First Ever Garden

[Carol1989]

Hello,

I am working on my first EVER garden. I love seeing gardens and I can keep a plant in a pot, but inevitably it dies because I forget to water it. However I am being (what I consider high tech) for my first garden. I bought a Wi-Fi controlled timer and installed a drip irrigation system so that my plants get watered twice a day.

Everything was going alright and I seemed to be off to a great start! However I noticed some of my leaves of my plants not doing as well as the rest of the plant. I will post a timeline of my photos as soon as I can so that I can get everyone's feedback on how everything is going and looking. Until then, I am glad I found this forum and I hope to learn a lot from everyone.

 

[Beth_B]

Hi!

Where do you live, what is your USDA zone? (Click on the "5b" under my user name and it will take you to the link...) Whether you're in Florida or Alaska, big difference in the advice you'll get.

Photos would be helpful for sure. Watering twice a day seems really, really excessive, even if you're in a desert environment with your plants in containers. Where I live, I water container veggies occasionally, in-ground veggies very rarely, depending on how much rain we are getting. I have issues with too much rain sometimes...Blight and slugs mainly.

 

[Tech]

Just a tip, less water and nitrogen is your friend

 

[Carol1989]

Thank you for showing me that. I am in zone 9a.

I will also cut my watering down and will be posting photos in a few minutes. Thank you.

Hi!

Where do you live, what is your USDA zone? (Click on the "5b" under my user name and it will take you to the link...) Whether you're in Florida or Alaska, big difference in the advice you'll get.

Photos would be helpful for sure. Watering twice a day seems really, really excessive, even if you're in a desert environment with your plants in containers. Where I live, I water container veggies occasionally, in-ground veggies very rarely, depending on how much rain we are getting. I have issues with too much rain sometimes...Blight and slugs mainly.

 

[Carol1989]

Thank You! I will water less. I will take a watering away starting tomorrow.

Just a tip, less water and nitrogen is your friend

 

[Carol1989]

Here is my garden timeline (Photo heavy)

Photo 1, 2 and 3 Are of the plants in my house in the window in the little starter cups.
Photo 4 The garden area
Photo 5, 6 and 7 The irrigation and plants are planted and installed.
Photos 8 to 16 are the leaves. Is this water damage or something eating the plants?

I have cucumbers, spaghetti squash and tomatoes.

 

[roadrunner]

Judging by the pictures, I would agree to cut way back on watering, it's hard to say, but maybe only every other day, but a lot of variables. I hardly water my plants, but they are in the soil, much different than plants in a container, which I'm not too experienced in.

Much of the leaves are showing signs of "leaf miner" damage, it looks bad, but not really a major problem, at least from my experience -- I don't do anything to combat leaf miners. I suppose they could be a problem if you get a serious infestation, but I've never experienced major problems from them, usually the plant only loses a leaf or two https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leaf_miner

 

[Beth_B]

Looking good! I agree with roadrunner about the leaf miners (those squiggly lines on some leaves); they do minimal damage and I've never bothered about them.

 

[Thumper38]

I agree with Beth. Dont worry too much about the runners. But do watch how much you water them. It can be kind of difficult in a container. The soil dries out much faster than when they're in the ground. So you do have to water them more frequently. Especially when using potting soil as opposed to actual soil. Watering too often can also cause the nutrients to run out with the water. And it can get too hot for the plant seeings as there isnt a way to disperse the heat like there is in the ground.

High tech is great. But it in itself comes up with many other problems.

As to my earlier statement about watching how much you water them. Do not mistake this for saying dont water them often. There is a big difference between frequency and volume especially in planters pots and containers. Frequent watering in containers can help keep the roots cooled. But too much water can be bad. Maybe keep it at twice a day but lower the time?

Also forgive me. But I suck at plant ID. What exactly are you trying to grow?

 

[Carol1989]

I can definitely change how long I water them. Right now its an hour, but right now, each plant has its own drip of 1 gph and the timer waters for 2 minutes, shuts off for 6 to give the water time to soak in and then waters again. It does this for an hour and then turns off. It should I would think only put out 1 gallon of water in that hour.

I am trying to grow tomato's, spaghetti squash and also cucumbers. The cucumber and squash seem to be doing GREAT, especially the squash. I finally had to put a wooden down in the garden to give the squash something to hold onto.

I agree with Beth. Dont worry too much about the runners. But do watch how much you water them. It can be kind of difficult in a container. The soil dries out much faster than when they're in the ground. So you do have to water them more frequently. Especially when using potting soil as opposed to actual soil. Watering too often can also cause the nutrients to run out with the water. And it can get too hot for the plant seeings as there isnt a way to disperse the heat like there is in the ground.

High tech is great. But it in itself comes up with many other problems.

As to my earlier statement about watching how much you water them. Do not mistake this for saying dont water them often. There is a big difference between frequency and volume especially in planters pots and containers. Frequent watering in containers can help keep the roots cooled. But too much water can be bad. Maybe keep it at twice a day but lower the time?

Also forgive me. But I suck at plant ID. What exactly are you trying to grow?

 

[Carol1989]

Thank you so much! I have no idea what a leaf miner is but I will read up on them. I was getting worried because it looks like its doing a lot of damage, but my plants are also small still, but every day they look a little bigger. The squash is growing like weeds.

Judging by the pictures, I would agree to cut way back on watering, it's hard to say, but maybe only every other day, but a lot of variables. I hardly water my plants, but they are in the soil, much different than plants in a container, which I'm not too experienced in.

Much of the leaves are showing signs of "leaf miner" damage, it looks bad, but not really a major problem, at least from my experience -- I don't do anything to combat leaf miners. I suppose they could be a problem if you get a serious infestation, but I've never experienced major problems from them, usually the plant only loses a leaf or two https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leaf_miner

 

[Carol1989]

Thank you! I am so excited everything is growing alright so far, other than the leaf miners.

My tomatoes are little a little troublesome but we will see.

Looking good! I agree with roadrunner about the leaf miners (those squiggly lines on some leaves); they do minimal damage and I've never bothered about them.

 

[Carol1989]

Is it true the ground cinnamon will help deter ants from crawling over my garden? I am going to be hopefully getting a bee hive (hopefully over the summer still talking to my parents about it, it depends on if they split their hive this year or not) and so I am trying to not use any pesticides.

 

[Beth_B]

Good for you (not using pesticides.) Don't know about cinnamon, but borax will repel ants. Don't put it in the soil, just sprinkle a ring around each container.

I usually find some ants in the soil when I'm digging in the spring, little black ones. I feel bad for disturbing them, really! (I'm sure I wouldn't feel one bit bad about it if they were fire ants, but the wee black ones don't seem to bother anything.)

 

[headfullofbees]

Just a tip, less water and nitrogen is your friend

A little dilute Epsom salts would also help.