George asks…
I am doing a vegetable garden for the first time, how do I make sure I am watering correctly?
I am doing a vegetable garden for the first time. We rented a rotatiler, then added peat moss. I then planted seeds and tomato seedlings. I have been watering every morning, now I feel like it is too much. The cucumbers have not grown anymore since they popped out of the ground. The green beans lower leaves have turned yellow. I do see some tomatoes and yellow flowers. Any words of wisdom??? Thank you in advance.
GardenersCardiff answers:
There are so many factors involved in gardening it would be hard to actually determine the exact problem this way/Y!A.
1.Most vegetable gardens require FULL SUN which means 6 to 8 hours of sunlight each day.
2. Lack of water or too much water….my suggestion is buy a/ See Below either one or even both this will help you in determining just exactly what you need these can also be learning tools to help you better understand just by looking and touching the soil.
AS FOR FERTILIZER…..you pretty well can’t go wrong with foilage fertilizing/Miracle Gro or
Peters Plant food. Like with all things it can be over fertilized and you wind up with the plants and not the fruit.
PS………….Cucumbers will produce male and female blossoms/the twain will produce cucumbers.
GOOD LUCK!
……Soil Moisture Tester for Plants
PRICE:$18.99
http://www.cleanairgardening.com/moisture.html
……..Soil PH Tester
PRICE:$19.99
http://www.cleanairgardening.com/phtester.html
………Soil Test Kit
Soil Test Kit – $15.99
http://www.outsidepride.com/store/catalog/Soil-Test-Kit-p-16341.html
Why is monitoring your soil important?
Http://www.cleanairgardening.com/soiltester.html
A successful garden starts with the right soil conditions, because all plants have their preferred growing conditions.
The soil pH level will affect how well plants utilize the total nutrients available in the soil. These nutrients are the building blocks the plant requires for successful growth.
Successful growth cannot be achieved with inadequate or improper light amounts.
And even if these three growing conditions are ideal, a garden will not thrive if it is over or under watered.
Maria asks…
What would you want from a gardening website and newsletter?
For my ICT project, I’ve decided to investigate and develop a gardening website, but im not really sure what you would want from one –
What kind of information should I include on the website?
How frequently would you want a newsletter?
Would you want it by post or by e-mail?
Is there any good websites already out there (links please!!)?
and if there’s anything else you want to say about it
thanks a lot
xx
GardenersCardiff answers:
Every area has it’s own gardening challenges. It seems like most gardening advice is for people who live in California, the NorthWest or the NorthEast, and usually the gardens featured in gardening magazines are for people in these areas.
I wish I could find a website and an e-mail newsletter that was more tailored to the climate where I live. Most of the ideas I find just don’t work here! Once a month for the newsletter would be great, with tips on what I should be doing in my garden now. For instance, at pruning time, let me know which trees should be pruned and how to do different kinds of trees.
I think a lot of gardening websites try to give all the information they can cram in, and so a lot of things get skipped over. I think it would be helpful to be more specific, either to a specific geographic location or to a specific type of plant or type of gardening. You would have a more narrow audience, but for those who are needing that specific information it would be great.
Another thought I had, is you could create an individual newsletter for paid subscribers. Basically, I tell you what I have in my garden or landscape that I need help with, and you send me a few newsletters a year with specific information for me. Like, now it’s time to prune your apple trees, here’s how to do it. And now it’s time to divide and transplant your hostas, here’s how to do it. I would love a service like that! To simplify things on your end, you could offer a list of plants or other information you offer, and people could sign up for information from the your list, rather than just receiving requests for information on every random plant you’ve never heard of.
Look up Mel Bartholomew, (I think I spelled that right) he has a flower and vegetable gardening method using raised beds.
Check out High Country Gardens, they sell plants for xeriscaping.
Sites like Burpee have such a wide range of products, that it is often difficult to know if something will really work in my garden, and they don’t offer a lot of advice beyond what is in their catalog and website.
Richard asks…
Where to find a floral dress for a garden wedding?
I’m attending a ceremony for my boss who’s renewing her vows with her husband in a garden ceremony. I’m having such a hard time finding a floral, or garden style dress NOT in black. I’ve tried every store I can think of, can anyone think of any place online or in CT where I can find a great dress?
GardenersCardiff answers:
Here’s a few I found from forever21. They have so many you can definitly find one there.
Http://www.forever21.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=FOREVER21&category%5Fname=dresses&product%5Fid=2050881093&Page=all
http://www.forever21.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=FOREVER21&category%5Fname=dresses&product%5Fid=2050052526&Page=all
http://www.forever21.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=FOREVER21&category%5Fname=dresses&product%5Fid=2049832323&Page=all
http://www.forever21.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=FOREVER21&category%5Fname=dresses&product%5Fid=2048710410&Page=all
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Mary asks…
What am I doing wrong? (roses)?
I’m in my first house, first time gardening. I don’t know a lot but I like it and am trying to learn.
I made a rose garden in the early spring and bought six bare root roses from the nursery.
The lady suggested them as being easy and good for beginners. I don’t remember all of the kinds but one was called a Chicago Peace.
Anyway, I read about pruning, watering and feeding etc. and everything was going fine. They all started blooming in early May and they were gorgeous. The blooms were so nice and perfect they looked like ones at the florist.
Now, all the new buds and blooms are tiny and “duds”. They aren’t even opening before they wither and die. The plants themselves look healthy.
Please tell me what I am doing wrong or not doing.
I am in Zone 7 if it matters.
Thank you!
GardenersCardiff answers:
If the plants look healthy without any spots etc then look to see if there are and teeny tiny bugs below the flower buds. They might have aphids which will cause the symptoms you are talking about.
