help with my garden
Hi-I have a nw garden this year, planted a bit late with all the rain-and I could sure use some sage advice-btw-it is organic, I dug the soil with some peat moss and cow manure in the spring, no other fertilizers...I have these green wormy caterpillar things that have munched my broccoli and brussel sprout leaves, I pick em off and throw them in the woods-any other cure? Broccoli plants are pretty healthy but I am only getting very small heads of broccoli-any ideas? Brussel sprouts plants got hurt by the green caterpillar guys but seem healthy-no brussel sprouts tho? I planted corn and it seemed to be growing great guns (knee high by the 4th of July) but now seems unwell, not growing very tall, spottiness and yellowing on leaves and the ears have sprouted but are very very small-haven't checked any yet. My Tomatoes seem to be doing very well, none ripe yet but plants seem very healthy good amount of fruit, Green pepper plants are very small and not much fruit - should I be fertilizing or something? Any and all advice welcome, oh yeah, I planted some garlic too (from seedling plants) and it is struggling, how do you know when to pick it?! Thanks in advance-garden is in northern westchester NY (hour north of NYC) and gets afternoon sun and has been well watered by rain and me
Hi Nygarden,
If you are going to garden organically adding peat moss is not the best way to go. Peat is low in fertility and there's lots of controversy about depleting the peat bogs. Compost is one of the best ways to add organic matter. You could still add the well aged manure too, but be careful with how much of that you add as some veggies don't like it. Most of these pests can be controlled a bit with parasitic wasps. Planting flowers around or near the garden with small flowers, such as queen ann's lace, will help to attract them. These sites offer good biological and environmentally solutions as well as the traditional ones. Throwing them into the woods isn't a solution as they will come back as moths and lay more eggs that produce more caterpillars.
Your "green wormy caterpillar things" could be the cabbage looper. Is this what they looked like?
https://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/r108301011.html
Beet armyworm is another possibility.
https://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/r108301211.html
Imported Cabbageworm is another. These are hairy.
https://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/r108301111.html
Some reasons for your small heads of broccoli could be crowding from plants not spaced apart enough, not enough water, high temperatures, poor fertility or several root rot or fungal diseases. I'm thinking it's the heat since you don't mention any discoloration of the leaves. Here's info on growing sweet bell peppers.
https://www.uga.edu/vegetable/pepper.html
This is an excellent site for diagnosing corn problems. I'm thinking your corn is at the 8 to 10 leaves to tasseling stage. Take a look here to see what fits and we can go from there or you can look what to do once you have an idea at the second site.
https://www.extension.iastate.edu/pages/hancock/agriculture/corn/diagnostic/corn_diagnostic.html
https://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/selectnewpest.corn.html
There are nematodes that can cause stunting of peppers. If none of this fits it could be lack of fertility.
https://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/r604200111.html
Here's how to grow garlic.
https://www.thegarlicstore.com/index.cgi/howto.html
You might find this info on organic gardening helpful.
https://www.helpfulgardener.com/organic/
Newt
If you are going to garden organically adding peat moss is not the best way to go. Peat is low in fertility and there's lots of controversy about depleting the peat bogs. Compost is one of the best ways to add organic matter. You could still add the well aged manure too, but be careful with how much of that you add as some veggies don't like it. Most of these pests can be controlled a bit with parasitic wasps. Planting flowers around or near the garden with small flowers, such as queen ann's lace, will help to attract them. These sites offer good biological and environmentally solutions as well as the traditional ones. Throwing them into the woods isn't a solution as they will come back as moths and lay more eggs that produce more caterpillars.
Your "green wormy caterpillar things" could be the cabbage looper. Is this what they looked like?
https://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/r108301011.html
Beet armyworm is another possibility.
https://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/r108301211.html
Imported Cabbageworm is another. These are hairy.
https://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/r108301111.html
Some reasons for your small heads of broccoli could be crowding from plants not spaced apart enough, not enough water, high temperatures, poor fertility or several root rot or fungal diseases. I'm thinking it's the heat since you don't mention any discoloration of the leaves. Here's info on growing sweet bell peppers.
https://www.uga.edu/vegetable/pepper.html
This is an excellent site for diagnosing corn problems. I'm thinking your corn is at the 8 to 10 leaves to tasseling stage. Take a look here to see what fits and we can go from there or you can look what to do once you have an idea at the second site.
https://www.extension.iastate.edu/pages/hancock/agriculture/corn/diagnostic/corn_diagnostic.html
https://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/selectnewpest.corn.html
There are nematodes that can cause stunting of peppers. If none of this fits it could be lack of fertility.
https://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/r604200111.html
Here's how to grow garlic.
https://www.thegarlicstore.com/index.cgi/howto.html
You might find this info on organic gardening helpful.
https://www.helpfulgardener.com/organic/
Newt
You are so very welcome! I would plant small flowered plants like daisy, lantana, verbena and queen ann's lace to attract beneficial insects such as the tachinid fly. If you scroll down here you can see what they look like.
https://www.giffbeaton.com/Flower%20and%20other%20flies.htm
I would use the Bt if necessary. Row covers over the veggies when you first see the moths would be good to keep them away.
Newt
https://www.giffbeaton.com/Flower%20and%20other%20flies.htm
I would use the Bt if necessary. Row covers over the veggies when you first see the moths would be good to keep them away.
Newt