What's growing? The garden thread.

[Ayagi]

We have marigolds in with our peppers. Usually it is our bell peppers that are slow but they are pickable earlier than normal. I would think the jalapeños would be less sensitive to the high temps but they are slow to fruit. Did pick one little one that was turning red. They have a lot of blooms. Have everything else for salsa but them and it’s always a struggle to keep my cilantro going until I have enough tomatoes.

Understood! Same issue--we stagger plan the cilantro but it still doesn't always come out right. It tends to bolt on us pretty easily.

Agreed that the peppers can withstand some heat, but if you're getting night-time temps that aren't dipping below 75, setting fruit is problematic. We haven't had that where we are, but I know some folks who have.

I have some sriracha jalapeños that are ready, but the more garden variety ones have probably about a week before we start harvesting. But then, we are probably about 2 weeks behind what used to pass as normal across the board with the garden this year.

 

[Cyinthenorth]

Any experienced gardeners with pumpkin advice? Specifically with regards to keeping rabbits away from them? Planted in 6 spots, spaced 24" apart per the seed packets instructions. Seedlings have emerged, but the bunnies have already killed 2 of them. Hoping to figure out a plan before they get the rest of them. I know I could buy some repellant, but looking for something safe that wouldn't harm the plants nor the bunnies (at least not too much in their regard).

FWIW, pumpkins are planted inside a 2' chicken wire fenced in area. They've figured out how to either jump it or flatten it enough to climb over. Darn things.

 

[CYdTracked]

My peppers, cucumbers, lettuce, and cherry tomatoes have been producing for a couple weeks now. Been pulling onions as I need them but I try to keep as many growing as I like to have bigger ones to make fresh salsa. My roma tomatoes should be turning ripe soon I think. My yellow squash plant died so that is a lost cause and I only had about 30% of the 2 small rows of green beans come up so maybe will get enough to make a meal out of when they mature. Hoping my broccoli plants will head out in late August, despite my best efforts to keep the rabbits out every year I think one of the little ones found a way in and was munching on them earlier this year so it stunted them a bit. I tried cilantro one year and failed and figured as cheap as it is to buy a bunch at the store its just easier to buy it than grow it.

 

[CYdTracked]

Any experienced gardeners with pumpkin advice? Specifically with regards to keeping rabbits away from them? Planted in 6 spots, spaced 24" apart per the seed packets instructions. Seedling have emerged, but the bunnies have already killed 2 of them. Hoping to figure out a plan before they get the rest of them. I know I could buy some repellant, but looking for something safe that wouldn't harm the plants nor the bunnies (at least not too much in their regard).

FWIW, pumpkins are planted inside a 2' chicken wire fenced in area. They've figured out how to either jump it or flatten it enough to climb over. Darn things.

I HATE rabbits! I have my garden surrounded in 2 foot chicken wire too and found you really have to have that flush and tight so there are no holes else the younger ones will find the tiniest opening and just destroy the garden. I've tried all the different repellant sprays and granular around the perimeter too and not sure it has ever really helped but I think the more expensive ones you can get that have the fox urine in it probably do a better job than the cheap ones do. I have to steer my daughters into not picking certain kinds of flowers to plant in the spring because I have learned over the years which ones the rabbits like to eat and which ones they tend to leave alone. Have even tried putting out one of those fake owls with the swiveling heads and I don't think that has scared them away either.

 

[carvers4math]

Knock on wood, no rabbit problems this year and husband did two feet of chicken wire as well. I think our dog may make a difference, he is young and crazy as opposed to his elder statesman predecessor.

We do have deer using birdbath and eating the birdseed on the ground. Surprised they have not gone after our cabbages. We quit growing sweet corn because of them.

 

[Cyinthenorth]

I HATE rabbits! I have my garden surrounded in 2 foot chicken wire too and found you really have to have that flush and tight so there are no holes else the younger ones will find the tiniest opening and just destroy the garden. I've tried all the different repellant sprays and granular around the perimeter too and not sure it has ever really helped but I think the more expensive ones you can get that have the fox urine in it probably do a better job than the cheap ones do. I have to steer my daughters into not picking certain kinds of flowers to plant in the spring because I have learned over the years which ones the rabbits like to eat and which ones they tend to leave alone. Have even tried putting out one of those fake owls with the swiveling heads and I don't think that has scared them away either.

Yeah, my fence is pretty flush. There aren't any holes that I can tell, and I've inspected it a hundred times over by now. They definitely seem to be getting in over the top. Maybe I can find some barbed wire to put on top of the chicken wire? Seems unrealistic, lol.

 

[ISUAgronomist]

Bury the bottom of the fence 6-8". I use a 3ft fence so I still have at least 2ft above ground. Bunnies are lazy...they'll push under a regular fence way more than jump over. Yes, it's a pain in the ass to do a fence this way each year.

