Still can't figure out what's wrong

16 years ago

I'm baffled at what is going wrong with some of my plants. I used Mel's mix and to be honest, I have been somewhat disappointed.

My watermelon, pumpkin, cucumbers, winter squash, and peas (in spring) all have the same problem. The leaves at the base of the plant turn light green, then yellow and then they turn brown beginning on the outside of the leaves followed by the entire leaf turning brown and then dying. This process slowly continues up the plant until the entire thing dies. I am watering regularly and my other plants (peppers/tomatoes/onions/potatoes) don't seem to have any problems. Does anyone have any ideas what may be going on?

I have found it frustrating to have spent so much money on this mix only to have half of my plants die. Especially when my neighbor's garden planted 2 feet away in the ground looks fantastic. :(

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (6)

gumby_ct
16 years ago
Easy solution here: Find out what your neighbor is doing different!

I am watering regularly... really gives no clues.
What does that mean? How much? How often? Put anything in the water? Where do you get the water from?

I have a sneaking suspicion you are killing with kindness. Which is a politically correct (PC) way of saying you are overwatering the affected plants. Back off on the "regular" watering schedule to see if there is a change.

Honestly now, is it Mel's mix? Or "your mix" you call Mel's mix?

Don't be put off. Give it a try. What have you got to loose?

HTH,
Gumby_CT
boyz
Original Author
16 years ago
I followed mel's mix recipe to the letter. I have been watering daily or every other day because it has been close to 100 each day. Before I water I stick my finger into the soil several inches to see if the soil is dry. I water with regular water from my hose, nothing added. I hand water everything. I would be more than willing to back off on watering if that is the reason. I have noticed that if I skip watering more than 2 days my peppers start to droop.

I just can't figure out why half my plants seems to be thriving (tomatoes/tomatillos/onions/radishes/peppers/potatoes) and the other half (squash/wtrmelon/pumpkin/peas/cuc's) are not. They are all intermixed in 4 beds.
Related Discussions
Argh, I can't figure out what is wrong with my peas!
Q
Comments (27)
I cut the fronts off the bags and parts of the bottom (though mostly I couldn't get to the bottom without upsetting everything). The soil was evenly moist all the way through, so I think that answers the drainage question. But there were two places which looked a bit root-bound. Which means they are probably root-bound in the places I can't see as well. It's not super bad, but that might be part of the problem. Kind of a bummer. I didn't have root issues when I grew them in a container this size before (which is why I thought it would work), but I forgot to take into account that they were not planted so closely (I think they were more like 4 inches apart in that container). I hope opening up the bags helps. =P
...See More
Can't figure out what to do with this cornerï¿½.
Q
Comments (13)
Santa, keep in mind that is is perception which determines an impression. Most people who see it will never have the experience of actually using your front walk approach. While it may physically work, visually, its curb appeal value is questionable. A sense of spaciousness is not created just by there being space at a given point, but by it appearing that that the space exists before one arrives ... that as one lays out the path of travel in their mind, they have certainty that there is room for it. One needs to see where one is going before one gets there. If you've ever driven a tallish van into a parking garage you could get the sense that the top of the vehicle might be scraped by the garage ceiling. If you get out of the vehicle and eyeball the clearance, it's apparent that there is plenty. Nevertheless, the feeling of looming decapitation follows the search for a parking place. Because the walk at your house is not any wider than the necessary minimum, the "S" curve, and it's being planted on both sides ... instead of a feeling of spaciousness there is a feeling of "be careful you step." It doesn't help that flanking the walk -- instead of smooth, guiding lines and shapes -- there is a hectic mix of sharp angles and odd shapes greeting the first time visitor. ...Very odd shapes. It's incomprehensible to me, really, how such a bed shape could come to be if not entirely by accident. It does not look as if someone intentionally created this bed as a whole, but rather that it is left over pieces created in isolation of each other piece. Interestingly enough, the house itself gives the impression of being, at minimum, quite comfortable inside ... possibly even luxurious. But the approach to the front door looks out of sync with these concepts. (edited to add word) This post was edited by Yardvaark on Mon, Jul 28, 14 at 0:34
...See More
Can't figure out what these shrubs are & if worth to relocate
Q
Comments (21)
Got a dry basement? If so then no need to be in any emergency hurry to deal with these shrubs. Opening up the view from the windows is an important concern, since that will increase the natural light but with that will increase heating from the sunshine, possibly requiring additional air conditioning. For security and privacy as well you do not want screened outside access to your ground floor windows either. If those are rhododendrons blooming in the background of that last picture, you can see how cutting back the leggy ones can be done to produce a much shorter shrub, since it looks like there is very similar bloom on both a high and a low level. If you can get enough low level branching, you may very easily be able to keep those rhododendrons at or below window height. Looks like that has been applied to some of them already. That's what I would try first and then only where the windows need to be opened up. "Savagely" cut them back to about a third to no more than half the height you eventually want them, and do it now so breaking buds will have enough time to mature enough to survive the coming winter. You will want as many stem buds to break as possible as low as possible or all you will get is a return to legginess. It would probably be a good idea to count on going back in next year and shortening the new growth so that it branches, too. After that all you should really need is a little touch up type of maintenance. Be a bit less "savage" on the lateral branches than on the uprights. Too many rhododendrons is not a problem we have here in Minnesota. We are either too far north and so too harsh or too far west and so too arid for most of them to even be native around here much less do well when introduced. We also tend to have too high pH soil. I sorta envy the problem you have. I have one little, scrawny PJM that has been in place since the 80's, and that is all I have been able to keep.
...See More
Lots of pepper flowers falling, can't figure out whats wrong
Q
Comments (1)
What is your weather like ? Hot ? Humid ? Recently we had a heat wave. I noticed a lot of blossom drops on my peppers. Very few were setting.
...See More
gumby_ct
16 years ago
Alrighty then. The finger in the soil, I forgot to mention until after I submitted. How does it normally feel?

