Crooked Phal - how to make it grow straight again?
Terese (Zone 5a)
7 years ago
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arthurm2015
7 years agoTerese (Zone 5a)
7 years agoRelated Discussions
Asparagus is growing crooked!
Comments (15)It sounds like your asparagus is off to a good start with great soil prep to carry it through the years. It may be frustrating to think that you should harvest little or no asparagus this year, but remember, you will not need to replant in future years. And the harvest will get better and better for the first several years with only the addition of some compost or other nutrient source. The crown beneath your broken spear should send up more spears throughout the season. Don't worry about it. To be honest with you, if it were my bed I'm sure I'd harvest a few of the larger spears just because I would not be able to wait a WHOLE year for my own asparagus. It might affect the next year's harvest some, but it would make me happy now :) As long as the spears are allowed to grow to fronds for a few months before frost, the plant should be able to build up reserves for next year's growth. Just don't remove all the spears from any one crown or continue for more than a few weeks this year....and realize you may be reducing next year's yield, but not seriously damaging your plants. My bed is going on 20 years old and still produces well. It has gone through times of severe neglect and still cropped well. This year I am planning to remove the blackberry bushes that are trying to invade the area. That is the first real work I will have done other than yearly mulching with compost (and that didn't always even happen), light weeding, and harvesting. We harvest all we can eat from late April til the 4th of July. I could freeze some but don't like it so well that way so I usually give the extra away. Asparagus is a tough plant, a true survivor. You will enjoy the great taste of spears you grew when they are fresh from the garden....See MoreWhat new crops did you grow in 2013? Will you grow them again?
Comments (41)I've enjoyed this thread. Some of our 2013 hits and misses from first time items were: Hits Mizuna: Comes up quickly from seed, produces abundantly and is a cut and come again veggie. Tokyo Bekana Grew very well here from seed in the spring and fall. We love it raw in salads as an alternative to lettuce. Fingerling potatoes: we grew five varieties and all did well and were DELICIOUS. Did very well at the farmers' market. Zephyr summer squash. These are very delicious and showed good disease resistance and yield. Safari zuchinni. It wasn't a good year for zukes for us, but these kept coming even after the others bit the dust. Red Russian kale. Produced very well. Tasty and tender. Moon and Stars Yellow Fleshed watermelons. We really enjoyed these. Not as sweet as Crimson Sweet, of course, but crispy and delicious. Fails Lemon cucumbers. Produced poorly. They taste fine but not worth the space they take up. Won't plant again. Burgundy okra. The problem with this is that the wildlife couldn't resist it. Deer and groundhogs destroyed it, while hardly bothering the Clemson Spineless. If you can keep the critters away, this would be a good choice. But we won't bother with it again. Creasy Greens (upland cress). This didn't come up at all. Surprising since it grows wild here. We won't bother trying again. Here is a link that might be useful: White Flint Farm...See Moreanyone growing catts in straight lava rock?
Comments (13)First off, thank you Alberta for some critical info! I saw the old thread here about driving over the stuff! (Reportedly does not work.) Richard, I remember you commenting on the water retention. Hopefully this is be a benefit for those of us who can't seem to water anything enough. Hoping that larger chunks will help prevent rot.... And interesting that you use marble as well - I was wondering if that would work. I have a rough time finding granite but marble is easier to get. MrB, no one can ever have enough intermedia! Didn't we just have this conversation? Adam - I could only hope for such luck :-) At least you are not talking about one of the giants. Helga - can't comment on the lava rock that much. I have a few in it, and I water them less than the ones in straight leca or hydroton. Make sure you give them their trace minerals - remember, what's good for peeps is good for orchids. (Only partly kidding.) Hi Marci! I need to check out your photos - haven't been to the gallery in ages and I need a spots fix :P And just so I don't miss you, hi Clara! Hope things are growing well....See MorePhal bellina -- anyone growing this?
Comments (36)Clarita, no way the keikei production is not enough heat. St Louis summers are plenty hot enough for anyone. They have been out there in 95F days, with nights of about 70F, where the temperature at plant table level reaches 113 or so by 10AM. Trust me, it's hottttt. I believe the failure of the venosa hybrid to produce flower spikes and producing keikeis instead is not enough *coolth*. We'll see if I'm right this fall. This Vianosa, from Hausermann, has been a monster since I got it last summer in a 2' pot. I'll bet it will spike when the cool comes on in fall. About the fragrances of Princess K. I have had a few plants, a small Sharry Baby was one, and a couple of other oncids as well that weren't fragrant when they first bloomed on young plants that I got. But the second blooming was quite fragrant, and it wafted. So it could be a maturity thing. I hope so. I'm tired of trying for fragrances that aren't there....See MoreTerese (Zone 5a)
7 years agoTerese (Zone 5a)
7 years agoDanielle Rose
7 years agowestoh Z6
7 years ago
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