Please help need advice - novice with problems
Gigi z 8A, Upstate SC, USA
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (11)
Gigi z 8A, Upstate SC, USA
7 years agoeeyore94sooregon
7 years agoRelated Discussions
novice gardener in need of watering advice
Comments (21)The garden center where I bought my plants said that I should water tomatoes and bell peppers 2x a week in the morning. I would water at 8 AM for 40 min with a super soaker hose turned on all the way, and I would discover some of my plants wilting in the sun by noon the following day. So I would water the plants again even though I was told not to water in the middle of the day. Also, my bell pepperÂs leaves were curling which I read is a sign of under watering. It developed 3 little bell peppers, but they were badly twisted and one fell off today. I just went back to the garden center today and they sold me a neat little gadget called a "Moisture meter" for $8. My bell pepper was an 8 out of 10 in terms of moisture or borderline "wet". My potted plants were 10+ or "wet". My avocado tree was 5 out of 10 or "moist". I had been watering my avocado tree and blueberry bush every 4 days and they were due for watering today. My blueberry bush was an 8 and I decided to water it according to schedule too. The man I talked to at the garden center said that it would be ok to water my plants every day if they are dry because it is very hot and dry right now. But I wonder if I should bump up the time from 40 min to say 60 min with the soaker hose. By the way, I donÂt have a lot of run off or any standing water after using the soaker hose. And my garden is heavily mulched. I am in Orange County California. Any advice?...See MoreNovice Gardener: Need advice about flowers and veggies!
Comments (1)If you live somewhere with freaky weather it is always best to sow a few seeds and then sow some two weeks to one month later to act as back up plants should the first batch not survive. Its all about timing. If they stay in their pots too long, some plants just never do as well in the garden as those that got outside and in the ground at the perfect time. You'll never be able to forecast that "perfect" time so just take the risks you're comfortable with. Hot weather lovers like morning glories and zinnias do not do any better starting them early. They just kinda sit still until things warm up so there isn't a huge advantage to starting them early. They will set seed which will over winter and sprout next year but the zinnia seedlings won't show up until summer is half over and the morning glories will show up where you don't want them and also a bit late. Two things will slow down seedlings - lack of sunlight (much stronger than indoor lighting) and lack of warmth. It is better the keep them starved for light while you wait for things to warm up outside. Cool temps bring with them all sorts of rot problems with seedlings. If you're starting large seeds of things like melons or cucumbers just stick two or three seeds in each space and then use scissors to chop off the heads of the weakest plants after they're a week or so old. No need to risk damaging roots by digging them up to thin them. The headless ones will sink back into the soil over time. The truth about roots - the roots you see when you dig up a plant are not the parts of the roots that do the actual work of drawing in water and nutrients from the soil. The real workers as far as roots go are microscopic. Only superman can see them with the naked eye (and he ain't much of a gardener!). You can gauge a plants health by looking at its roots but the damage that is done by handling baby plants is to the microscopic roots. Some plants just freak out when those roots are damaged....See MoreI am a novice gradner and need help please
Comments (2)For perennials try Sedum, Yarrow, Purple Coneflower, Black eye susans, Daylillies, Asian lillies, gayfeather, columbines, Tall Bearded Iris, Creeping Phlox. Those are some. remember to give them space because they all spread. All of these guys are heardy and drought tolerant. Don't forget to plant Rosemary, Common Thyme, Lavender, Common Sage. Great herbs to have for cooking except for Lavender of course. You can use that for other things. For annuals check the labels and see what you like. Ornamental grasses, just google it and see what you like. I have some and they grow well with little work. Good luck....See MoreHosta novice needs advice
