All recent comments/discussion

Showing 361 - 390 of 1701 comments

Squash (also Crookneck, Pattypan, Summer squash) 13 Jul, Kathryn (USA - Zone 9b climate): Some varieties of both winter and summer squash trellis while others do not. You just need to pick a small, vining variety. I too have heard that it's not worth trellising any type of summer squash because the vines are not so long that you save much space... so here I am with Pattypan dancing circles around their 8ft bed. Next year they're going on a trellis. For winters, focus more on size; I've seen pictures of Kabocha on a good, strong trellis but not sure which varieties like your cooler climate.
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Rhubarb 05 Mar, Steve Gollis (USA - Zone 12b climate): Any varieties that will grow in Zone 12? I wouldn't mind trying one of the Zone 8 varieties, but I think I would have to harvest it the first year because it looks like it won't be happy without some cold. Any advice will be helpful, I miss my rhubarb dishes and it's like pulling teeth to get the stores to stock it! Thanks!
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Rhubarb 06 Mar, Anonymous (USA - Zone 12b climate): They don't recommend planting it in your climate zone.
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Beans - climbing (also Pole beans, Runner beans, Scarlet Runners) 04 Mar, Tim (USA - Zone 9a climate): I would like your suggestions as to the best vegetable to follow pole beans in the rotation plan, please.
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Beans - climbing (also Pole beans, Runner beans, Scarlet Runners) 06 Mar, Celeste Archer (Canada - Zone 5a Temperate Warm Summer climate): There are two main things to think about when practicing crop rotation. The first; what condition (nutrition, minerals, tilth) will this crop leave the soil in. In this case your current crop is beans -- they fix their own nitrogen, so their roots will be full of nitrogen nodules (little white bubbles) and provided you just turn the roots into the ground -- the nitrogen will be available for the next crop. So your next crop CAN BE a heavy nitrogen feeder -- there should be lots of nitrogen there. Also beans do a surprisingly good job at breaking up the soil...maybe breaking up is too strong a word -- beans leave the soil very light and well blended with good aeration. Beans are not heavy feeders and therefore you don't need to worry about them depleting the soil of anything in particular, a basic application of manure should restore things. -- The Second concern of crop rotation is ; pests -- what pests did the beans attract ? Generally beans attract slugs and the sort of insects that feed on tender leaves (as young beans have very nice tender leaves) -- so ideally you want to plant something that these insects/slugs don't feed on -- something like tomatoes (their leaves are not suitable -- or tend not to be suitable for slugs). Then review what you would like to plant -- and determine the plant that best suits the conditions. Nightshades tend to be the most typical choice to follow beans -- Nightshade is a family of plants that includes tomatoes, eggplant, potatoes, and peppers. Since you are probably already set up with poles - I might go for indeterminate tomatoes (which are really vines and require support).
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Onion 01 Mar, Susan (USA - Zone 6b climate): Can I direct sow intermediate onion seeds in fall in a raised garden bed covered with leaves and over winter them. Zone 6b
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Broad Beans (also Fava bean) 28 Feb, Cam Eckersley-Brinich (USA - Zone 9b climate): I'm requesting favorite recipes using broad (fava) beans, as they are rarely offered in the produce section, and I'm not a fan of canned veggies of any kind...Thank you!
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Broad Beans (also Fava bean) 03 Mar, Celeste Archer (Canada - Zone 5a Temperate Warm Summer climate): The nice thing about fava beans is you don't have to cook them -- and you don't have to shell them (if they are still young -- they are young enough to eat whole UP TO THE point where they have plumped up fully and the pod is NOT YET fibrous -- once the pods are fibrous the pods need to be discarded (keep the beans) because the fibrous pods are too difficult to digest and will cause lots of discomfort). OK -- so I use my young pods raw (entire pod -- and some leaves and stalk) to make a pesto. I use this pesto as a dip. I also chop up the full pod and use them in stews (Garnish with some leaves). I use the leaves and some stalk (chopped up) when I make scrabbled eggs -- adding the fava once the scrambled eggs are about 15 seconds from done -- in other words just incorporating them into the scrambled eggs and then removing from the pan. If your unsure about what I mean when I say fibrous -- if you where to put the full pod in a blender/chopper -- after you chop, look at the mixture -- if the pods where too fibrous you will see "MESH" yes "MESH" -- looks like pieces of wire mesh -- pick these out and discard these. I NEVER DOUBLE SHELL -- the beans are always good -- but may need to be softened up like any dried bean needs to be.
