krops13
Full Member
Posts: 14
Joined: Thu Nov 29, 2007 8:52 pm
Location: SoCal

Winter garden

Hi this is my first post and my first half garden
I started in late summer and grew tomatos
I have a cool crop growing and I figured since
I live in socal it doesnt get that cold in the winter
so my plants should survine I hope. right now
I have sunflowers lettuce peas snow peas onions
and sweet basil. I plan to grow a lot come spring
I was wondering why my peas have flowered and
started growing a few peas. but my snow peas are
even bigger and have no flowers?
Peas
[img]https://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a258/Kahakaigurly16/nov28-2.jpg[/img]
Snow Peas
[img]https://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a258/Kahakaigurly16/nov28-1.jpg[/img]
Sunflowers
[img]https://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a258/Kahakaigurly16/nov28.jpg[/img]

Newt
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Posts: 1868
Joined: Tue May 25, 2004 10:44 pm
Location: Maryland zone 7

Hi Krops,

Welcome to the Helpful Gardener.
I was wondering why my peas have flowered and started growing a few peas. but my snow peas are even bigger and have no flowers?

Some reasons that come to mind:
Different varieties of peas mature at different speeds.
More sun on one plant then the other.
Too much fertilizer will cause leafy growth at the expense of flowers and fruit with peas.

Do you know the named varieties of your peas? If it doesn't say on the packet the days to maturity, you can google them by name and find out how long to maturity.

Newt

opabinia51
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Posts: 4659
Joined: Thu Oct 21, 2004 5:58 pm
Location: Victoria, BC

I agree with Newt. To much nitrogen in your fertilzer can lead to overgrowth of the plant and no flowers being produced. Try giving your peas a weekly does of liquid seaweed fertilzer dilted as per the instructions on the bottle.

Looking at your soil, it looks pretty healthy but could use some ammendments:

a) plant crimson and white clover along with rye and now it regularly leave the clipping on the soil
b) I've briefly looked at the flora of Southern Californa and I couldn't see a lot of fuana that I recognize but, if leaves have fallen off local trees, mulch them up a bit an place them on your soil. Place them around your peas as well to insulate from possible frosts.
c) You can purchase kelp meal and spread that around your yard as a soil ammendment. Also, if you live near the coast, seaweed is always good. Just be sure to add it with a brown like leaves or newspaper
d) Add some rock phospate to your soil. It will help to build a healthy soil for your plants by forming soil colloids that store nutrients for your plants. Also, as the name indicates: Rock Phosphate contains phosphate that will help harden your plants.

If you can't find leaves to lay down on your soil use newspaper but, don't use the colour articles; they contain dioxins which are toxic to plants. Newspaper (and leaves) will add to the structure of your soil and prevent any compost from smelling.

Anyway, with a little bit of work you can turn your yard into a fertile growing ground for your plants.

krops13
Full Member
Posts: 14
Joined: Thu Nov 29, 2007 8:52 pm
Location: SoCal

Thats what I was thinking also that my
nitrogen was to high so I'm going to
and some rock phospate and some
green sand for potassium do you think
my plants will survive the next 2 months
before the last frost. oh and the snow peas
said they were melting sugar and they
take 73 days to harvest and the regular
peas take 58 days so thank you for your
help.

Newt
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Posts: 1868
Joined: Tue May 25, 2004 10:44 pm
Location: Maryland zone 7

You are very welcome! Your peas should be able to stand a light frost. You will need to cover your basil and tomatoes at night if a frost is expected. I don't use plastic because if you forget to take the cover off, and the sun comes out, you can 'cook' your plants. I use sheets or lightweight blankets.

I see alot of bare dirt in your pictures. I would suggest you consider planting flowers in the garden to attract beneficial insects. Mother nature doesn't like blank spaces and will fill them with plants of her choice if you don't. You may not like her choices. :cry: Most of the flowers that attract beneficials have a flat landing pad like daisies and mums that look like daisies.

You can take cuttings of your basil, root them and grow them in pots in a sunny window for the winter. That's what I did.

Newt

krops13
Full Member
Posts: 14
Joined: Thu Nov 29, 2007 8:52 pm
Location: SoCal

Ok I will try the blankets how
cold is a light frost. I know I have alot
of empty dirt but I'm waiting till
spring to plant things in everybed
I would say its pretty close to 80sqft

Newt
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Posts: 1868
Joined: Tue May 25, 2004 10:44 pm
Location: Maryland zone 7

Light frost would be 32*F.

Newt

krops13
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Posts: 14
Joined: Thu Nov 29, 2007 8:52 pm
Location: SoCal

I don't think it has ever gotten that
cold where I live? so would I be ok
to grow year round?

Newt
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Posts: 1868
Joined: Tue May 25, 2004 10:44 pm
Location: Maryland zone 7

Wow, how lucky you are! You may be able to grow year round. You don't have your hardiness zone listed so I really can't say. Have you visited your extension service site? You might find some very helpful growing info based on where you live. Take a look here and poke around.
https://ucanr.org/ce.cfm

Newt

krops13
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Posts: 14
Joined: Thu Nov 29, 2007 8:52 pm
Location: SoCal

I'm in zone 9 and I checked out
that web site that you put up
it said the average lowest temp
during winter is 45. do you think
they will survive the nights and
the days are aroud 55-60 so they
should do ok then right?