Believe it or not - plants recover more easily from wilting (not enuff water) than from too much water (drowning).

When troubleshooting any problem, I believe in starting with the basics (usu. the easy stuff) also easy to overlook. Rule stuff in or out. So watering is a good place to start.

I would also encourage you to talk to your neighbor. Just a casual conversation complimenting them on their plants and maybe comparing yours. Ask what they think?

You would be surprised at times even talking with someone who has NO understanding of what you are doing (say the janitor) will often not be biased and point out what is obvious to them, it does work.

About the Mel's mix - I have never used it and never made my own. When I think of "Mel's mix" - to me if it isn't the purchased "Mel's mix" then it should be called "MY MIX". Even following the recipe to the letter, to me, is a home mix. But I wouldn't make that leap just yet, unless there are some deviations in how you made it. Certainly, only you can determine that.

If you made a cake from scratch - would you call it Betty Crocker?

-- They are all intermixed in 4 beds.
A better understanding of this and/or a picture would be helpful. Notice any powdery mildew? Look under (backside) the affected leaves for insects? Anything stand out? Maybe just a closer inspection in general? Something else affecting the roots? Moles/voles/chipmunks tunneling thru the roots?

For every thing there is a reason.

Good Luck,
Gumby_CT
fishymamas
16 years ago
Unless I am completely confused (happens at times), I believe I saw in the book I checked out from the library (an older edition) that there was a recipie to duplicate mel's mix, Does mel sell his mix pre-done now? I believe the OP used the mel-issued recipie (at least that's how I read it).
veganmom30
16 years ago
Other than the peas, aren't those all curcurbits? (New gardener, so I'm not sure... but if all those affect plants are in the same family, that's one clue.

Here's an article with pix of curcurbit problems:

http://www.extension.iastate.edu/Publications/PM1049.pdf

V.
justaguy2
16 years ago
What you described is semi normal for peas with a fungal disease and normal for most plants lacking nitrogen.

While I use Mel's mix I also add a nitrogen source as compost really doesn't provide enough nitrogen for veggies and of course there is a lot of stuff called compost that is quite different from the next thing.

In general leaves lightening then yellowing then dying means a nitrogen problem.

The most common reasons for a nitrogen problem are over watering and then lack of nitrogen.

Review your watering practices and if that isn't it add a nitrogen source and see what affect that has.

Still can't figure out what's wrong

Comments (6)

gumby_ct

boyz
Original Author

Related Discussions

gumby_ct

fishymamas

veganmom30

justaguy2

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Still can't figure out what's wrong

Comments (6)

gumby_ct

boyzOriginal Author

Related Discussions

gumby_ct

fishymamas

veganmom30

justaguy2

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

boyz
Original Author