Hello from Ohio, USA

[TempT]

Hi everyone,

Glad to be here. I am super new at this. I successfully grew 2 tomato plants from transfers about 2 years ago and unsuccessfully grew a cucumber transfer plant. The cucumbers were doing really well and then all of a sudden they began to grow deformed :-(

I am trying my hand at gardening again this summer

I have transferred tomato plants, a bell pepper plant, and a banana pepper plant.

I just planted okra seeds, chive seeds, and lettuce seeds in mini green houses and am waiting anxiously for them to sprout.

I also planted some green onions I bought from the grocery. I just did it to see if the roots will grow again and they are.

Oh, and my husband wants to grow watermelon, which I think is a huge task for a couple of beginners like us but we are going to try it and treat it as a learning opportunity.

Thanks,
Temp

 

[Oliver Buckle]

Welcome to the forum.
I am from England, so I have no idea what will or won't grow in your part of the world, but your favourite bean is usually a good thing to try. The seeds are large enough that they are easy to germinate and keep track of and they fix nitrogen which will improve the soil if you leave the roots in.
Rotating things so you don't grow the same thing in the same place is important, partly it stops the ground getting impoverished of the nutrients that plant uses, partly it stops disease of a particular plant getting a foothold in the soil.
Good luck.

 

[TempT]

Hi Oliver, thanks for the warm welcome.

 

[LouisFerdinand]

Bonjour, @TempT! My grandparents have grown a lot of tomatoes.

 

[Esther Knapicius]

Hello Ohio. where in Ohio. I grew up in Cleveland, then we moved to Macedonia. Graduated from Nordonia High. Left Ohio in about 1983 for PA. Have some cousins there still. Welcome.

 

[TempT]

Hello Esther, sorry for the late reply, I am just now seeing this. So I was born in Toledo, raised in Akron, and moved to Columbus for college and stayed. I like PA. I go there for bike rides. What do you grow there? Is it a container garden or do you plant in the ground?

 

[Oliver Buckle]

Looking back to your original post and the cucumbers being deformed, Quite often deformity is because something like aphid is attacking the plant. It's worth opening it up if there is any curling and looking, aphids usually make the leaf go dimpled, but there are some sorts of caterpillars that actually wrap themselves up in the leaves. Of course, being in England, I have no idea what is about in your part of the world, but it is a pretty general thing. Even if you can't catch the culprit it might be worth giving the plant a spray with something anti-bug before you give up on it.
How are your seeds doing? It is early days yet, but you may have something showing.

 

[Esther Knapicius]

Hello Esther, sorry for the late reply, I am just now seeing this. So I was born in Toledo, raised in Akron, and moved to Columbus for college and stayed. I like PA. I go there for bike rides. What do you grow there? Is it a container garden or do you plant in the ground?

Akron, Ohio, worked in the hospital there for a couple years. Don't think I visited Toledo. I plant in the ground. Will tag you to my page on this site for you to see "What do I plant".

 

[TempT]

Looking back to your original post and the cucumbers being deformed, Quite often deformity is because something like aphid is attacking the plant. It's worth opening it up if there is any curling and looking, aphids usually make the leaf go dimpled, but there are some sorts of caterpillars that actually wrap themselves up in the leaves. Of course, being in England, I have no idea what is about in your part of the world, but it is a pretty general thing. Even if you can't catch the culprit it might be worth giving the plant a spray with something anti-bug before you give up on it.
How are your seeds doing? It is early days yet, but you may have something showing.

Hi Oliver,
Thanks for your suggestions. The deformed cucumber incident happened 2 years ago so I am not able to research exactly what happened. This year, if something like that happens, I will be sure to investigate the call.

As far as my seeds, the okra, lettuce, and chives were not successful in the mini greenhouse. I think I overwatered or something or the starter soil was trash. It was very water-resistant and would weirdly bubble up when I added water. I tried again with peat pellets and was able to successfully germinate lettuce, okra, cucumbers, radishes and watermelon. They are still very young, they only have about one or two true leaves. I am now hardening them off so they can stay outside. I am now realizing that its too hot for the lettuce but I am still going to care for them and watch them grow or bolt or whatever.

I also bought some strawberry plants starts and repotted them. One of them grew a runner and I successfully planted it in another pot!

Also, my tomato, bell pepper, and banana pepper starts are doing well and are finally fruiting.

I am loving this so far.

 

[TempT]

Now I want to plant summer squash and zucchini as I hear they grow fast and easily. I also want a cherry tomato plant.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

Ahh, I think you may find that 'want list' grows and grows A word of caution, remember to leave things room to grow. Crowding things together is a common mistake, give plants half as much room again and you often get twice as much from them, and nicer.

 

[TempT]

Good advice. I am container gardening and am thinking of separating some to make sure they have enough space.