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Strawberry Plants 25 Feb, Dan Fachner (USA - Zone 9b climate): I live near Phoenix, AZ. It lists our zones as 9b and 10a. WHat type of strawberry plants do yo;u reccomend for this area? Thanks.
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Potato 24 Feb, Richard (USA - Zone 7a climate): I'm planting potatoes in root bags. When should I plant (indoor) and when can they be left outside?
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Sunflower 21 Feb, Jordan (USA - Zone 5b climate): Hi! We are looking to plant sunflowers from seeds in the North Shore of Chicago area, I believe we are zone 5b for zip code 60045. I have seen people reference "the guide" but am curious if someone could point me towards where I might find this magical panacea of information? Thank you! (Gardenate uses https://www.gardenate.com/zones/#zone-US)
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Sunflower 22 Feb, Anonymous (Australia - sub-tropical climate): You work out your climate zone from the blue tab at the top of the page. Then go to the plant you want to grow - sun flowers.
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Rosemary 20 Feb, (USA - Zone 6a climate): i am looking for the best rosemary to grow in zone 6a, for inground planting.
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Rhubarb 19 Feb, Rebecca (USA - Zone 8b climate): Advice on planting Victoria rhubarb in pots.
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Rhubarb 20 Feb, Anonymous (USA - Zone 8b climate): Read the notes here or google how to grow it.
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Strawberry Plants 17 Feb, barbara gauger (USA - Zone 9b climate): What berries do best in 9b on the Oregon south coast?
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Eggplant (also Aubergine) 17 Feb, Carol (USA - Zone 9b climate): My last eggplants from last fall were tough and flavorless but right now I have at least 9! How do I know when they are ripe to pick?
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Eggplant (also Aubergine) 20 Feb, (USA - Zone 9b climate): When they reach a good size, pick them. The longer you leave them the tougher and less flavor. Planting to harvest time is a good guide.
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Carrot 11 Feb, Norman (USA - Zone 9b climate): fastest growing carrots zone 9b florida
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Carrot 13 Feb, Anonymous (Australia - sub-tropical climate): Just a few common gardeners reply to comments here - we are not experts on all plants all over the world. Carrots are slow growing and you grow the kind you might like to eat. I live in Australia and reply to some of the questions here.
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Garlic 10 Feb, Jorel Neville (USA - Zone 7b climate): Which is best, hard neck or soft neck in zone 7b? Charlotte area
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Okra (also Ladyfinger, gumbo) 30 Jan, Sharon (USA - Zone 10b climate): Can i grow okra year around? What variety to plant?
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Okra (also Ladyfinger, gumbo) 01 Feb, Anonymous (USA - Zone 10b climate): Not advised. Choose any variety.
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Rhubarb 30 Jan, phil coppola (USA - Zone 7b climate): What variety of rhubarb is best to grow as a perennial in zone 7. I tried rhubarb about 45 years ago and was unsuccessful. Reason being that the temperature in the winter wasn't cold enough in the winter and if you were to try to grow it you were required to expose the bulb (?roots) to a freeze. Are there new varieties that don't require that. Please advise.
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Onion 29 Jan, Gladis (USA - Zone 10a climate): What variety grows best in zone 10a (Southern California)?
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Onion 07 Jan, Lisa (USA - Zone 10a climate): Any Short Day onions. Google "Short Day Onions". I also live in Southern California and just received my onions sets from Dixondale Farms.
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Onion 29 Jan, Ron Holt (USA - Zone 7b climate): I would like to grow onions (sets) in my garden this Feb. 23 to be harvested as mature onions in about 6 months. I would prefer sweet onions. Can you suggest a a particular type ? Do I need to buy heated onions? Thanks, Ron
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Garlic 27 Jan, Michelle (USA - Zone 7a climate): I have some German garlic that I really need to plant. Is it too late to plant it in a raised bed in my Zone 7a right now? Still have about 8 to 10 weeks of 20 to 30 degree nights ahead. Thanks!
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Luffa (also Loofah, plant sponge) 23 Jan, Lisa Cologna (USA - Zone 9a climate): I live in Las Vegas Nevada. It gets very hot during the summer months (100 to 120°). Will the loofahs grow here?
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Luffa (also Loofah, plant sponge) 01 Feb, Elaine (USA - Zone 9b climate): Yes! I live in south Spain which is zone 9b/10a and grew loofah plants successfully in 2021. We had a couple of weeks over 40c (105f) and it grew like crazy! Use straw mulch and water well twice a week.
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