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Old July 31, 2013   #1
Chrissykin
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Default Garden 911

I need serious help!

I was on my way to my best gardening season ever, then I went on vacation for two weeks. I came home to a mess.i had a neighbor take care of my stuff (just basic water, keep an eye on stuff etc.) all 20 of my earthboxes are on AWS.

1. My patio tomatoes in earthbox jrs are half dead. I told my friend they had to be watered daily. That didn't happen.

2. My melons and cukes are half dead and full of powdery mildew.

3. My beans are full of rust.

4. My flower gardens were so beautiful and all are half dead from lack of water.

5. A lot of corn ears are half eaten they look like they are literally shredded. I noticed a lot of gnats at the base of the stalks but no other damage. I opened one up and saw no sign of bugs. I sprayed take down at the base. But what would shred them like this?

6. The rabbits got into the yard and ate all the beets and carrots. Is it to late to start more?

I gave everything a good drink of Neptunes Harvest and threw some down all the filler tubes on my boxes along with some Tiger Bloom. I also sprayed with Exel LG. is my season shot or is there hope?

I am just sick about all this.
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Old July 31, 2013   #2
habitat_gardener
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I haven't gardened in your climate so I don't know if it's too late. What a disappointment! I know that I could never count on anyone else to spend as much time as I do on my gardens.

Sometimes gardens can bounce back. I wouldn't give up hope yet.

My corn was shredded by squirrels. Last year, when I planted a half dozen types of popcorn, I saw a squirrel coming out of my garden every time I went there, telltale shreds of cornstalk or cornsilk trailing behind, and shredded immature corn cobs hanging from the stalks.
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Old July 31, 2013   #3
b54red
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I would hit everything with the dilute bleach spray. You will know in a day or two if your melons etc. are salvageable by how many healthy leaves are left. Replanting carrots might work; it depends on how long before you get a hard freeze. Down here I don't even plant them til late fall and early winter. You still might have time for fall beans but they are very sensitive to an early frost.

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Old July 31, 2013   #4
bcday
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You still have a little time to get beets and carrots re-planted. But don't wait too long, it's getting late.
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Old July 31, 2013   #5
Chrissykin
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Thanks, I will do it in the morning. I have to go to work. I am also going to try the bleach spray. Some of my squash are dead but I am hoping to save the rest.

I sprayed everything really good the day before I left. It shows how fast things can go south.
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Old July 31, 2013   #6
Redbaron
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I recommend harvesting whatever is left, and making rabbit stew.
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Old July 31, 2013   #7
efisakov
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Next year project for me is to install an underground irrigation system to water my garden, so I can travel.
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Old July 31, 2013   #8
clkeiper
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Your corn sounds like skunks got it before you did, by one day...that is when they normally ruin the crop. I was out tonight and last night and will go tomorrow night and there after to patrol for them. I chased one out last night and again tonight. They knock the stalk down and shred the husk making it look like curling ribbon waiting to be curled.....OR coons get it too. It normally looks like a war zone when they go through it. they knock it down and take a bite here and there ruining every ear, but noooooo, they don't eat the whole ear, only a bite of each ear. I get so mad I could scream.....Our new slogan for the family... " the family that preys together, stays together..." We go together to look for the varmints....with a gun and a flashlight... the neighbors probably think we are crazy.

Plant your beans again. We are planting a new crop tomorrow. It isn't too late for them. I don't know about the carrots, but try. What do you have to loose? not too late for beets, either. They are the next thing on my list after the beans are planted.
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Old July 31, 2013   #9
luigiwu
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I'm sorry to hear this. It happened to me around the 4th of July with my SIP buckets. Since then I've rigged them all up with 1/4" tubing and a float system. It was a bit of work but I feel like the weight of the world has been lifted! I can go anywhere and do anything now! :-)
That said, I'm going to build Larry Hall's rain gutter system next. Its so much simpler than doing the tubing self-irriation thing!
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