My Garden is planted!

[Ozark Lady]

I love the green on all the photos!

I didn't know that about squash! I just knew looks like gonna be alot of squash, then there isn't. I figured that I did something wrong, somewhere. I have only grown cucurbits: melons, squash and cucumbers once or twice. They did poorly so I didn't try them again.

I had beetles attack them badly, and couldn't seem to get rid of them.

[wolfie]

Absolutely gorgeous laid out spectacularly!!

Its 30 degrees here : (

[tedln]

Thanks Everyone.

Ozark Lady,

I really should plant some bee attracting flowers but I haven't. Last year I stopped hand pollinating when I saw a couple of bees doing the same thing. I shouldn't have stopped because they only did a half good job. One week later, I probably had 100 bees at a time, every day. They were so loud with their buzzing I was wondering if I need to wear ear protection. Everything was getting well pollinated. Even had a lot of bumble bees working the tomatoes. In the fall, when everything was blooming again in the cooler weather, very few pollinators showed up and I had to do the work again.

Ted

[tedln]

Looking great! Very tidy and everything growing well and so much farther along. (Feeling the chill today -- only mid 40's with low 20's in the forecast for tonight)

I really like the idea of the cuke trellis, but I have a question -- how do you harvest the lettuce in the middle? Do you crawl under the trellis? Maybe I don't have the scale correct because I thought you said before that the mesh is large enough for you to reach inside. (Trying to mentally adjust for 12" Romaines... ) Also, do you continue to grow things underneath after the cukes really get lush -- I'm supposing the fruits hang inside.

I've been thinking about what you said. Since I've not grown Romaine before, is 12" tall plants normal or abnormal. The variety in the picture (Little Caesar) is only supposed to be 1/2 as tall as the full sized which I have planted on the other end of the bed.

While the bed doesn't look to have much lettuce in it, it will last quite awhile. The correct way to plant the seed is to space it to give about 8" of space between plants. I plant so the plants are very thick. Some plants crowd the others for space growing quite large. When I harvest the larger plants, it allows light to hit the smaller plants underneath and they then grow large. It becomes a never ending production until it simply gets to hot for the lettuce to continue growing. By the time that happens the cucumbers will have totally covered the trellis and no light can penetrate. I then just wait to plant the fall crop. I learned that from the leaf lettuce I grew last year.

Ted

[AndrewH_TX]

Looks like a wonderful start this year!

What exactly are the hoops used for (kinna obvious, but want to ask instead of "assume").

Here's the start of mine
https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=23159

[tedln]

Looks like a wonderful start this year!

What exactly are the hoops used for (kinna obvious, but want to ask instead of "assume").

Here's the start of mine
https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=23159

Andrew,

Squash Vine Borers are a major insect pest of gardens with squash. The hoops are intended to prevent the borers from getting to the plants and laying their eggs.

They serve the double purpose of mini green houses in the winter if you replace the netting with clear plastic.

Ted

[AndrewH_TX]

Ah, pest control and mini-greenhouse.

I thought greenhouse, but also though trellis.

Thanks for the info!

[tedln]

ya I definately have been watching the squash closely, I'm excited!!!

It may not matter. I didn't see any male blooms in your photos. Even with squash, it takes two to tango.

Ted

[mrsgreenthumbs]

Ohh Ohh I'm SO gonna go snap some pic's this evening and post tomorrow!