My Veggie Garden So Far!

This is around the corner from the previous picture. East side to be exact. Did a lot of work here! Used up all of my EBs so had to use some containers. I have yellow squash, golden beets, pole beans, must remember to set up a trellis for them, zucchini, spinach etc. More specific explanation as they start to grow. Meanwhile I must buy some more cedar mulch. Cost is $2.00 per bag and I'll need at least ten to cover all of my black weed cloth. Here in the south the black will reflect to much heat from the sun and the black mulch will intensify the sun's rays. Although it will feel cool the suns rays will reflect off the uncovered black mulch and cause problems. By the way, wouldn't you know that after I bought four rolls of the weed cloth at Home Depot, two weeks later, after I placed the cloth and covered around my entire home, they came out with a light brown weed cloth? I could have saved at least a hundred dollars for the cost of the mulch! Oh Well.....

Everything looks great! Definitely the complete salad-bar-in-the-making kind of garden! Sorry about your mulch misfortune, but on the bright side, it does look and smell much nicer than weedcloth...

Tplant, do you ever have problems with mosquitos in your EBs? I seem to be having a later-than-usual infestation in my yard, and that's the only place I can think of with standing water and consistently moist soil. Do you think a mosquito dunk in the reservoir would solve the problem in the future?

As always, thanks for your advice!

Jill -- Mosquitos only thrive in stagnant water! We are a mosquito haven down here and I do not have any problems pertaining to infestation in my EBs. However if you do just put a tablespoon of salad oil in the EB and that will smother any larvae.

But isn't the reservoir stagnant water? We, alas, also have a soil-dwelling type here. Not West Nile carriers, to the best of my knowledge, but itchy-bite leavers nonetheless.

Does the salad oil go over the top of the soil? Or into the reservoir? I was thinking about putting a Mosquito dunk into the reservoir somehow, but your method might be easier!

The resevoir is never stagnant as you add fresh water daily but if you have a problem just add the salad oil through the fill tube. It only takes a few drops to do the job but I'm positive your water is not stagnant. Mine isn't and no one else has ever mentioned such a problem? Are your EBs in use and if so the addition of fresh water keeps the water clean??? Mystery!!!

Speaking of water...My city is getting a much needed rain storm. 2" has fallen so far. Thanks to all of you who said a little prayer or did a little rain dance.

Tplant your pictures are lovely. Thanks for sharing.

Dreary day today as we are having a much needed dark rainy day. Great for my veggie garden and our water reserves. We have been in a drought during our normally heavy summer rainy season. This will help all the seeds that I planted. It amazes me how rain water is a "booster shot" to all plants. I know that after the rain I will see healthy sprouts. My planting time was perfect this season.
Trying to work out a support system that will go with my EB that holds my pole beans? The pole beans are planted in the EB (white) that you see in the above photo. The space is narrow. Only about five feet or so but that should not matter as pole beans go straight up so I'm told. Never grown them before! Do you think that this space is adequate? Todays weather will allow me the down time to think about it...

Hi tplant

iam new to dg iam in west palm beach and just set up six raised beds 4 x 8.
so far have six varities of tomatoes ,bush beans kenturky blue,red beet, leeks ,onions
peppers, lettuce , carrots, various herbs cukes for pickles and diva cukes everything from seeds i started,two ? I have 6 diva plants all seem to be turning white and wilting maybe i have a fungus, even tho i solarised the entire area during july and august tilled the soil added
compost and manure.everything else is doing fine,also have you ever tried potatoes.do you use spectricide on all your veggies.
let me know
thanks

sailskiff ----- Welcome to DG! Yes I use Spectricide and since have not had problems with mold. I am growing the same "Diva" cukes as you are and have been having great results and delicious cukes. Never tried potatoes but I'll bet they would do very well, however, if I did grow them it would be a variety not available in stores such as a yam which I never see anymore. The yams are more of a reddish color and juicer than the sweet potatoes. At one time they were sold side by side but I've not seen them in years.
I grow most everything in earthboxes with the exception of this season as I used my remaining (22) EBs for other veggies and as such used my cedar barrel containers. Aries44 or Flip lives in S. Miami and he does in-ground planting and I am certain he will offer his advice when he sees this thread. You reminded me that I must get out there today and spray my plants especially the cucumbers as they are the first to get anything and I do want to keep them clean.
Pictured are my four "Diva" cucumbers in one of my EBs. They are taking over that section of my garden. The Okra next to them won't budge an inch and refuses to be bullied!! LOL

Tplant - are you growing your egplants in EBs or in pots? What varieties do well for you? What are your favorites?

Not growing eggplants at this time of year as they like hot weather. All varieties do well for me...As I do prefer to grow everything in EBs but this season I over expanded thus the containers which will not produce as much as an EB but still fun.

Sailskiff, welcome to DG. Sounds like you've got a powdery mold on your cukes. I use either Ortho Garden Disease Control or copper to spray for my foilage problems. I'm also growing cukes lettuce, radishes, pole and bush beans, hot and sweet peppers and of course, tomatos. What kind of tomatos do you have?
Flip

TPlant,

I've been looking into purchasing a couple of EB's. Did you order online from their website? Also do you use their supply such as the soil, covers, etc...

Thank you so much for the above posts, everyone. It's very interesting.

Mimi

Hi Mimi --- Welcome to DG
Yes and no. Yes I did order online from their website and No I did not use their mix because of the unneccessary freight charge. The covers (2) come with the EB and are very important for the prevention of weeds and moisture retention. The container mix that I use and is also their suggestion, as an alternate, is Jungle Growth in the blue bag (2 cu ft ) and dolomitic lime both purchased at Lowes. You can use any top quality mix but never buy anything that says "SOIL".

I rigged this up for my pole beans. Attached to my EB is an EB staking system. However it is a little different as I purchased additional parts to make an extension for the beans as I've been told they grow about 8' or more tall. I have eight beans in the EB so I should have plenty. I like this system but I wasn't to sure about it when they first offered the staking system but I've changed my mind. The beans are starting to climb up the netting and it will be easier to pick them plus they will get excellent air circulation.The system is a bit pricey but considering it will last forever, in the long run, it is a good deal. I'll probably be purchasing another for my peas. Too bad this system can only be used with the newer EBs.