Strawbale Gardening - no weeding, no hoeing, no tilling

Discussion in 'Discussion Group' started by Strawbaleman, Apr 18, 2007.

  1. Kent

    Kent Well-Known Member

    ljk: sounds like blossom end rot.

    Stress will play a large part, but will usually correct itself out.

    We've had some temp swings, hot, cold, windy weather.

    Too much and too little water and fertilizer will also play a factor.

    Have you got more details?

    Kent
     
  2. ljk

    ljk Well-Known Member

    Not sure what details you need, but here goes;


    The garden looks pretty good, lots of buds and blossoms everywhere.

    I water when I think it is needed, but not everyday. I use Miracle grow once a week.

    The squash start out looking good and firm, and then when they get to 3-4 inches the end (furthest from the plant) starts to get mushy. I have had 5 or 6 do that and I am worried all my crop will be like that. :-(

    Thanks for your help!!
     
  3. Kent

    Kent Well-Known Member

    Sounds like classic blossom end rot - a calcium deficiency issue that can be caused by several things such as uneven watering, too much nitrogen, weather, etc, as I mentioned earlier.

    If the plants are looking healthy, just continue your routine and they should grow out of this problem.

    Tomatoes have the same problem.

    BER is major agricultural problem that is NOT cured by sprays on the plant, egg shells in the planting hole, etc.

    So, don't fret, I've had the same issues.

    Kent
     
  4. RickNC

    RickNC Active Member

    Anyone else have wilting issues? Every time it gets sunny and hot all my plants (except tomatoes) get severly wilted. As soon as it cools back down they come right back. :?
     
  5. AnnetteL

    AnnetteL Well-Known Member

    One of the tomato leaves toward the bottom looked kind of funky yesterday,like curled inward,I had watered in the morning though...
     
  6. ljk

    ljk Well-Known Member


    Thanks!
     
  7. Kent

    Kent Well-Known Member

    Typical, especially for young squash and cukes in new bales, until they get a good root system in place.

    As you mentioned, they bounce back after the sun gets off them and they get a little water.
     
  8. izitmidnight

    izitmidnight Member

    Does anyone have a problem with the backs of their tomato leaves turning silver and papery? My tomatos are absolutely loaded with both fruit and blooms. So far only one plant is having the silver leaf issue. I've not been able to identify a fungus, bacteria, insect or blight that could cause this. Any suggestions?
     
  9. AnnetteL

    AnnetteL Well-Known Member

    About the only thing that comes to mind would be white mold,found this on the web:
    http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/okgard/msg041402286858.html?10
     
  10. RickNC

    RickNC Active Member

    I have little 2 inch squash on my plants. :hurray:
     
  11. The_Investigator

    The_Investigator Well-Known Member

    Me too! Saw it last night.
     
  12. HidesinOBX

    HidesinOBX Well-Known Member

    No little squashes yet on my plants, but I see some itsy bitsy maters. After the rain the past few days, my plants have really taken off.
     
  13. Kent

    Kent Well-Known Member

    A few updated pics from today

    Cukes

    [​IMG]


    Squash & zucchini

    [​IMG]


    Peppers

    [​IMG]


    Corn - trying this for the 1st time in bales

    [​IMG]


    Tomatoes

    [​IMG]
     
  14. RickNC

    RickNC Active Member

    You have quite the garden there Kent. I wish I had the space.

    From now on I think I will move zuccini and squash a ways from everything else. Those plants are so large and have big leaves they are crowding everything else a bit.

    How do you get such nice peppers Kent? Mine always look near death.

    What is that around each plant? Looks like potting soil.
     
  15. Kent

    Kent Well-Known Member

    Rick: yeah, those squash can get pretty big on you.

    This year I got a lot of my plants a little early and ended transplanting them from the 4 packs into 4 inch pots, so they had a lot more root system which I think is better.

    My peppers in years past always started out slow, looked a little sickly, but then snapped out of it.

    This year they have done much better from the beginning.

    I put some commercial 0.5-0.5-0.5 manure around each plant, plus some Osmocote slo release pellets.

    I like for my plants to get some food each time I water rather than just jolt them all at once with Miracle Gro.
     
  16. RickNC

    RickNC Active Member

    I also spread some manure around. How often do you put manure out? RIght now I am putting mg every week.
     
  17. Kent

    Kent Well-Known Member

    Rick: I probably won't put any more commercial manure out. I'll let the Osmocote do it's thing and do some MG as needed.
     
  18. Lantanalane

    Lantanalane Member

    Has anyone...

    gotten fireants in their bales yet. I discovered one last week and 2 more this week..I am so aggravated. I suppose I will be chasing them all summer from bale to bale. If anyone has any suggestions or has dealt with them in their bales...please share or offer any tips.

    Thanks!
     
  19. CraigSPL

    CraigSPL Well-Known Member

  20. Lantanalane

    Lantanalane Member

    Thanks Craig,

    I'll pick some up and give it a go!
     

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