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Showing 691 - 720 of 13734 comments
Radish 19 Jan, Warren (Australia - temperate climate)
I always grow radish but often let them get too fibrey. I let some go to seed, amd found my sugarbag bees loved them. I then let them go to seed and found the young, tender seed pods are tastier than the radish itself, and you get far more output as they seed like crazy. Pickling the pods also works well, so now I grow them for the seed pods, and the bees. I recommend trying it
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Radish 20 Jan, (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Pick your radish when they have grown to the right size and put them down in the veggie section of fridge - they will keep for weeks. They are more a late autumn winter early spring crop in sub tropics.
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Radish 20 Jan, Celeste Archer (Canada - Zone 7b Mild Temperate climate)
What kind of radishes are you growing?
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Chilli peppers (also Hot peppers) 10 Jan, Keith (Australia - temperate climate)
I am currently growing Carolina reaper plants. I also have ordered Scotch bonnet Ghost and chili x seeds. I live in warmer climes most of the year in Queensland.
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Cucumber 09 Jan, Trina Richmond (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I live on the Gold Coast, and have been growing mad hatter capsicum successfully for about three years now, and grape/cherry tomatoes about the same but not very much fruit. This year I planted continental cucumbers. The plant grew very large in about two weeks, (5 foot+), and the leaves are huge, but I have only had 4 fruits and the leaves are being eaten so badly that they look like a very thin, worn out, see through piece of material. This past month for some reason every capsicum, yellow, green and mad hatter, all produced rotten fruit, and I ripped out the plants, except the cucumber. What has caused this? I may have over fertilised.. Also all plants are producing a lot of yellow leaves, especially the tomatoes.
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Cucumber 12 Jan, Celeste Archer (Canada - Zone 7b Mild Temperate climate)
I forgot to mention: as part of my previous reply; that the insects are eating your plant because it is stressed. That is, insects USUALLY attack/eat plants that are NOT healthy..... plants that are deteriorating are easily digestible. It's part of the natural process; the insects help breakdown a plant that is dying, rather than the insects killing the plant. So focusing on the insects may again, be misleading. Clearly, if you're trying to save the plant, you will need to get rid of the insects....but in MOST cases the insects are not the root cause of your issue.
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Cucumber 17 Jan, Anonymous (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I generally have very healthy plants and I can tell you the insects don't wait until they are stressed. Recently very healthy egg plant and now the leaves have been decimated by something eating the leaves.
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Cucumber 14 Feb, Celeste Archer (Canada - Zone 7b Mild Temperate climate)
I did say USUALLY -- that is to say: rabbits will go for your greenest crispiest leaves -- caterpillars tend to pick the best of the lot as well -- aphids are PLACED on healthy fava beans by ANTS (as a form of enslavement/hostage situation) to suck the sap and excrete honeydew ... and so on for many insects --- BUT what we have IN THIS situation is clearly STRESSED PLANTS -- and stressed plants will bring in the decomposers -- that is the natural cycle- so focusing on which decomposers you have is really not going to solve the problem here.......... this is my best guess -- the plants where stressed and failed to perform first, and then the decomposers came in.... judging by the description of the problem.
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Cucumber 12 Jan, Celeste Archer (Canada - Zone 7b Mild Temperate climate)
Have you had a lot of humidity (higher than usual) lately ? If so, your plants may be having a hard time transpiring. Transpiration is the process of releasing moisture (like sweating and evaporation rolled into one). Plants suck up water through their roots and move the water up through their stems and into their leaves, where they release the water (transpiration). Only about 5-10% of the water they intake is used for growth - the rest is released into the environment. The movement of water facilitates the movement of nutrients. So if the movement of water is SLOWED due to really high humidity (and this mostly happens in greenhouses when they are not properly ventilated) plants start to show signs of nutrient deficiencies of all kinds (maybe blossom end rot in tomatoes despite having plenty of bio-available calcium in the soil). That is to say; you could have a lot of misleading signs like: blossom end rot, or nitrogen deficiency (honestly I'm not sure which nutrients need the most water to be moved).....but the take away is the signs could be really confusing, and appear totally illogical. This only happens in high humidity situations; again like an improperly vented greenhouse, or if somehow you have managed to trap the humidity in your space...... this is a long shot.....but I lived on the Gold Coast (Broad Beach area) 30+ years ago...... and I still remember how humid it could get... especially further North. Clearly, some plants are better at moving the water in high humidity situations....tomatoes tend to have difficulty in very high humidity. Ensuring proper air flow may be helpful.
