We grow a garden every year. I can and freeze all of it. I put up approx. 300 units of food in jars and freezer bags. We started an orchard 15 years ago and it produces enough fruit for the full year and I am able to give a lot away. I and my gardening friends bring each other things like peaches from down south and we freeze them. Meat is and will be a problem. We are taking a day trip to a meat packing plant about 1 1/2 hours away to stock up for a while. If things get really bad, we have relatives who hunt and two relatives who know how to butcher and age meat. I'm praying this can be solved with good leadership being elected. I know some of you do not have the land or the time to grow things. For those of you who do, I think you will love the experience of growing your own food.
Yes, as soon as you see invaders of any kind spray your plants with Sevin. I use the powder form and you can buy a puff applicator at the store. While trying to be completely organic, it's almost impossible. On the Sevin bottle or package you will see how soon after an application it is safe to harvest and eat. If it is an underground invader, put a tin coffee can both ends open over your new plant and push it down into the ground. Bore worms typically will not go under the tine to get to your plants roots. One lesson learned the hard way.....when you have plants you are planting, water them a bit every day until you can see they have take hold. Then try not to over water or their root system will not go deep. On seeds planted, water every day until your seedling are consistently growing bigger every day.
If this is recent damage and the plants have just begun to wilt, you can remove the borer with a knife and then mound the surrounding soil up over the incision that you made. There are a lot of videos on YouTube showing exactly how to do this. Also, in the future, try planting yellow squash as a trap crop.
I just started a garden but it’s not going well. The plants are growing they just aren’t producing much if any at all. I’m very new to gardening so maybe I’m not doing something right. It is so cool to see things you plant (whether by seeds or small plants bought in the store) grow, I like checking on them everyday. It’s a peaceful experience. Got so excited to see the plants grow and when I harvested the very small things that did grow. My green beans all died, my carrots aren’t growing (besides my dog knocked over my container I was growing some of the carrots in (the other ones are in a raised bed) when he ran out of the doggy door to chase a squirrel we believe. My husband found it tipped over and salvaged what he could but maybe 3-4 survived. It does feel a little discouraging that not a lot of vegs are growing but it’s my first time growing anything so I will keep trying. It must be me doing something wrong.
I have way too many questions for you. Your best bet would be to find someone in your neighborhood with a big healthy garden and ask them for help. Elderly folks with green thumbs are more than willing to help.
Where do you live?
How are your plants dying? Bugs? Animals? Are the seeds sprouting and the plant dying afterward?
Are you using fertilizer? How much, how often and how do you apply?
Are you using potting soil, local soil, mulch mixed with dirt?
Do you compost and use it?
Are there worms in your soil?
Live in S. Alabama. Don't know how they are dying, first time growing anything.
The only bugs I actually see on them is little brown ants. Have dogs but just the puppy tries to eat leaves, but the ones that he can't reach are the ones I have problems with, lol.
The plants from either seeds or bought small plants, grow good but either don't produce vegs/only produce like one veg/or start growing vegs then either the vegs dye &/or the whole plant dies.
I'm only using the veg garden soil from the garden centers (tractor supply & lowes) and I've thrown in some veg food(? the little bead things from miracle grow). Though I think my husband may have some miracle grow fertilizer that you add water too and poor in your plants, but haven't had time to try it (he actually just told me about it about a week or two ago).
We have a new puppy and he takes up soooo much of my day right now. But I go check on my "outside" (raised bed) & ones in buckets on my porch a few times a day. I don't mess much with them too much, just check to see if they need water and check how they are doing. I'm actually surprised I didn't kill them all from the start, lol. Trying to let them do their thing, you know? I like to see them growing, it's pretty cool to be able to grow something.
No compost as we don't compost. I haven't seen any worms, but that doesn't mean they are there I guess.
You are in zone 8. The higher the number, the hotter the region. Try to plant according to your zone. Instructions are on the back of a seed packet. I am speculating that you planted too late for your zone and then didn’t water them as much as they needed. They were too young and delicate to tolerate the hot summer sun and lack of water didn’t help. Raised beds tend to dry out quickly and need more water. Your soil sounds fine as does your fertilizer. I would till the soil around your plants once a week. You probably don’t have worms and tilling the dirt helps aeration of the soil, which worms do. If all of your plants are dying, then I assume that bugs are not the reason as certain bugs like only certain plants.
Next year, plant in stages. Cold weather crops that can take a light frost can be grown early, like lettuce, spinach, kale, broccoli and cauliflower. As soon as the threat of frost is gone (yes, watch weather forecasts very closely), then plant the rest of your garden.
I hope that helps.
PS - if plants are really healthy but don’t produce, then there are two reasons that would cause this. Sometimes too much fertilizer will do this as the plant figures out that reproducing isn’t important as it’s life is just awesome. The other reason is lack of pollination. Consider putting a honeybee hive close by to help or you pollinating them yourself with a wet Q-Tip.
And one last thing. Plant have a consciousness. Don’t be afraid to lovingly talk to them from time to time.
