Questions for the fruit and vegetable gardeners amongst us

Neem Oil and Spinosad are what I would recommend too.

I have found the chicken poo is too "strong" so I mix it in one of my compost piles and age it a year for my organic garden, of course I don't use spinosad in it.

I don't know much but I do know that daily attention is necessary for an excellent garden.

Hot green peppers? Jalapenos?

 

No frost 'til January. Sigh. I wore my long johns under my Wranglers to work today. The readout on my pickup said 40F (4 Celsius). We'll have frost any day now. The good news is that we bought a place just above the Washington border in the British Columbia interior. We'll be moving out there in a month or so. We'll have an organic garden in next spring and will be planting fruit trees. it's not Texas but there's not too much of a winter there, spring comes early and the frost comes late. Hopefully, I'll be able to answer your questions next year. No frost 'til January, eh? Sighs again.
Jim

 

Make sure the cukes get the most ventilation. They're the most likely to be overtaken by funk.

The peppers can tolerate the most abuse, IMO. With the tomatoes, you gotta keep the growth going; don't let the fruit slow down in its building size, then ripeness.

Fresh manure doesn't belong near the plants, but by 1 year a lot of the value is long gone. Get new manure into a compost heap now, it could be useful in late October.

 

My cucs were in a raised bed with full sun and kind of struggled even though our summer was wetter and cooler then normal. I would give them the least sunny spot. Once established hot peppers can get by with less water then most vegetables. In my experience raised beds require more water and therefore regular feeding to keep things going.

Wish I could get motivated to do a fall garden. By the time I should plant I'm struggling to keep up with my summer stuff.

 

It's a good idea to get your soil tested to see where you stand with nutrient and PH levels. Each state has a Land Grant University, ours is Penn State. You should have an extension office in your county, and they will hook you up with the info on that. Our local extension office has loads of free info on gardening. They also run seminars on all types of things like composting and pest control.
Its so cool to eat good stuff that you grew yourself.

 

I'm a conventional farmer, so I won't make specific recommendations regarding organic, but your tomatoes will need calcium to prevent them from developing blossom end rot. Nitrogen is needed to keep all your plants green and growing.
As far as sunlight and water go, they will all benefit from full sun and regular water. Don't let the tomatoes get dry then over compensate with too much water at once. They will take on too much and will grow so fast they will develop cracks in the tomatoes themselves. Consistent moisture is what you want.
To check your soil moisture level, dig down a couple inches, get a handful of dirt and squeeze it. It should be just moist enough to retain the shape without crumbling, or squeezing through your fingers like mud.

 

I have watched enough tomatoes and peppers grow. Pull the weeds. They don't seem to care if they are in direct sun or next to a house. Don't have to worry a lot about over watering them. Water and miracle grow and they just take off. I know it's not organic but it works. If I was going to grow them myself. I don't think I would go organic. I would try compost though. I would give them a spritz of water with a couple drops of soap on the fruits and veggies to keep the insects off. I think that's enough to keep the insects away. If not I would go a full on insecticide. You don't need it. Tomatoes and peppers don't have huge bug problems. I'd just be wanting as big of a harvest as possible. Home grown fruits and vegetables are the best.

 

Hey Big Bend, I'm in Kingwood and I've grown tomatoes and peppers this year as well. The peppers get full sun for about 7 hours a day and they are really producing. My tomatoes are getting about 5-6 hours a day where they are planted. They are not going crazy like the peppers, but still produced nicely. I have not used anything organic, so I can't comment on that.

 

I like to use Peruvian Seabird Guano. Both Vegetative and flowering formula and combine them.

I also like to add Kelp Meal into my mix and also AZOMITE.

Also make sure the PH is correct after treatment.

 

This is all great advice. I learned that too much Nitrogen (in what ever form you choose) on tomatoes causes them to become "leggy", meaning they put too much energy into the vine growth and not enough into blossoming and fruit bearing. I'm only a large pot, back deck tomato grower/lover so my milage may vary...

 

Yes to much NItron=gen will make them want to kepp Vegetating and Will hinder Flower formation.

In my Seabird Mixes I use a 2:1 in favor of the Higher Phosphorus formula.

Something like 2 teaspoons of the Flowering mix and 1tsp of the Higher Nitrogen per gallon of soil.

The directions are on the containers.

Also if you want to go Chemical.. Better Grow Orchid Food is Great and also contains Magnesium.. Which is The Main Deficiency for Container Gardening. Rapid Grow and all that other stuff Doesn't contain Mag.

They contain Manganese not to be confused with MAG.

MAG deficiency also mimmicks Nitrogen deficiency and will stung growth/flowering.

Also aim for around 6.2 PH. I also recommend PROMIX BX for soiless mixture. Forget dirt if you can. Worm Castings are also good.

The Promix contains Benifical Bacteria. Micorise that the roots like and also help in the uptake of food and water and immune system.

Kelp also contains a Growth Regulator.

Kelp is 1 of the fastest growing plants. It can grow 1-3 feet per day and also contains Many trace Minerals. As does AZOMITE.

 

superthrive (vitamins)

alaskan fish fertilizer & the "more bloom" mixed

also cold frames and row covers for frost zones

aquaculture with fish

ph and limestone

safers soap

 

You'll love it in BC. I never looked back after I moved from Ontario. Plant some peach trees!

 

Well I don't know abour you, but here in Texas it hasn't gone below 75 in a looonnnngg time. And it only gets that way late at night. And I'm talking about Dallas where I live. 40 Celsius is pretty cold by me but it's definitely not like that in Texas right now. I'd give it till December.