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Cucumber 04 Feb, Smithy (Australia - tropical climate)
Is there a way to counteract high humidity? Hydroponics might flourish in greenhouses but they are pumped up with water and chemicals. They look good but are not palatable.
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Cucumber 16 Feb, Celeste Archer (Canada - Zone 7b Mild Temperate climate)
If you have TRUE high humidity: humidex above 95% consistently -- then you have a real issue. If you have a "created" high humidity situation: like a poorly ventilated greenhouse; then correcting the ventilation will fix things. You can create an updraft by placing a screened window/door very close to ground level (or the lowest level that opens to fresh air) and then furthest and highest away from this point another screened window (on the ceiling/roof, or very high on the wall). So if you have a door on the North/East Bottom. the window goes on the South/West Top. When both of the windows are open, you should get a nice updraft that will whisk away all your humidity. It is best to situate the ground level door/window in a shady spot -- because this will be cooler air, and as this comes in it will force the hot/humid air up and out. There are also green house fans that can be installed (but if you do your updraft correctly you will probably not need one) ; and if you are fully indoors even a dehumidifier might work. If you are in a garden setting like the situation above; I think perhaps the cucumber created a roof that was helping hold in the moisture. In this case prune the cucumber to increase airflow. Things like fences can hold moisture; for example if you have a garden between two houses and there is a wood picket fence; this could impede the flow of air, and cause humidity to build up. The answer will ALMOST always be to increase air flow. If this is a true climate issue then you should select what you are growing with care, choosing plants that can tolerate high humidity; and still trying to situate your plants/garden in such a way that air flows freely. I have an allotment, that has "dense" fencing on two sides (I am in the back corner) and I can feel that I have an extra humid situation. I have found that runner beans do well; once they climb higher than fence level, they get a lot of air flow and do nicely. As far a hydroponics; I am not well versed enough to even begin guessing at the issues that may exist in these environments. Just remember that even when the humidex is NOT high, plants still need the airflow to move what they have transpired away from their leaves.
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Cucumber 11 Jan, Anonymous (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
It is very hard to grow things during summer along the coast in Qld with all the rain and heat. Generally start planting seeds etc late Feb/Mar. Rain brings on the breeding cycle of a lot of insects etc. If plants are growing fast and too big - too much nitrogen. Yellow leaves - with lots of rain the fertiliser is leached through the soil. Also yellow leaves can be from a trace element deficiency. Use a fert that has trace elements. Here is my tips - during summer try and improve your soil with compost manures etc. Put grass clippings and leaves etc on you garden bed and dig in and turn over a couple of times during summer. Soil has to be watered to help break down the leaves etc. You should then only need a very light feritising.before planting in March. Plant cabbage broccoli etc in early May.
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Cucumber 07 Feb, Smithy (Australia - tropical climate)
Thank you.
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Choko/Chayote (also Chayote squash, christophene, chouchou, mirliton) 06 Jan, Lance Hill (USA - Zone 9a climate)
We would love to hear from anyone growing chokos (chayote/mirlitons) on your techniques and experiences. Our website is devoted to all things Mirlitons: www.Mirliton.org, including the world's largest collection of chayote recipes. I also have an article on the history of mirlitons that links the Australian and U.S. varieties.
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Brussels sprouts 04 Jan, Grant (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Grew brussel sprouts for the first time in Blenheim. Was impressed with the size of the plants. But, when I took the sprouts off they were full of a white powdery substance. When I shook the plants, white fly came off them. Is there any hope for my sprouts? Some of them are still developing .
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Brussels sprouts 07 Jan, (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Research an organic spray for white fly. Or a chemical one.
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Salsify (also Vegetable oyster) 03 Jan, Kathy (Australia - temperate climate)
I grew white salsify....never again! They say its best to grow for 2yrs for taste,well they went to seed like a giant milkweed head i had to cut them off and bag them before they blew away and contaminated my whole garden and into the surrounding paddock! Wasnt impressed with that or the couple i pulled to taste, i ripped the lot out after the 3rd time trimming the puff seed..in hindsight probably dont take growing advice and wait the extra harvest time..btw? If anyone wants FREE SEEDS i have two bags full of 2021 crop (couldnt bring myself to toss em! ),your welcome to them,will post to you.im out at Tamworth nsw.