Green beans are difficult to grow sometimes. A soil sample to your local farm bureau extension office next spring will help. I also keep putting seeds in the spots that are bare. A little fertilizer helps. Miracle grow every 3 weeks is good. If you can get a time release fertilizer try to find 10 10 10 mix. Your local stores or garden centers and even an FS will know what you mean when you ask for it. Gardening is a learning experience. Every year you will get better.
Thanks for the advice. This is my first time growing anything, so I just got veg garden soil from the store (tractor supply & lowes). Because I have back issues & balance issues, I have planted in buckets & a raised garden using the soil from the store.
Me too; limited success so far but I'm learning. Like everything it takes experience to get good. I'm using grow pots which makes it more manageable for me as I can't physically do what I used to.
I'm using buckets & a raised garden bed my husband made for me. I can't do a lot of bending, which I do anyway but not supposed to or supposed to pick up anything remotely heavy. I have back issues which also transfer to my hips, along with Meniere's, I found that bending over or looking down (depending on length of time) can make my head a little off balance.
Yes, and some of your herbs like basil can be cut off half way down a stem and put in a vase with water. It will root and the leaves will stay tender and new all year. For your herbs, at the end of the season pull up the whole plant roots dirt and all. Hang it with string upside down in your garage until dry. Harvest the dried herbs and put them in pretty jars and start your own apothecary.
True, I have two green onions sitting ontop of my microwave soaking in water/cut short, water bottle bottoms that I have been using for months for garnishing and adding to meals, I rotate between them, just trimming off the tops, they grow pretty quickly. Thinking now of maybe giving the basil a try like that, my basil plants are doing real well right now, be nice to have quick, clean snips at the cooking area.
love the ease of freezing fruits/veg/meats...electricity failure could be devastating, so we have all freezers routed through stand-by generator, using propane...generators are expensive, if you can even find good ones now, but we have been using generac brand for years as stand-by for our houses, for more than 10 years, with few issues, mostly replacing starting battery every 3 years or so...just my 5cent opinion, which would have been 2cents worth before biden...
Yes I have two refrigerators and a small chest Freezer. Space is limited I know. In the Fall they are full. It's a great feeling to look at the harvest isn't it? My husband especially likes to look at the pies.
We grow a garden every year. I can and freeze all of it. I put up approx. 300 units of food in jars and freezer bags. We started an orchard 15 years ago and it produces enough fruit for the full year and I am able to give a lot away. I and my gardening friends bring each other things like peaches from down south and we freeze them. Meat is and will be a problem. We are taking a day trip to a meat packing plant about 1 1/2 hours away to stock up for a while. If things get really bad, we have relatives who hunt and two relatives who know how to butcher and age meat. I'm praying this can be solved with good leadership being elected. I know some of you do not have the land or the time to grow things. For those of you who do, I think you will love the experience of growing your own food.
Any advice about squash borers? Just nuked my squash and zucchini.
Yes, as soon as you see invaders of any kind spray your plants with Sevin. I use the powder form and you can buy a puff applicator at the store. While trying to be completely organic, it's almost impossible. On the Sevin bottle or package you will see how soon after an application it is safe to harvest and eat. If it is an underground invader, put a tin coffee can both ends open over your new plant and push it down into the ground. Bore worms typically will not go under the tine to get to your plants roots. One lesson learned the hard way.....when you have plants you are planting, water them a bit every day until you can see they have take hold. Then try not to over water or their root system will not go deep. On seeds planted, water every day until your seedling are consistently growing bigger every day.
I really appreciate all the suggestions.
You are so welcome. You will love growing.
If this is recent damage and the plants have just begun to wilt, you can remove the borer with a knife and then mound the surrounding soil up over the incision that you made. There are a lot of videos on YouTube showing exactly how to do this. Also, in the future, try planting yellow squash as a trap crop.
Thank you. I had 1 zucchini and 1 squash. Pulled them up this morning!🙁😉
Fed the grubs to the birds! Lol
I just started a garden but it’s not going well. The plants are growing they just aren’t producing much if any at all. I’m very new to gardening so maybe I’m not doing something right. It is so cool to see things you plant (whether by seeds or small plants bought in the store) grow, I like checking on them everyday. It’s a peaceful experience. Got so excited to see the plants grow and when I harvested the very small things that did grow. My green beans all died, my carrots aren’t growing (besides my dog knocked over my container I was growing some of the carrots in (the other ones are in a raised bed) when he ran out of the doggy door to chase a squirrel we believe. My husband found it tipped over and salvaged what he could but maybe 3-4 survived. It does feel a little discouraging that not a lot of vegs are growing but it’s my first time growing anything so I will keep trying. It must be me doing something wrong.
I have way too many questions for you. Your best bet would be to find someone in your neighborhood with a big healthy garden and ask them for help. Elderly folks with green thumbs are more than willing to help.
Where do you live? How are your plants dying? Bugs? Animals? Are the seeds sprouting and the plant dying afterward? Are you using fertilizer? How much, how often and how do you apply?
Are you using potting soil, local soil, mulch mixed with dirt?
