Help!! Everything but lettuce is very sad

markmiminolan 7/16/2011, 3:00 pm

This is my first post....
From the beginning, this is our second year with SFG...first year with Mels Mix..
We have planted tomatoes, basil, cucumbers, Melons in the past and had a lot of fun with everything last year, so this year we decided to follow the "rules" exactly, dumped the dirt from the raised beds, bought all the compost, five kinds, the vermiculite, peat, mixed it all up, and reloaded the three beds.
Since we are in Southeastern Wisconsin within 10 miles of Lake Michigan (which acts like quite the natural Air conditioning, keeping the temps this spring unusually cool through most of June) we usually purchase plants from our local lawn and garden centers, along with Home depot etc.
The last frost was late, May 15th or so, so our planting was late, then it rained alot and of course the temps were very cool until late June.
When I planted the tomatoes this year, I trenched them, thinking I was really going for the incredible crop. Not knowing what to expect from the trenching method I wasn't surprised when they didn't take off right away. So, I have been in denial now for a few weeks, but finally looking at the calendar I think we are in tomato trouble this year, not to mention the basil, but that is another story.
The lettuce is doing fine, and the bush beans seem ok, the sugar snap peas have finally produced a few, but all in all it's been pretty miserable out on the south lawn!~
Any suggestions or help would be greatly appreciated.

Help!! Everything but lettuce is very sad _mg_5020

Help!! Everything but lettuce is very sad _mg_5020

Help!! Everything but lettuce is very sad _mg_5019

Help!! Everything but lettuce is very sad _mg_5021

Help!! Everything but lettuce is very sad _mg_5022

Help!! Everything but lettuce is very sad _mg_5023

boffer 7/16/2011, 3:20 pm

Hi and welcome to the forum. There's three things I can think of that are causing you problems:

1. weather
2. weather
3. weather

Warm season crops, like tomatoes, beans, cukes, and melons, just don't like temps below 50°. According to weather.com, your temps this year are more than 25% below average to this point in the year. Last year, you were ahead of average at this point.

That's the life of a gardener: we can do everything perfect, but it's all for naught without some help from Mother Nature.

petals1973 7/16/2011, 3:32 pm

Totally off subject but is that a Plummeria in your avatar? Beautiful!

boffer 7/16/2011, 3:35 pm

You added pictures after I posted, so let me add that your tomatoes and basil look better than mine because my weather is worse than yours! Razz

markmiminolan 7/16/2011, 3:45 pm

Thanks for your quick reply....I just wasn't sure if I over watered or under watered with mels Mix. We are expecting a heat wave this week, so just maybe things will recover a bit. I did plant a few pumpkin seeds last month that are taking over another part of the yard, so at least we have that going for us this year.
I wasn't sure if the trellis I made to grow vertically intimidated everything else.. Shocked

Just so we are filled with some dreaded disease of some kind.

HouseofWool 7/16/2011, 7:15 pm

I am in LaCrosse and we have had horrible growing weather. Unseasonably cool with loads of rain, followed by freakish hot spells. Lots of my plants bolted early this year or didn't take off.

Hang in there.

**camprn** 7/16/2011, 9:23 pm

Agreed, the weather is such a huge factor. If it was me, I may be persuaded to give the basil and tomatoes a dose of fertilizer, like fish emulsion (follow label directions) or some compost tea & they may perk up a bit.
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Help!! Everything but lettuce is very sad 396615

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Help!! Everything but lettuce is very sad

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