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Okra (also Ladyfinger, gumbo) 30 Dec, Hetal (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
Hi, I am in Tauranga, planted okra and it's flowering this time, should I harvest before flowering or after? Waited after flowering but there is small pod which turned yellow. What is your advice?
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Okra (also Ladyfinger, gumbo) 04 Feb, John Mauger (Australia - temperate climate)
You would harvest okra pods when they are about 90mm long , after the flower has finished. Getting them going as early as possible in the season is the key to a reasonable harvest in temperate climates.
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Cucumber 27 Dec, Wouter (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
How long does a cucumber plant live for before it needs to be taken out of a garden bed?
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Cucumber 04 Feb, Jacko (Australia - tropical climate)
A cucumber plant will only live until it becomes dead.(i.e. has finished producing fruit) It doesn't need to be taken out, as it will eventually become compost
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Cucumber 31 Dec, (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
About 4-5mths or so. Generally the soil will run out of nutrient.
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Tomato 27 Dec, Pete (Australia - temperate climate)
I am living near Wyong NSW and have a bit of a problem with my tomatoes. I live in a retirement village which has veggie plots and have acquiried one. Lots of the tomatoes grown wilt from the bottom up, until al the plant is dead except for the tomato fruits. Does anyone know how I can avoid this?. The wilt seems to affect the quantity of tomatoes.
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Tomato 27 Aug, Gary Hall (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Try using a small hot house or growing tunnel
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Tomato 07 Jan, Celeste Archer (Canada - Zone 7b Mild Temperate climate)
More information is needed: for example amount of water... soil conditions. The MOST GENERIC, and probably most correct answer is LACK OF NUTRIENTS. Most people plant their plants (tomato) adding lots of compost and/or manure at the time of planting. The plant grows using the nutrients (some are washed away... maybe trees manage to confiscate some nutrients); but as the soil nutrition drops, the plant, still wanting to grow, starts to take nutrition from its lower leaves so it can grow leaves higher up. That is, it is deciding how to best used it's own self to maximize it chances of success; since it can't source the needed nutrition from the soil What you need to do is: ADD manure or compost or anything else you may have to put nutrition back into the soil. I rinse my coffee pot in the garden, I also try to drain things (like the water from soaking dried beans) into the garden. Manure/compost/nutrition (in any form) needs to be added at planting, middle of the season, and close to the end of the season to give that LAST burst of energy to bring the fruit/vegetables into full form. Don't feel like you need to spend a lot of money; get creative; in Canada we can stop by our local coffee shops and pick up the days used grinds for use in our gardens (free); you can add micro nutrients to your garden by filling a pail with water and adding a layer of rocks (rocks are minerals) stir and use this to water your plants. Left over tea bags, left over coffee grinds, stuff that you might rinse down the sink (food juices), blood from meat when you wash it before cooking it ..... anything like that all puts nutrition back in the soil.
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Tomato 31 Dec, Anonymous (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
They recommend you only plant tomatoes every 3 yrs in a bed. Helps reduce disease. I have the same problem with lavender, 3 plants going great, two weeks ago one just wilts and dies, ??
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Tomato 30 Dec, Jill (USA - Zone 9b climate)
This sounds like root rot. You may be over watering early on.
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Tomato 28 Dec, Mary (Australia - temperate climate)
You probably need to shade it from the harsh sun. Give it a dose of Epsom salt and see what happens. It's not too late to get some new plants but this time put an umbrella to protect it from the harsh sun.
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Garlic 25 Dec, marco (Australia - tropical climate)
hi i live on the gold coast queensland .one of my old garlic i planted october sometime that never taken off , sprouted . it sprouted two weeks ago .so i thought i would try to put a small crop in and bingo !! ,garlic is growing . so i planted a whole clove today .we have more rain and humidity so this might be the time . i will let u know how it turns out !
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Garlic 14 Feb, Amanda (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Hi, I've failed many seasons with garlic! However, after a lot of research, I have a solution to growing sub tropic garlic. The key is growing the right variety, that can handle our heat. Glen Large garlic is the winner! Plant in April. Harvest in October. I've had a bumper crop with this variety.
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Showing 691 - 720 of 13734 comments
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This planting guide is a general reference intended for home gardeners. We recommend that you take into account your local conditions in making planting decisions. Gardenate is not a farming or commercial advisory service. For specific advice, please contact your local plant suppliers, gardening groups, or agricultural department. The information on this site is presented in good faith, but we take no responsibility as to the accuracy of the information provided.
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