Do you compost and use it? Are there worms in your soil?
Live in S. Alabama. Don't know how they are dying, first time growing anything.
The only bugs I actually see on them is little brown ants. Have dogs but just the puppy tries to eat leaves, but the ones that he can't reach are the ones I have problems with, lol.
The plants from either seeds or bought small plants, grow good but either don't produce vegs/only produce like one veg/or start growing vegs then either the vegs dye &/or the whole plant dies.
I'm only using the veg garden soil from the garden centers (tractor supply & lowes) and I've thrown in some veg food(? the little bead things from miracle grow). Though I think my husband may have some miracle grow fertilizer that you add water too and poor in your plants, but haven't had time to try it (he actually just told me about it about a week or two ago).
We have a new puppy and he takes up soooo much of my day right now. But I go check on my "outside" (raised bed) & ones in buckets on my porch a few times a day. I don't mess much with them too much, just check to see if they need water and check how they are doing. I'm actually surprised I didn't kill them all from the start, lol. Trying to let them do their thing, you know? I like to see them growing, it's pretty cool to be able to grow something.
No compost as we don't compost. I haven't seen any worms, but that doesn't mean they are there I guess.
You are in zone 8. The higher the number, the hotter the region. Try to plant according to your zone. Instructions are on the back of a seed packet. I am speculating that you planted too late for your zone and then didn’t water them as much as they needed. They were too young and delicate to tolerate the hot summer sun and lack of water didn’t help. Raised beds tend to dry out quickly and need more water. Your soil sounds fine as does your fertilizer. I would till the soil around your plants once a week. You probably don’t have worms and tilling the dirt helps aeration of the soil, which worms do. If all of your plants are dying, then I assume that bugs are not the reason as certain bugs like only certain plants.
Next year, plant in stages. Cold weather crops that can take a light frost can be grown early, like lettuce, spinach, kale, broccoli and cauliflower. As soon as the threat of frost is gone (yes, watch weather forecasts very closely), then plant the rest of your garden.
I hope that helps.
PS - if plants are really healthy but don’t produce, then there are two reasons that would cause this. Sometimes too much fertilizer will do this as the plant figures out that reproducing isn’t important as it’s life is just awesome. The other reason is lack of pollination. Consider putting a honeybee hive close by to help or you pollinating them yourself with a wet Q-Tip.
And one last thing. Plant have a consciousness. Don’t be afraid to lovingly talk to them from time to time.
Green beans are difficult to grow sometimes. A soil sample to your local farm bureau extension office next spring will help. I also keep putting seeds in the spots that are bare. A little fertilizer helps. Miracle grow every 3 weeks is good. If you can get a time release fertilizer try to find 10 10 10 mix. Your local stores or garden centers and even an FS will know what you mean when you ask for it. Gardening is a learning experience. Every year you will get better.
Thanks for the advice. This is my first time growing anything, so I just got veg garden soil from the store (tractor supply & lowes). Because I have back issues & balance issues, I have planted in buckets & a raised garden using the soil from the store.
It's a great way to grow. My brother in law just put all of his veg. in buckets. In the Fall I am going to teach him how to preserve it.
Me too; limited success so far but I'm learning. Like everything it takes experience to get good. I'm using grow pots which makes it more manageable for me as I can't physically do what I used to.
I'm using buckets & a raised garden bed my husband made for me. I can't do a lot of bending, which I do anyway but not supposed to or supposed to pick up anything remotely heavy. I have back issues which also transfer to my hips, along with Meniere's, I found that bending over or looking down (depending on length of time) can make my head a little off balance.
where there's a will there's a way, right? Happy gardening :)
some crops and herbs grow in off season(fall-winter) as well. Good to look into that and prep.
Yes, and some of your herbs like basil can be cut off half way down a stem and put in a vase with water. It will root and the leaves will stay tender and new all year. For your herbs, at the end of the season pull up the whole plant roots dirt and all. Hang it with string upside down in your garage until dry. Harvest the dried herbs and put them in pretty jars and start your own apothecary.
True, I have two green onions sitting ontop of my microwave soaking in water/cut short, water bottle bottoms that I have been using for months for garnishing and adding to meals, I rotate between them, just trimming off the tops, they grow pretty quickly. Thinking now of maybe giving the basil a try like that, my basil plants are doing real well right now, be nice to have quick, clean snips at the cooking area.
I love that tip about the green onions. I'm trying it today. Thanks
Do you have a second fridge? One issue we quickly ran into was running out of freezer space.
love the ease of freezing fruits/veg/meats...electricity failure could be devastating, so we have all freezers routed through stand-by generator, using propane...generators are expensive, if you can even find good ones now, but we have been using generac brand for years as stand-by for our houses, for more than 10 years, with few issues, mostly replacing starting battery every 3 years or so...just my 5cent opinion, which would have been 2cents worth before biden...
Yes I have two refrigerators and a small chest Freezer. Space is limited I know. In the Fall they are full. It's a great feeling to look at the harvest isn't it? My husband especially likes to look at the pies.