slugs off of my napa cabbage . They did A LOT of damage, but I think the plants will be salvageable. I've never had slugs before (that I saw damage from anyway) so I'm looking to nip this in the bud pronto. Any suggestions?

1) Get all the leaves off the ground, either by cutting them or by putting some kind of non-organic barrier around the plants. 

2) Put down melon rinds or citrus peels to attract the little monsters. Keep the area damp. Early mornings collect the peels with the slugs on them and replace with fresh peels until they're gone.

This only works for raised beds or containers where you can control the population. If you're gardening in the ground, buy copper tape to ring your plants or the whole bed. It can get expensive, but it works. Just make sure there is no break or bridge in your perimeter. Check frequently to make sure no twig or leaf has breached your boundary.

countrynaturals wrote:

CAgirlinMA wrote:Ok. So can anyone one tell me what to do about slugs? My lettuces, cabbage, broccoli & kale are all covered to keep the cabbage moth away. However, this morning I plucked 20+ slugs off of my napa cabbage . They did A LOT of damage, but I think the plants will be salvageable. I've never had slugs before (that I saw damage from anyway) so I'm looking to nip this in the bud pronto. Any suggestions?

1) Get all the leaves off the ground, either by cutting them or by putting some kind of non-organic barrier around the plants. 

2) Put down melon rinds or citrus peels to attract the little monsters. Keep the area damp. Early mornings collect the peels with the slugs on them and replace with fresh peels until they're gone.

This only works for raised beds or containers where you can control the population. If you're gardening in the ground, buy copper tape to ring your plants or the whole bed. It can get expensive, but it works. Just make sure there is no break or bridge in your perimeter. Check frequently to make sure no twig or leaf has breached your boundary.

Dang girl!  You got the sluggo nation on the run!

Scorpio Rising wrote:Dang girl!  You got the sluggo nation on the run! 

My last garden was in Oregon. Ever hear of "banana slugs?" If not, just use your imagination. They definitely live up to their name. I'll dig out some pics later, so you can see what Oregon gardeners face every time they walk out the door.