Newt
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Posts: 1868
Joined: Tue May 25, 2004 10:44 pm
Location: Maryland zone 7

I think they will. Not sure about your tomatoes or basil, but the rest should. I saw most of those veggies growing in Peru and Ecuador with those temps.

Newt

krops13
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Posts: 14
Joined: Thu Nov 29, 2007 8:52 pm
Location: SoCal

cool thank you for your help
I can wait till spring to start
planting. :D

Newt
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Joined: Tue May 25, 2004 10:44 pm
Location: Maryland zone 7

I can't wait for spring either. Temps here were hovering around freezing most of the day and it rained a bit. I'm ready for warm weather already and we haven't had our first snow yet!

Newt

krops13
Full Member
Posts: 14
Joined: Thu Nov 29, 2007 8:52 pm
Location: SoCal

wow snow thats a bumer when is
the last frost there. the snow peas still
are showing no sign of fruit but
there getting big and fast
before
[img]https://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a258/Kahakaigurly16/nov28-1.jpg[/img]
after
[img]https://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a258/Kahakaigurly16/Dec2-1.jpg[/img]

Newt
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Posts: 1868
Joined: Tue May 25, 2004 10:44 pm
Location: Maryland zone 7

Wow, they sure are growing! What is that white granular stuff I see on the ground? I hope it's not synthetic fertilizer. :shock:

First frost happened a couple of weeks ago and last frost can be as late as April 11th.

Newt

krops13
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Posts: 14
Joined: Thu Nov 29, 2007 8:52 pm
Location: SoCal

I don't think synthetic exactly but maybe?
I got it at home depot it has nitrogen
phos. and potass. I couldnt find any
rock phos nor anything for potass.
is this stuff bad? and y if so?
can I use a 42 watt compact fluoresent
bulb as a grow light?

User avatar
tomakers
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Joined: Wed Jun 28, 2006 12:13 am
Location: Cranberry Country, SE MA - zone 6?

krops13 wrote: I was wondering why my peas have flowered and
started growing a few peas. but my snow peas are
even bigger and have no flowers?
Some varieties of snow peas get pretty tall before they flower and have a longer maturity date.

pixelphoto
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Posts: 155
Joined: Thu Apr 19, 2007 9:13 pm
Location: Middle Georgia USA

looks like perlite to me but hard to tell

Newt
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Posts: 1868
Joined: Tue May 25, 2004 10:44 pm
Location: Maryland zone 7

krops13 wrote:I don't think synthetic exactly but maybe?
I got it at home depot it has nitrogen
phos. and potass. I couldnt find any
rock phos nor anything for potass.
is this stuff bad? and y if so?
It must be a synthetic fertilizer with the description you give. I would suggest you scratch it into the soil and water it in. I don't recommend synthetic fertilizers as they are like steriods for your plants and can cause a flush of growth that can attract insect pests. Synthetics also leave behind residual salts and don't have micro-nutrients that organic fertilizers do. It's isn't 'bad', but not as good as organics.
https://www.dirtdoctor.com/view_question.php?id=131

If you want rock phosphate you might consider looking at garden center aka nursery. Without a soil test I wouldn't suggest you start adding individual nutrients.

can I use a 42 watt compact fluoresent
bulb as a grow light?
Not sure about that. Do you mean for seedlings in the house?

Newt

krops13
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Posts: 14
Joined: Thu Nov 29, 2007 8:52 pm
Location: SoCal

yea thats what I mean for my
seedlings. all my nurserys around
me sell trees and flowers thats it
no dirt compost veges anything.

Newt
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Posts: 1868
Joined: Tue May 25, 2004 10:44 pm
Location: Maryland zone 7

When I grow seedlings I grow them on a work bench in my laundry room. I have 2 - 4' fluoresent tubes in a shop light about 4" above the seed trays. I keep the shop light on chains and move it higher as the seedlings grow. I use a warm light and white light and rotate the seedlings 180* each day.

I'm not sure just how many seedlings you plan to grow, but using one 42W compact fluoresent isn't going to do much. It would probably be better to have about 200W. Even then you will probably only be able to light 4 to six plants.

Keep in mind that even though these are fluorescent, they will throw off heat that close to your plants. You should have some type of small fan moving the air above the plants. It will help your plants to be sturdier.

Maybe someone else with more knowledge then I have about growing under lights will be more helpful. If not you might find some helpful info here.


Newt

krops13
Full Member
Posts: 14
Joined: Thu Nov 29, 2007 8:52 pm
Location: SoCal

I think ill just wait till its warm enough
if I do a seed starter tray with a clear
plastic top outside will it keep it warm
enough? like a green house?

Newt
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Posts: 1868
Joined: Tue May 25, 2004 10:44 pm
Location: Maryland zone 7

krops13 wrote:I think ill just wait till its warm enough
if I do a seed starter tray with a clear
plastic top outside will it keep it warm
enough? like a green house?
There are so many variables outdoors that it would be risky. A greenhouse is a controlled environment.


Newt



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