Feeling a little blue

[nachoqtpie]

So... I'm a little down today. Even tho we've been watering, and everything has been getting PLENTY of light... our tomato plants which have been in the ground now for about a week, have yet to start growing again... and some of them are actually dying or dead! Same goes with the cucumbers! I've put new seeds in the ground where some of the ones that have died were and they haven't even come up.

My beans look REALLY good... but I planted them way too close together, so, now I'm not sure that they will do so well.

I can't tell what is grass and what is plants in the onion/carrot bed. There are a few that I think might be onions, but I really can't tell. I don't think any of the carrots have come up... all of that looks like grass.

The peppers haven't come up at all... tho the ones inside have, but those are hot peppers and we want sweet peppers outside.

The pumpkins and watermelon are doing rather well and I'm not real worried about them, but I think Monk will be heartbroken when he finds out that he has to thin out the hill that all of the seeds sprouted in. They're very close together.

The corn is doing well too... except some of it doesn't look like it's going to come up. Next week we're supposed to plant another round... tho I'm a bit hesitant because it's been SO hot.

My neighbor came over to show off her giant zucchini... and I don't even have tomato plants big enough for cages yet! They're all so small... and puny! I have one plant left from the seeds we started inside and it looks SO much better than the ones outside... and we planted them outside because we thought they would do better!

I guess today I just need someone to tell me I didn't screw up our entire garden by planting so late. *sigh*

 

[digitS']

I'll allow someone from your location talk about late & early - just, hard lessons from me.

Tell Monk, and yourself, that you have to make some hard choices in life. That ground and pumpkin patch is your responsibility and you will have to pick winners and losers and give those plants that can grow, a break. Don't force them into lives of deprivation because all that seed sprouted. (Truth be told, they are all in it together as Lord Bean and Master Pumpkin, an interconnected collective with reproduction as the prime imperative. We are just their slaves, growing them by the acre each year!)

This website may be of help with photo's, id'ing seedlings: Westside Gardener.

Now, just relax, qt, and realize that you have made major steps just getting that ground ready and planted. Understand that even experienced gardeners stumble along the best they can in conditions that they cannot control anyway. And, you are NOT in competition with your neighbors!

Steve

 

[nachoqtpie]

Thanks Steve. I guess I need to be thankful for what HAS come up and is doing well. I'll put some more seed in the ground for the cucumbers... and maybe I'll start a couple more tomatoes inside to transplant instead of just starting the seeds outside.

I know it's not a competition... it just seems like every other garden looks nice and luscious and then you have our tiny lil garden... LOL

I know this is our first year, but I was hoping to at least get some tomatoes... which are supposed to be the easiest to grow!!

 

[lesa]

Don't despair! Growing plants from seeds is no easy task! The first year I started tomato seeds inside, I didn't end up planting one of them! Memorial Day is over, the sales will begin. Go find yourself some "clearance" tomatoes and get them planted. If they are tall and leggy, just bury them deep.
No matter how long you garden every year is a learning experience. Those pics of lush gardens are a result of a lot of trial and error! Not many people take pictures of stuff that didn't end up lush and green!!
I planted about 4 feet of beet seeds- something I grow every year with success- and one came up! So, tonight, I plant again!
Happy Gardening!!

 

[i_am2bz]

Go back & read your post "Amazing", nachoqtpie. Remember your euphoria when everything started sprouting?

Okay, here's the downside of gardening.

I've tried growing broccoli 2 years now....pfffft.

Last year, my green peppers turned out okay. This year...pffft.

Radishes....pffft.

Pretty much everything I tried from seed & then transplanting...(okay, say it with me!)...pffft.

If that's all I looked at, I'd prolly give up, too! But my lettuce has been doing great, my 'maters have dozens of little green golf balls, & I have pickle-sized cukes! Hurray!!!

And yesterday I pulled up my first carrot!!

So...gardening can be a rollercoaster. Take the good with the bad.

 

[vfem]

I like i_am's approach! Stop and look at your successes as inspiration!

When you planted your tomatoes, did you bury them deep? I usually break off the bottom couple of branches and plant 80% of the plant deep down to get those roots happy down there. Adding some bone meal and crushed egg shell to help a bit.

Honestly, it sounds like the incredible heat we've been suffering is bothering them too. Give them time though, don't give up on them!

 

[nachoqtpie]

I did... I reread it.. LOL I'm still excited about those things... I just wish that my 'maters were doing better. I'm trying to convince hubby to let the poor lil plants to try and catch up... but I don't know that they will.

He wants to go and get Miracle Grow... LOL I may just let him go ahead and win... and get the plants.

I did go outside again this afternoon and a few more corn popped up. That did put a smile on my face.

I guess the moral of the story here is... start plants earlier in peat pots for easier transplant... and transplant before it gets sweltering hot and it COOKS the plants... LOL

 

[lesa]

Were you very gradual in your hardening off process?? Just dying, kind of sounds like they baked. Even though I took my tomatoes in and out, more times than I can count- they still got a little sunburned....

 

[nachoqtpie]

I did do a hardening off... but... I put them in the ground on a nice late spring day and then 2 days later started our heat wave!

There hasn't been a high less than 90 for going on 2 weeks I would guess!

I HOPING that the heat has just stunted them...

 

[patandchickens]

Once they are in the ground, the hardening-off process is not over. You have to still protect them from excessive wind/heat/drought/sun at first, if you don't have the ideal "week of mild cloudy weather with sprinkles".

But, live and learn . And probably SOME will make it and you will get SOME tomatoes... they're a pretty tough plant, if you've got a reasonably long season anyhow.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat