My second year of gardening

[Amanda B]

This is my second year of having a garden. I doubled the size of it this year simply because I just love to garden and see things grow. It's amazing to me to put a little tiny seed in the ground and watch it grow and produce great vegetables and fruits. I grew up in the city an never once thought I would ever grow anything and now I could seriously live in the country with a huge garden and some farm animals. I'm working on chickens for next year

I'm definitely looking forward to seeing how well it grows this year I had a good year last year. Oh and I'm also new to composting just started my bin today

[skiingjeff]

Looking good!

[pinksand]

They look great!

[Amanda B]

Thanks!!! I had forgotten how "full" my garden was last year lol. I had a few issues with cucumbers and canteloupes getting a dusty mold on the leaves and had to pull them bc they were too far gone that organic spray couldn't save them. But I reaped a good harvest from the cucumbers before that happened. I hope this year it grows like that too minus the mold

[digitS']

Interest in your plants is the right direction to take. Learning what to look for and what to do and not do isn't necessarily easy. Observation that gets down close, turns over leaves and can take a long look is what is needed.

Experience, too. That takes some time, there aren't many shortcuts.

Lots of environmental conditions, the gardener cannot control. There are things happening above the plants and in the soil that can't be anticipated or even seen. Be patient with yourself if there are a few stumbles along the way.

Steve

[Amanda B]

I am a learn as you go type of learner or else I overwhelm myself and won't do it. So last year I was going by the seat of my pants. This year I have more knowledge of what I planted. I go out most every morning and look all my plants over and pull any weeds. I believe last year my dusty leaf mold was caused by the amount of rain we got here in central illinois. I love to read about plants and the best ways to tend to a garden. I also go the most natural way I possibly can and most cost effective as well.

[rainbowgardener]

powdery mildew? In humid climates certain plants like squashes are just very prone to the powdery mildew, regardless of whether you have more rain than usual or not.

If you know you have had problems with it before, you can start spraying your squashes preventatively from the beginning. Organic fungicides include diluted milk, baking soda solution, hydrogen peroxide. Only use one at a time, but they have to be reapplied after rain, so you can rotate them. Don't forget to spray the under sides of leaves.

[Amanda B]

powdery mildew? In humid climates certain plants like squashes are just very prone to the powdery mildew, regardless of whether you have more rain than usual or not.

If you know you have had problems with it before, you can start spraying your squashes preventatively from the beginning. Organic fungicides include diluted milk, baking soda solution, hydrogen peroxide. Only use one at a time, but they have to be reapplied after rain, so you can rotate them. Don't forget to spray the under sides of leaves.

Thanks!! I'll definitely look into that. I had no idea last year what it was until it was too late. Also my cucumbers started to deform towards the end of season is that normal? I harvested hundreds of cucumbers from 3 plants.

[rainbowgardener]

Deformed cucumbers are never "normal." Would take a lot more information to say any more about it

[Amanda B]

Here is a picture of one that was picked shortly before I pulled them out. Not all of them were this deformed towards the end of the season but they all started to look abnormal in shape. They would be larger at one end and skinny towards the other end hope that makes sense.

[lakngulf]

Your garden looks great. It is exciting to watch things grow from those little seeds. Hope you can handle the mildew issues. I always have plants with this or that and I normally just go with the flow on them. Some casualties are inevitable.

On the cukes, some of mine always have a curl to them.

[Amanda B]

Some update pics of my garden and one area I refer to as the jungle lol. I've had to pull some plants due to bolting issues and I plan to plant a few more things just haven't figured out what yet. My zucchini did way better than I thought as well as the other squash so they pretty much rule the garden. I definitely over planted whoops.

[imafan26]

Cucumbers grown on the ground instead of trellising is more likely to curl (crook), nutritional issues, environmental and watering issues can also lead to crooking. Sometimes pest like thrips, white flies, mites, mealy bugs and aphids suck on the tissues and when they feed on blossoms or young fruit they cause some scarring of the fruit curls as it grows. They are still edible for the most part. If you see holes in the fruit, that may be pickle worms. Bag or net the fruit to keep the moths from laying eggs. You may have to use Bt for that.

Misshapen fruits with the bottom end fatter than the top is usually from poor pollination or in the case of parthenocarpic fruit, getting pollinated period. It takes more than one bee visit to pollinate a flower. Parthenocarpic fruit do not require pollination, so if they are pollinated the seeds develop and you get lop sided fruit.

[Amanda B]

[quote="imafan26"]Cucumbers grown on the ground instead of trellising is more likely to curl (crook), nutritional issues, environmental and watering issues can also lead to crooking. Sometimes pest like thrips, white flies, mites, mealy bugs and aphids suck on the tissues and when they feed on blossoms or young fruit they cause some scarring of the fruit curls as it grows.

Thanks!!! Most of my cucumbers grew up a trellis last year but a few were on the ground. I did have some watering issues last year as well. Too much I believe. Also I was out in the garden yesterday and already my cucumbers are not looking very good. It's been raining everyday or every other day for the last month. Everything else is doing well just the cucumbers are growing funky I'm keeping an eye on them I have a few that look normal so we'll see. Thanks again definitely very helpful advice!!

[dtizme]

I had powdery mildew with my squash plants last year that ruined them. This year I put wood chips down all around the squash plants and I haven't seen any of the mildew. Not sure if it's the wood chips that's helping or just change of conditions this year? Been gardening for a couple years now. Always learning new things just like I'm sure you are. Good soil + light + water is most of the battle here. Squash is the only plant I haven't really had success with yet. Hoping to change that this year. I grow tomatoes, peppers, onions, carrots, beets, raddish, lettuce, kale

[lexusnexus]

Very nice garden. Enjoy your produce.