Comments (7)First of all, thank you all. Now more info...They are under the maple tree, because I have axactly two areas of full shade, one is under a crabapple and the other under a red maple (that, to spite the fact that it has surface roots and is a pain to plant near, I love) I do not think that moisture is an issue, I am well irrigated and the ligularias and astilbes are quite happy (both are well known floppers when deprived of water in the least)... The soil is interesting, we live on a river and I have areas of clay, clay loam and damn near 100% sand, the area that the hostas are in is quite loamy, and I have been adding compost as long as I have gardened that spot. The roots, I know are an issue, I did not have a good time getting the plants in there, but it is super irrigated to compensate...maybe too well irrigated, I will have to check it out. I am pretty sure they are planted properly, I am a HOSTA newbie (because of lack of shade) but not a garden newbie, I have too many perennials and roses to count right now, as well as a well developed prairie along the river. I am well informed on how to install plants. I looked up the variety of hosta in my files, and it is "White Christmas" ...Unfortunate as it seems... I did pull on one of the brown leaves, and it did fall right into my hand. I have been looking up Hosta crown rot on the web, and it has moved into our neck of the woods, it is not common, but it is here. Not surprising with all the travel that plants do now days. The U of M web site has clues as to how to diagnose it, I will dig one up and see what I can find out. Apparently if it is crown rot, I have things to take care of so as not to create more problems for myself. Bottom line, I obviously choose the WRONG kind of hosta. But the tag did not say that it was difficult to grow, it said shade to part shade, well drained moist soil...blah blah blah, as they all do, even on catalogue web sites, you don't get detailed plant info...and it was pretty...and it was on sale, any gardener with a bad plant habit and a somewhat limited budget can understand the draw in that. So there we are, I think I will take the advice of the majority and dig em up and put in easier hostas...anyone with advice on which ones those are? Thank you all again...Helen....See MoreGigi z 8A, Upstate SC, USA
7 years agolast modified: 7 years agoGigi z 8A, Upstate SC, USA
7 years agoMaria Elena (Caribbean - USDA Zone 13a)
7 years agolast modified: 7 years agorcharles_gw (Canada)
7 years agoGigi z 8A, Upstate SC, USA
7 years agoGigi z 8A, Upstate SC, USA
7 years ago
Related Stories
TASTEMAKERSBook to Know: Design Advice in Greg Natale’s ‘The Tailored Interior’
The interior designer shares the 9 steps he uses to create cohesive, pleasing rooms
Full StoryTHE ART OF ARCHITECTURESound Advice for Designing a Home Music Studio
How to unleash your inner guitar hero without antagonizing the neighbors
Full StoryKITCHEN STORAGEKnife Shopping and Storage: Advice From a Kitchen Pro
Get your kitchen holiday ready by choosing the right knives and storing them safely and efficiently
Full StoryFARM YOUR YARDAdvice on Canyon Farming From L.A.'s Vegetable Whisperer
See how a screened garden house and raised beds help an edible garden in a Los Angeles canyon thrive
Full StoryLIFEGet the Family to Pitch In: A Mom’s Advice on Chores
Foster teamwork and a sense of ownership about housekeeping to lighten your load and even boost togetherness
Full StoryREMODELING GUIDESContractor Tips: Advice for Laundry Room Design
Thinking ahead when installing or moving a washer and dryer can prevent frustration and damage down the road
Full StoryHOME OFFICESQuiet, Please! How to Cut Noise Pollution at Home
Leaf blowers, trucks or noisy neighbors driving you berserk? These sound-reduction strategies can help you hush things up
Full StoryLIVING ROOMSA Living Room Miracle With $1,000 and a Little Help From Houzzers
Frustrated with competing focal points, Kimberlee Dray took her dilemma to the people and got her problem solved
Full StoryBATHROOM DESIGNDreaming of a Spa Tub at Home? Read This Pro Advice First
Before you float away on visions of jets and bubbles and the steamiest water around, consider these very real spa tub issues
Full StoryDECORATING GUIDES10 Design Tips Learned From the Worst Advice Ever
If these Houzzers’ tales don’t bolster the courage of your design convictions, nothing will
Full Story
rcharles_gw (Canada)