Planted four Brussel Sprouts plants in early March, which have grown extremely well, plants easily 3 ft wide, lots of lush foliage, stalks 1-1/2" diameter...but nary a "sprout". The hot weather coming will takes it toll. Years ago they did extremely well, but not this time.
Anyone with similar experience? Maybe I picked the wrong type (not sure if they were marked).

Aren't brussel sprouts typically mush better in the fall?

I forget if I've asked this before, but if you are going to do a raised bed garden, do you dig up the grass underneath? or place a tarp?

If the former, how do you dig up st. Augustine? I've never done it before...I'm only looking for maybe a 4x6' area

lazuras_dc said:

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I forget if I've asked this before, but if you are going to do a raised bed garden, do you dig up the grass underneath? or place a tarp?

If the former, how do you dig up st. Augustine? I've never done it before...I'm only looking for maybe a 4x6' area

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I dug up mine.

Placed my bed frame where I wanted it.
Went around bed with edger to cut exterior grass from bed area.
Starting from cut edge, used shovel to dig in 1-2 inches and lift up sod. After you get a foot or so done it becomes easier to go more horizontal and make more efficient removal.
Filled in and leveled off new bed area with dirt so I wasn't placing my raised bed too far below the grass level.

If you have enough square footage to be removed you could look into renting a sod cutter which will do the same thing as the shovel but much faster & cleaner.

I removed all my grass with a shovel as well. Other option that some do is just lay down cardboard and then fill with dirt. It'll kill the grass, and then decompose over time.

I'm not sure if St Augustine could grow up through a raised bed, assuming you do like a 10+" deep bed. I know Bermuda can, buy just not sure on Augustine.

I've done both. The cardboard worked really well but I also cut around the border of the bed to level the boards. The cardboard was decomposed by the time my okra plants were tree sized and the roots had penetrated into the native soil. Both ways I still have some grass intrusion.

GSS- Our brussel sprouts just started "sprouting" only about 2-3 weeks ago. They are still incredibly tiny but visible when you pick up the bottom leaves. We are leaving them in the ground to see what happens...or waiting until the heat gets them.

OK, what am I doing wrong. Gardening up here in the panhandle and nothing I have anywhere near the size that everyone else has.

The_Thinker said:

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OK, what am I doing wrong. Gardening up here in the panhandle and nothing I have anywhere near the size that everyone else has.

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If you are watering and fertilizing occasionally then you aren't doing anything wrong. I should post pics of my garden to make everyone feel better about their own garden.

amanda04 said:

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Are you located in Texas? I thought worms couldn't survive temps over 80, so am curious what you do with them when it starts to warm up.

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Hang on. I just started a worm bin this year. I know we aren't in the middle of summer heat yet but I have plenty of worms in the bin and it's been consistently over 80. I pretty much assumed if I kept the soil moist they would just keep on going. Am I wrong?

The_Thinker said:

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OK, what am I doing wrong. Gardening up here in the panhandle and nothing I have anywhere near the size that everyone else has.

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I'm down in Midland, so you and I (even more for you) have to get started a little later. Then the fun thing is that we get started earlier, but then get the oppressive heat as well. Definitely not the best climate for a garden.

My garden is barely growing right now. Of course, our last official freeze date is April 15. We had frost 3 days last week. So, I only have a few things out right now, and a lot to put in this weekend.

Just depends on where you are. In East Tennessee.

I'm in Cypress (NW Houston) and most everything is exploding. I've got a bunch of baseball size tomatoes that I am just waiting to start turning. Already starting pulling cucumbers. Several colored bells that I expect to start turning any day now and a ton of jalapenos that are pinky to index finger length.

chjoak said:

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I'm in Cypress (NW Houston) and most everything is exploding. I've got a bunch of baseball size tomatoes that I am just waiting to start turning. Already starting pulling cucumbers. Several colored bells that I expect to start turning any day now and a ton of jalapenos that are pinky to index finger length.

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Pics or it didn't happen

rootube said:

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amanda04 said:

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Are you located in Texas? I thought worms couldn't survive temps over 80, so am curious what you do with them when it starts to warm up.

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Hang on. I just started a worm bin this year. I know we aren't in the middle of summer heat yet but I have plenty of worms in the bin and it's been consistently over 80. I pretty much assumed if I kept the soil moist they would just keep on going. Am I wrong?

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Can you describe or post your setup? I've really wanted to do this since about a year ago when I realized this was actually a thing, and not just a joke on Dumb and Dumber.

That is awesome! Well done.

heat is already getting to my cucumbers. They tend to look a little wilty during the day.

chjoak said:

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Red Pear Realty said:

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chjoak said:

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I'm in Cypress (NW Houston) and most everything is exploding. I've got a bunch of baseball size tomatoes that I am just waiting to start turning. Already starting pulling cucumbers. Several colored bells that I expect to start turning any day now and a ton of jalapenos that are pinky to index finger length.

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Pics or it didn't happen

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Tomato & pepper bed


Tomato (Celebrity)


Bell


Japs


Cucumbers


Lima beans (got about 20-30 pinky length pods but the beans inside are really small right now)


Okra (little small but planted a couple weeks after everything else and from seed)


Onion & Asparagus bed


And my lone Avocado

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Not trying to pick at you, but have you considered pruning back those tomatoes? I never used to but found it keeps the garden much healthier when I do.

No. Didn't know that was something you should do. Not opposed. Just need more info.

Your garden is looking great, and makes me a little jealous. I'm doing okay out in the desert, but starting to wonder if I need to invest in some better shade cover for the garden. I have a shade cloth that I hung for 4 days when we had 4 straight days of 100+* heat, but I'd be afraid the stuff I have currently blocks too much light (up to like 75% UV block). I've notice my Cocozella squash variety does not appear to be a fan of the heat. Noticing some stress in its leaves.

