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Square Foot Gardening

what do y'all do when you've lost plants? (in your SFG)

13 years ago

Hi,

I am new to SFG this year-- I am doing a Three Sisters planting my my 4'x5' bed (on a backyard patio) with:

-Jade Blue Corn

-half the bed Cherokee Trail of Tears Beans

-other half Golden Snow Pea

-Honeynut mini-Butternut Squash

-and a row of carrots along one long side of the bed.

I started some of the seeds indoors and some direct sow as per the plant, and everything is planted outside now. But, we have had a very cool, wet Spring (you may have seen the scary storms on the news), and I think that some of my plants have given up the ghost. In particular, the peas seem to hate how wet it's been.

What do y'all do when you've lost plants?

Do you plant more of the same thing that was there, even if it's past the usual planting/sowing time?

Or do you just treat it like you would if you had harvested and choose something else to plant in its place?

We have a longish growing season here (I had tomatoes into October last year!), but I just wondered as to folks' opinions about replanting vs. new planting, and what they've done in similar situations.

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Comments (4)

ribsyhuggins
13 years ago
you remove the dead plants and plant more.
silverwind
12 years ago
I'd set more in if you think they'll be set for harvest before it's too late, sure! Think of that as more of a staggered planting range of dates. :)

If you're not sure, I would go ahead and find something compatible to set in for the time frame and the surrounding plants, or keep it prepared for a fall crop.

For what it's worth, the times I've had empty spaces in my non-raised beds I've had to fight extra battles with the weeds that try to take advantage. Might be worth a consideration.

We've had a very cold spring ourselves, and I picked up some started peas at the local box store to make up for potential losses - but I'm trying another small planting as well. Worst case, I'm out a little time and a few dollars. Best case? I have extra peas throughout a longer harvest. ;)
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granea
Original Author
12 years ago
Thanks, Silverwind! That's the kind of answer I was looking for, because it was helpful! (For any moderators reading this, I ignored Risbyhuggins, because of course I'm going to remove dead plants and put somethins else in. If he'd actually had any intention of being helpful he'd have seen that I was looking for advice as to whether I should put more of the same or something else.)

I have actually seen a perking-up in the garden since the storms passed and the draining has started. It has pointed out that the snow peas have had it, though! So I'm off to the local garden center to see if they have any snow peas. I'm a bit sad to give up the idea of growing the golden variety, but I can get over it! If I don't see any there, I'm going to try some of the seed I have left.

Thank you again!
silverwind
12 years ago
Good luck! I hate losing specific varieties.. I rarely plant lots of anything, so I tend not to have backups around. Maybe you could think on a fall crop of them? I'm not sure where you're at, but it's a possibility. Given the weather so far, I think I'll put in an extra batch of lettuce and radishes myself, see what happens. ^_^
And no problem!!

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