re: 2023 Spring Garden Thread

We grew tons of these in NELA growing up. We never staked them.

Two weeks straight rain right after I planted with me not having good drainage stunted the growth on my stuff big time. The jalapeños are growing like crazy but my tomatoes, banana peppers, bell peppers, cucumbers, and tomatoes are weak. Since I posted on here and poked holes for drainage they do look a little better than this now at least This was last week. There’s no yellowing now.










On a positive note, my flowers are kicking butt. Need to take some photos of my hydrangeas and knockout roses.








Also, the bog filter I made for my koi/goldfish pond has made the water crystal clear. Natural filtration for the win.

quote:

---

I wish I had known about this before destroying mine.

---

It's seriously amazing. I was ready to pull my hair out with store bought filters from petsmart not working. I tried every filter possible and cleaned them out weekly. Even buying one of the big overhanging umbrellas to cover it to keep the sun off of it didn't help with stopping the algae. I was ready to bust mine up too. It stayed dark green to where you could barely see the fish unless they came up to feed.

Built a bog filter and within a day it was clearing up and within 3-4 days (I took the rocks out and power washed the algae off them) the water was crystal clear. You could drop a penny in the deep end and see it. And my first bog was actually too small and it still did the trick. I ended up doing this one and added a flush out valve to flush the algae that builds up at the bottom. So the only maintenance needed is to turn the pump off once a month, open the valve and let the water flush out of the bog.

I did exactly what you've done and mine look just like that. My hope is they don't get any taller. If they, I plan on just topping them. Plenty of fruit at the lower levels.

quote:

---

I did exactly what you've done and mine look just like that. My hope is they don't get any taller. If they, I plan on just topping them. Plenty of fruit at the lower levels.

---

You can cut off as much of the tops as you'd like. Imagine the nutrient requirement to sustain a plant that tall, and those nutrients will then be going to your fruit set. Going to have to stay on top of the suckers though

I nip mine at about 5 feet that's the top of my stakes.

quote:

---

Going to have to stay on top of the suckers though

---

I have been meticulous with those. I have separate pots with multiple new plants started from the larger ones.

I don't know man, I have the complete opposite issue, mine won't grow

Probably could build some stakes out of 1x2's with cross bracing. That's what I was planning on doing if mine got too big.

I've been noticing this bug hanging around the tomato plants. Anyone know if I should get rid of them or let them be.

I figure I have maybe a month left on my plants. Not sure they will set anymore fruit.

Leaf footed bug. Sap sucker similar to stinkbugs. Can transmit viruses to plants and can cause a lot of damage to whatever fruit they're sucking on.
And just like stinkbugs, they stink when handled or squished.

quote:

---

Squished it with prejudice this morning.

---

Good. Yep, leaf-footed bug. They are some nasty SOB’s and are hard to control once they are adults.