kalalaukid
Just Arrived
Joined: 07 Aug 2007
Location: hawaii
Posts: 42
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| Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2007 2:31 am Post subject: making plants grow better? |
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hi im new at gardening and was wondering if there are any good first timer things to know?
thank you
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marine683
On The Way Up
Joined: 27 Jul 2007
Location: Seattle
Posts: 58
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| Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2007 2:14 am Post subject: |
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What types of things are you looking to garden? Since you have posted this in the vegetable garden area, I'm assuming you mean a vegetable garden. Let us know specifics and then maybe we can be more helpful.
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kalalaukid
Just Arrived
Joined: 07 Aug 2007
Location: hawaii
Posts: 42
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| Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2007 3:08 am Post subject: |
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Thank you,tomatoes avocados lettuce imes stuff like that I'm growing.
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lexxivexx
Showing Great Promise
Joined: 05 Aug 2007
Location: The Willamette Valley, Oregon (Map)
Posts: 276
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| Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2007 10:03 am Post subject: |
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Over watering was a big one with me. Being new at gardening, I didn't think it was possible to kill plants by too much nurturing. I also waited way too long before researching my specific plants and what they needed. For the last few months I've spent countless hours reading about my plants and it's helped a lot.
If you're having any specific problems you can't tackle, take a picture and post it here if possible.
Some good things to research are the PH levels your plants thrive on (Frank's latest blog on soil basics is great), the type of drainage they prefer and what diseases they are prone to.
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Rock and Roll Veggies!
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kalalaukid
Just Arrived
Joined: 07 Aug 2007
Location: hawaii
Posts: 42
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| Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2007 3:16 am Post subject: |
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ye ive had that same over nurturing problem lol. i planted some tomatos a few weeks ago a they just died/ eaten my catapillers the great equaler.
thank you for the input
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stratsmom
Flower Fanatic
Joined: 23 Aug 2006
Location: Southern Oregon (Map)
Posts: 1521
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| Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2007 5:32 pm Post subject: |
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I think finding the right spot for the right plant is key. That and good soil! I've been known to "Love a plant to death"  Right now I'm having trouble finding the right spot for 2 pots of montbretias that I bought. Full sun, light sun, part shade????
Deanna
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Anitra
Just Arrived
Joined: 15 Aug 2007
Location: Seattle WA (Zone 8) (Map)
Posts: 38
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| Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2007 9:52 pm Post subject: Just what I've learned... |
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I don't worry much about overwatering because we have a raised-bed garden with very sandy soil. I feel a lot more confident about it, though, since I found a little moisture probe: the "4-in-1 mini soil tester" by Luster Leaf. I got it from Amazon; you can probably find it at a garden supply store from $10 to $15 and save shipping.
The mini tester can also check light levels (which seems useless to me - I can tell whether a spot is in sun or shade!), pH (which is very useful!), and general nutrition level. You can find out what the levels of specific nutrients Nitrogen, Potassium, and Phosphorus with a very inexpensive kit, $5 or $10. To get a more detailed breakdown of magnesium, calcium, etc. you'll have to pay for a lab test; usually only commercial farmers consider that worth doing.
To be able to test moisture, pH, and N-P-K levels, though, is at the very least emotionally reassuring -- and sometimes critical. Personally, I find it a pain in the... neck, and something my Grandpa never bothered with -- but I've had more success in the garden by doing it, so (sigh) I do it.
I stick with organic fertilizers (Dr. Earth, fish emulsion, seaweed emulsion, kelp meal, bone meal, bloodmeal, cottonseed meal, compost, and wormcompost). The one thing I've probably done wrong is to try using *everything* instead of just sticking with one program.  Nothing has apparently suffered, though.
I give the heavy-feeding plants (tomatoes, cucumbers, and squash) a "foliar feed" every two weeks -- either compost tea, seaweed emulsion, or both together. I don't have enough patience to just mist the leaves, though; I use a watering can and drench both the leaves and the soil. The soil feels a lot more like live earth than the sandy dirt we started with four months ago.
The only other specific tip I have is to give your cucumbers, tomatoes, and squash lots of bonemeal and kelp! I almost lost my cucumbers and squash at first. The second batch I put in, I added bonemeal and kelp under them, and also around the older ones. Everything thrived -- including a couple of older plants I thought had died.
One other lesson -- don't let your head lettuces stand around wet! Keep an eye on them. I lost three to damp rot.
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pharmerphil
Just Arrived
Joined: 18 Jun 2007
Location: Southern Minnesota
Posts: 39
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| Posted: Sun Aug 19, 2007 11:15 am Post subject: |
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Excellent post Anitra, good precise info, and you echo the one thing I voice repeatedly as a master gardener..Soil test...it's hard to know where you have to go, if ou don't know where you are starting!
We garden 6000 sq.ft. organically, and I can bury my arm clear to the elbow anywhere in that area; however, that doesn't mean that all is good, occasional tests to assure proper PH levels, etc. is sound advice.
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kalalaukid
Just Arrived
Joined: 07 Aug 2007
Location: hawaii
Posts: 42
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| Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2007 8:43 pm Post subject: |
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thank you both for your input its all veary help full im going to try the bone meal and other fertalizers.
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