!st time cantelope/watermelon grower

QuestionThis is my first time growing cantelope and watermelon. I started them from seed and I am not sure if what is growing is a weed or an plant. There are small running plants with smal green leaves and very sma

squash

QuestionMy squash has flowers on them them they close up and fall off without producing the squash.What causes this and what can i do? AnswerJenny: You have what is called a blossom drop situation. This can be cau

Tomatoe

QuestionMy tomatoe plants seem to be wilting. I have 12 planted in 2 rows and the one row has wilted to the point that it looks like it will die. What is causing this and can this be cured before it is t

container veggie problem

QuestionI have planted several tomato plants,several are heirloom, but the plant is getting very tall, not alot of fruit and on the heirloom plant when I do get a few fruit the end of the tomatoe gets black. A

Pumpkins, Butternut Squash, and Cantaloupes

QuestionQUESTION: I just discovered that all of my butternut squash, pumpkin, mini pumpkin, and cantaloupe plants are infested with squash vine borers. All of the large pumpkins are green and starting to turn orange

Bugs eating my lettuce

QuestionI am a new gardener in Seattle, WA. I planted butter lettuce this year which has been growing beautifully (due to the abundant rain this late spring/early summer period) but when I checked on it the ot

Tomatoes and Peppers

QuestionI have tomatoes and peppers in an Earth box. This worked very well for me last year. But I was wondering if I should prune them? Last year someone asked if I cut off the limbs that were not

Eggplant rowcover

QuestionHello Mike, I am trying my hand at farming this summer. I have four rows of approx 75. In my first row I have planted Black Beauty, Rosa Bianca, and Japanese eggplant along with tomatillos and v

Butternut Squash Wilt

QuestionI have 6 plants that were growing as expected and suddenly all have wilted. The leaves are green and the vines are not quite ready to send out blossoms. Coincidentally, I have 1 of 4 pumpkin plants and

tomato wilt and blossom rot

QuestionLast week my tomato plant was very lush and healthy. In the last 3 days it has wilted and the blossom ends are turning black and leathery looking. I am growing these plants in a raised bed beside squash and

Trimming diseased squash leaves

QuestionI transplanted several yellow and zucchini squash plants and within hours they and plants I had NOT transplanted had severe leaf burn. Some wilted and died, others had leaves brown and die but continue to sh

melons

QuestionFor the past two years I have been having trouble with my watermelons and cantaloupes rotting on the bottom before the are fully ripe. Can you help me fix this so I can enjoy them fresh off the vine. Answer

Radish problems

QuestionMy radishes have lots of top growth but the actual root is straight, not bulby. What am i doing worng? AnswerLisa, when the roots do not develop, it is due to a lack of potassium in the soil. There are thre

Zucchini without male flowers

QuestionMy zucchini produces all kinds of female flowers with zuchini that are little finger-sized. I see no male flowers at all. Not even any male flower stems. Do you know why my zucchini does not produce male flo

how to know when to pick a cantalope

QuestionHow do i know when its time to pick my cantalopes so they will be ripe, also watermelons? AnswerIf they are true cantaloupes, they will tell you when they are ready by coming off the vine easily. Other melo

Basil Insects

QuestionHi Elyse - For the last two years my basil starts off great then I start seeing leaves being eaten so much I cant use the plant. There are black bugs possibly a beatle with an iridescent back. T

cantelopes

Questionhow do I know by looking that a cantelope needs to be picked? How any days does it take it to mature from starting to form? AnswerKaren: You can read my answer on picking cantaloupes here: http://en.a

Tomatoes Splitting

QuestionWe received a very heavy rain this summer for a week..my garden was flooded.. before the rain my tomatoes were beautiful..after the rain they started splitting on top..vicious v shaped splits. and still doin

Zucchini; no female flowers

Questioni have three zucchini plant one of which i planted from seed and is huge. all ive been getting for well over a month now is male flowers. i live in nj not far from nyc and its been a hot year so far i also h

Pumpkins; White Spots

QuestionMy pumpkins plants have been growing great. Lots of big leaves and so many flowers and bees I thought I would have many pumpkins. I am still hoping for that. Yesterday morning I was checking them and noticed