 

[CYdTracked]

Yeah, my fence is pretty flush. There aren't any holes that I can tell, and I've inspected it a hundred times over by now. They definitely seem to be getting in over the top. Maybe I can find some barbed wire to put on top of the chicken wire? Seems unrealistic, lol.

The farm boy in my wants to put up some electric fence but with 2 young kids that play in the backyard that would not be a good idea. Plus seems like a bit of overkill too but I'd love to find a better way to keep them out. We have 2 big dogs next door and another behind us but the rabbits are so used to them they aren't fazed by them as long as they keep their distance from the chain link fence.

 

[Cyinthenorth]

Bury the bottom of the fence 6-8". I use a 3ft fence so I still have at least 2ft above ground. Bunnies are lazy...they'll push under a regular fence way more than jump over. Yes, it's a pain in the ass to do a fence this way each year.

I'll have to check and see if they're getting in under it somehow, hadn't thought of that. Mine isn't buried, but I do have it stapled pretty tightly to some old 2 x 8, 2 x 12's that make up the border. Speaking of lazy though, I am probably not going to rip up the fence and start over at this point in the year. Damn thing took me too long to put up in the first place

 

[BigTurk]

Ours does too. My wife plants around 30 tomatoes and there are barely any out there, they get buds but then the buds die.

Our sweet corn has been amazing though.

Every gardener that I've spoken to has said it has been a bad tomato year. Me included.

My onions were doing great but a storm flattened the plants and they never recovered. I harvested a lot of really small onions.

Last weekend I planted cantaloupe and winter squash seeds. Perhaps it is too late, I don't know, but I did read predictions of a warm October so I might get something. I will wait until mid-August before planting lettuce again. My spring lettuce did great.

 

[carvers4math]

Our tomatoes are great this year but maybe it is a southern Iowa thing. We got them in really late. Also husband got these rings this year that go down in soil quite a ways, I think the point is to direct the water down by roots.

 

[Ms3r4ISU]

Cherry tomatoes coming in, already too many cucumbers and froze 10c of Shredded Zucchini. Also multiple strawberry pint? Quart? Containers worth of Raspberries. Drowning in them. Peppers about ready and we go out of town for a week soon lol. Come eat some Raspberries! Big tomatoes still getting there so I should be ok in those. Got lots of carrots and just replanted more snap peas and Spinach. Oh BEANS!! so many green beans. Froze 10 cups there too and we'll have lbs over the next couple weeks. Come take those when you get berries!

We'll be in Madison for a conference in mid-October. That work?

 

[BigTurk]

Any experienced gardeners with pumpkin advice? Specifically with regards to keeping rabbits away from them? Planted in 6 spots, spaced 24" apart per the seed packets instructions. Seedlings have emerged, but the bunnies have already killed 2 of them. Hoping to figure out a plan before they get the rest of them. I know I could buy some repellant, but looking for something safe that wouldn't harm the plants nor the bunnies (at least not too much in their regard).

FWIW, pumpkins are planted inside a 2' chicken wire fenced in area. They've figured out how to either jump it or flatten it enough to climb over. Darn things.

Bunnies used to destroy a lot of my garden and yard. Each winter they would clear cut my raspberries and I would get nothing at harvest time. I think the plants spent so much energy regrowing that they didn't have energy for fruit production. They always set to work on lilacs too. Anyway, last winter I decided to buy some rabbit food from Tractor Supply and put that out in feeders in the yard in areas I know they congregate. They ignored the raspberries this past winter and just ate the rabbit pellets and bird feeder waste. I've continued feeding the rabbits this summer. They ignored the pellets most of spring, as I think they found other edibles in the neighborhood yards, but now we are in the depths of hot dry weather their food supply is low and they eat the pellets. I am hopeful the neighborhood Cooper's Hawk and Red Tail thin the herd soon. I would love to see a bird snatch a rabbit!

Regarding fencing, I bought a three foot fence and stake it very tight to the ground all around the perimeter with tent stakes. I've not noticed any rabbit damage in the garden, and I often see the rabbits circle the garden looking for gaps. It must be working. The most plant damage I get is from birds who use the garden for dust baths and lounge spaces. And wind. The wind damage is bad this year.

I've never planted pumpkins but I wonder if/when the plants get mature enough the rabbits will ignore them. I had to fence my sunflowers because the rabbits would eat the young plants, but once the plants were tall enough, and stalk woody enough, I remove the fence because the rabbits ignore them. Could the same be true for pumpkins?

 

[carvers4math]

Bunnies used to destroy a lot of my garden and yard. Each winter they would clear cut my raspberries and I would get nothing at harvest time. I think the plants spent so much energy regrowing that they didn't have energy for fruit production. They always set to work on lilacs too. Anyway, last winter I decided to buy some rabbit food from Tractor Supply and put that out in feeders in the yard in areas I know they congregate. They ignored the raspberries this past winter and just ate the rabbit pellets and bird feeder waste. I've continued feeding the rabbits this summer. They ignored the pellets most of spring, as I think they found other edibles in the neighborhood yards, but now we are in the depths of hot dry weather their food supply is low and they eat the pellets. I am hopeful the neighborhood Cooper's Hawk and Red Tail thin the herd soon. I would love to see a bird snatch a rabbit!

Regarding fencing, I bought a three foot fence and stake it very tight to the ground all around the perimeter with tent stakes. I've not noticed any rabbit damage in the garden, and I often see the rabbits circle the garden looking for gaps. It must be working. The most plant damage I get is from birds who use the garden for dust baths and lounge spaces. And wind. The wind damage is bad this year.

I've never planted pumpkins but I wonder if/when the plants get mature enough the rabbits will ignore them. I had to fence my sunflowers because the rabbits would eat the young plants, but once the plants were tall enough, and stalk woody enough, I remove the fence because the rabbits ignore them. Could the same be true for pumpkins?

We put the bird bath in because we think they were pecking at our tomatoes for water. Seems to be working but every time I go back by the garden to refill bird feeders, literally dozens of birds take flight. We seem to have our own aviary back there

 

[cycloner29]

We got like .4" of rain last night and now all my pepper plants have like fallen over. I see why. I am seeing a lot of sun scald on them to. Just showing the good side.

 

[NWICY]

The farm boy in my wants to put up some electric fence but with 2 young kids that play in the backyard that would not be a good idea. Plus seems like a bit of overkill too but I'd love to find a better way to keep them out. We have 2 big dogs next door and another behind us but the rabbits are so used to them they aren't fazed by them as long as they keep their distance from the chain link fence.

Unless the kids are really young they will learn after the 1st time. Sounds a little harsh but most kids raised on a farm have learned the hard way about electric fences.

 

[Cyinthenorth]

Bunnies used to destroy a lot of my garden and yard. Each winter they would clear cut my raspberries and I would get nothing at harvest time. I think the plants spent so much energy regrowing that they didn't have energy for fruit production. They always set to work on lilacs too. Anyway, last winter I decided to buy some rabbit food from Tractor Supply and put that out in feeders in the yard in areas I know they congregate. They ignored the raspberries this past winter and just ate the rabbit pellets and bird feeder waste. I've continued feeding the rabbits this summer. They ignored the pellets most of spring, as I think they found other edibles in the neighborhood yards, but now we are in the depths of hot dry weather their food supply is low and they eat the pellets. I am hopeful the neighborhood Cooper's Hawk and Red Tail thin the herd soon. I would love to see a bird snatch a rabbit!

Regarding fencing, I bought a three foot fence and stake it very tight to the ground all around the perimeter with tent stakes. I've not noticed any rabbit damage in the garden, and I often see the rabbits circle the garden looking for gaps. It must be working. The most plant damage I get is from birds who use the garden for dust baths and lounge spaces. And wind. The wind damage is bad this year.

I've never planted pumpkins but I wonder if/when the plants get mature enough the rabbits will ignore them. I had to fence my sunflowers because the rabbits would eat the young plants, but once the plants were tall enough, and stalk woody enough, I remove the fence because the rabbits ignore them. Could the same be true for pumpkins?

Good info, I may have to try the pellets. We do have bird feeders close to where the pumpkins are, and I see them snacking on the stuff the birds knock down all the time, but it must not be enough for them.

I am not sure on pumpkins honestly either as it it's my first year attempting. Hopefully they get too woody like you said, and they lose interest (and hopefully I can grow them big enough to get that way before the rabbits eat them all!). I was a little surprised they even liked the pumpkin, considering I've planted other squash varieties in the past that they show no interest in whatsoever.

 

[carvers4math]

I have never planted pumpkins but I think they must be easy. We had a younger couple next door who never gardened but did manage pumpkins one year that they didn’t do much with but were prolific. May have benefitted from our dog and their dog

 

[Ms3r4ISU]

Unless the kids are really young they will learn after the 1st time. Sounds a little harsh but most kids raised on a farm have learned the hard way about electric fences.

Yep, I remember when my brother tried to cut some electric fence with either a pliers or a wire cutter. He couldn't have been more than about 6. He's now an engineer.

 

[LeaningCy]

Yep, I remember when my brother tried to cut some electric fence with either a pliers or a wire cutter. He couldn't have been more than about 6. He's now an engineer.

Yeah, my 4 year old knows not to touch it until I turn it off. She's never messed with it.