Betty asks…
PRETTY EASY RIDDLES!?
SOME SHORT RIDDLES
1.What is as big as you are and yet does not weigh anything?
2.What ends everything always?
3. You can hold it without using your hands or arms. What is it?
LONGER RIDDLES
1.There once was an evil wizard. He took 3 woman from their homes and turned them into rose bushes that looked exactly alike. He put them in his garden. One of the woman had a husband and children and begged the wizard to let her see them. He agreed. At night, he brought the woman to her house. In the morning he came and took her home. One day the husband decided to go rescue her. So he snuck into the wizard’s garden. He looked and looked at the 3 identical rose bushes trying to figure out which could be his wife. Suddenly, he knew the answer and he took his wife home. How did he know which rose bush was his wife?
2.I can sizzle like bacon,
I am made with an egg,
I have plenty of backbone, but lack a good leg,
I peel layers like onions, but still remain whole,
I can be long, like a flagpole, yet fit in a hole,
What am I?
GardenersCardiff answers:
Short riddles
1 Your shadow
2 The letter “G”
3 Your breath
Long riddles
1 – The wizard brought the rosebush to her home at night and returned her to the garden in the morning. Therefore, she was the only plant without dew.
2 – a snake
Carol asks…
Would these plants work in San Diego and when should I plant them?
I am a beginner gardener. I recently put grass in my back yard and have made it so that I have an 8ft flower bed going around the edge. My hope is to have a wildlife friendly garden with a butterfly garden at the sides and hopefully (in the near future) a vegetable garden at the back. I have a three year old son and am hoping to get him involved in some of the planting, maybe sunflowers and herbs to start.
I have gone on a gardening web site that will deliver bulbs and potted plants. I am considering buying the following but I need to know if these are the right choices for my location and beginner skills and what I should do to the soil before I plant them:
plants. These are preplanned gardens from the web site….
Butterfly & Hummingbird Garden
1 Black Knight Butterfly Bush
1 Keys of Heaven
3 Mixed Monarda
1 White Obedient Plant
1 Maximillian Perennila Sunflower
Easy-Care Beginner Sun Garden
1 Black Knight Butterfly Bush
1 Pink Coneflower
3 Blue Fragrant Lavender
1 Super Shasta Daisy
1 Little Business Daylily
1 Black-Eyed Susan
I also chose these because they do well in sun:
3 – Gay Butterflies Butterfly Weed
3 – Border Dahlia Mix
3 – Hardy Blue Passion Flower
1 – Apricot Princess Rose
So that’s what’s in my cart! I have not placed the order yet.
I live in Zone 9-10, San Diego. About 10 miles back from the ocean. I have mostly full sun but some partial shade areas.
What should I get? How do I prepare the soil? When do I start planting?
Any advice would be greatly appreciate.
GardenersCardiff answers:
Good Morning LondonLou,
Boy did it rain last night. I hope you got some. Like your son, I was taught gardening at the age of 3 by my uncle in the hills of Kentucky. That was sixty years ago. I do not use any pesticides or chemicals in my garden. Believe it or not, I can taste the chemicals in grocery store vegetables.
It is impossible for any one to know all the thousands of flowers that grow. Therefore, this report is what I truly know. First, I hope you have a gardener other than Nathan. For a beginner you have taken on a lot of work. This is okay, except a beginner will sometimes fail.
Your question: Flowers more than any other plants need their own ph levels. If you want to have maximum blooms from your plants, buy yourself a ph soil testing kit. They cost about $6 at Home Depot. The web site below will help you with the best ph levels per plant. This website is very important if you wish to have a yard full of beautiful flowers.
Good soil ph level will also draw earthworms. Earthworms are very important to plants. They take nutritions deep into the soil to the plant roots. Soil ph level and earthworms
go hand and hand. The worms made your job easier. These two things are the secret.
Http://www.gardenersnet.com/atoz/ph.htm
I use chicken manure for my plants. It is natural and the best all round fertilizer. You are talking about a lot of land. Therefore, you should consider making or buying yourself a good compost bin. It will save you money in the long run. If you decide to make a compost bin, hit my profile page. I have answered at least three questions on making a good compost bin.
Test the ph level of your soil now. Put down your fertilizer now. The rain will help soak it into the soil. Till (3-6 inches deep) and plant on/ or anytime after the full moon of February 28th.
Most of your flowers look okay except two. The Black Knight Butterfly Bush has been banned in Oregon for being invasive. I would check this out before purchasing.
The Hardy Blue Passion has very pretty flowers, but do you know it is a vine? Also, after the flower you get these pods which look something like a pear. They will be filled with thousands of feather like seeds.They fly all over the place. I have one along my back fence. I would not plant it in an open area.
I will repeat. I think you are in for a lot of work. Something to consider: I have nine fruit trees. You may want to consider planting a couple dwarf fruit trees. Four of my trees are planted between the house (about six feet) and my driveway. My dwarf Satsuma Mandarin Orange tree is over 20 years old. It is about six feet tall. It stays green all year. It does very well in Southern California. I also have a dwarf new improved Meyers Lemon, a three way plum, and a apricot tree. They will only get six feet tall. Hummingbirds love them, and these trees will require less up keep. We have our flowers around and in between the trees. Just something to consider. Believe me, it will come out beautiful.
One other thing before I sign off. My favorite plant is a “Bird of Paradise.” They do very well here. It will stay in bloom four months out of the year if planted in a sunny location. It is a slow grower and very easy to maintain. Cut flowers will last for weeks inside your house.
Http://Flowers.vg/flowers/paradise01.htm
Good luck little (smile) new gardener. Tell your helper hello. You and your family have a great New Year, from Los Angeles.
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