Squash - left to right: Cocozella, zucchini and yellow straightneck. I harvested my first straightneck this week, will have several ready next week. Zucchini is getting close to putting on flowers.


2 Black Beauty eggplants right next to the squash. Just gave them a little trim yesterday.


A Brown Jalapeno and Grande jalapeno with a random carrot growing in between. There's also some baby brown jalapeos growing behind the carrot. There are different types of bell peppers and banana peppers growing in middle of garden. They're similar size to these jalapenos.


Clemson Spineless Okra
My transplant died, so the ones you see now are growing from seed


Burgundy Okra
Plant on right was a transplant, still kinda struggling. The ones on left are from direct sowing.


Eagle Pass Okra
Similar story to other, transplant died, these are direct sown.


Tomatoes in the back - left to right: Sunrise Bumblee Cherry, Brandywine, and Cherokee Purple


Cucumbers next to tomatoes. They're slow going. Left to right, Marketmore 76 and Boston Pickling.


Two Beefsteak Tomatoes in wine barrel. First things planted this Spring. They have some decent fruit, should be picking some soon.

Did you start indoors or sow directly?

Red Pear Realty said:

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rootube said:

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amanda04 said:

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Are you located in Texas? I thought worms couldn't survive temps over 80, so am curious what you do with them when it starts to warm up.

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Hang on. I just started a worm bin this year. I know we aren't in the middle of summer heat yet but I have plenty of worms in the bin and it's been consistently over 80. I pretty much assumed if I kept the soil moist they would just keep on going. Am I wrong?

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Can you describe or post your setup? I've really wanted to do this since about a year ago when I realized this was actually a thing, and not just a joke on Dumb and Dumber.

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I'll try to post a picture this evening. I have a 100 gallon Rubbermaid stock tank from tractor supply. I have a line from my sprinkler watering the system using a Rachio controller. It's probably overkill but I bought some worms from Jim's online. I have a feeling I could have just thrown some from a dirt pile in my backyard that would have done the trick.

XpressAg09 said:

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Did you start indoors or sow directly?

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Directly. Typically start with plants for tomatoes and peppers. Everything else is from seed. Usually put seeds in the ground mid to late Feb. Plants depend on how the weather feels and if I can find what I want. Plants are usually in the ground by mid March at the absolute latest.

Honestly don't recall my timing this year. Okra and Lima beans were late for seeds. Think tomatoes and peppers were early March due to a late-ish freeze that knocked out local supply.

Does anyone use garden shade? Is there any concern with using a 40% shade cloth at all times? I'm thinking of getting one to help my garden through the midland heat.

I'm putting a 50% shade cloth on my hoophouse between mid June and end of august.

Anybody grow old pea/ bean varieties?

XpressAg09 said:

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Got a little problem for you, Ags.

What's happening with my spaghetti squash?




And green beans

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Did you ever get an answer on this? What did you do? My beans are looking similar to these. Any help out there?

Boat Shoes said:

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chjoak said:

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Red Pear Realty said:

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chjoak said:

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I'm in Cypress (NW Houston) and most everything is exploding. I've got a bunch of baseball size tomatoes that I am just waiting to start turning. Already starting pulling cucumbers. Several colored bells that I expect to start turning any day now and a ton of jalapenos that are pinky to index finger length.

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Pics or it didn't happen

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Tomato & pepper bed


Tomato (Celebrity)


Bell


Japs


Cucumbers


Lima beans (got about 20-30 pinky length pods but the beans inside are really small right now)


Okra (little small but planted a couple weeks after everything else and from seed)


Onion & Asparagus bed


And my lone Avocado

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Not trying to pick at you, but have you considered pruning back those tomatoes? I never used to but found it keeps the garden much healthier when I do.

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My tomato plants are going insane. I felt like a had given them plenty of room but I clearly underestimated them. Whats the process of pruning them? I've never done this and had asked the master gardener (my Mom) and she said she never did either.

Are your tomatoes determinate or indeterminate? If determinate, I wouldn't prune. If indeterminate, I remove the suckers (the growth right in the crotch between the main stem and a branch). This leaves you with one main stem growing more vertically rather than several stems. I've also read removing the suckers makes your plant produce more.

My dad is a master gardener and I don't recall him ever pruning anything except peach/nectarine trees.

Someone suggested my soil wasn't ideal and that may have been the case.

I went and bought some horse compost from a riding complex near me (found on craigslist) and top dressed every bed and worked it in where I could. Not sure if cooler weather helped, or it was all the compost, but everything is much better looking now.

Some green beans could not be saved, but many are doing better now.

My tomatoes are all setting fruit. I counted 85-90 between the five original plants last Saturday. Now the transplants I replaced are setting fruit as well. Cucumbers are blooming but no bees yet so I'm trying to manually stimulate them. Some of my peppers are also starting to set lots of fruit. Okra are getting bigger finally now that the soil is warming up. It's about to be canning season.

I remove the suckers because if I didn't the plants would be even more unkempt.

Just put together my raised bed garden today. 6'x4' with 2x12's

I've got a trellis for two cucumber plants I bought.

Also plan to do Basil and mint in their own pots next to the garden.

On question I have is so I have enough room for sweet potato? Was thinking of taking one from the grocery store and sprouting it with water and planting it. I read back and forth if you should trellis the vine or not. If I don't and let it grow on the ground can I just cut it when it gets too long and wants to get outside the raised bed ?

Anything else other than sweet potato I should consider? Figured a bed of my siZe I can have the two cucumbers in the back with the trellis and put a couple more things in the front of the bed

What's this crap that's on my apple tree leaves caused from? Just planted about a month ago.