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rosie025

Please help this new gardener!

Rosie025
12 years ago

Hi Everyone,

This is my first year planting vegetables in the ground instead of pots, and I have a couple of questions...

-Did I plant my peas too late? I put my winter sowed peas in June 1st, and they looked a little ragged, so I planted some seeds along with them, which have taken off. They have just started to blossom, but will anything come from them?

-I transplanted tomato starts the same time in WOW. I talked to a woman who lives near me and she said she leaves the WOW on for the whole summer. Can anyone see a problem with this? The plants are now just starting to grow over the top of them. All are flowering and some have small tomatoes on them.

-I ended up with a small space which is left empty due to poor planning! Is there anything I can plant there this late, or should I just wait to plant cool weather greens near the end of the summer?

Thank you for any help you can give!!

Rose

p.s. I am gardening in Evergreen, so temps get a little cooler than Denver.

Comments (7)

  • Dan _Staley (5b Sunset 2B AHS 7)
    12 years ago

    Peas are late. Mine go in sometime in March, have been picking for ~ 2 weeks, maybe 2-3 weeks left.

    WOW should come off after last frost so doesn't break down in UV.

    You can give bush beans a whirl, otherwise wait a few weeks for fall crops.

    Welcome.

    Dan

  • digit
    12 years ago

    Rose, my summer garden environment is a little cooler and the season a little shorter than Denver's. (At least, the part the Weather Service keeps track of ;o).

    I think Dan is quite right that beans are your safest bet. I have also had good luck with setting out summer squash plants at this time. This year, I'm also trying some cucumber starts.

    The plants have a little bit of a head start but not much of one. If you feel a little adventuresome (careless?) and have the space, you could try dropping a few zucchini seeds in the ground.

    Steve

  • highalttransplant
    12 years ago

    I have sown zucchini seeds as late as July 4th weekend and still harvested some small zucchini before the first frost. Cucumbers sown that same weekend did not produce.

    I'm on the western side of the state, so probably a few degrees warmer than you in the summer, but our nights are cooler than Denver's.

    Bonnie

  • Skybird - z5, Denver, Colorado
    12 years ago

    Hi Rose,

    I second, and third the recommendation to stick in some beans over summer. Quick and easy crop to grow in the hot weather. Besides green beans, don't forget the possibility of wax beans too! Mild and tender, and a pretty mix with green beans! Cherokee is a good variety you should be able to easily find at local stores, probably even still the big box stores that have seeds left. (I just finally got my beans in--green pole and Cherokee wax bush--on 06.03!)

    If your space is big enough, summer squash will probably make it too, as others have said. (Didn't have the garden ready yet, so planted my squash seeds in pots on 05.30, they germinated on 06.03, and I finally got them out in the ground on 06.19. They are really taking off with the heat!)

    Dan's ahead of me on the peas! I finally got mine in the ground (seeds) on 04.16, they're covered with flowers, and I'm just a couple days away from pigging out on them! Picked four pods this morning just because I couldn't wait anymore--but I knew they were still gonna be a bit too small! By the weekend, I'm gonna be in Pea Heaven! As long as your peas are starting to flower, just hang in there and see what develops! Be sure you keep them well watered with the heat we're getting--even out there in Evergreen! With your cooler nites, I think you'll probably still get enough to enjoy!

    I've never gotten around to using WOW's (have some in the garage!!!), but I totally agree with Dan on that one! If you're planning to reuse them next year, the sun will really mess with them, and it seems to me that having them out there when the plants are big would just be a nuisance to deal with.

    For reference next year, below is a really good chart from the Extension Service about knowing when it's best to plant out what veggies.

    Welcome to RMG,
    Skybird

    Here is a link that might be useful: Vegetable Planting Guide - CSU Extension

  • Rosie025
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Thank you so much for all your suggestions! Gardening certainly is a little trial and error, isn't it?
    I think I'm going to leave the peas in just to see what happens, but I'm definitely making a note to get them in much earlier next year.
    In the empty space, I'm going to try some green beans. I already have summer squash in and think it's going to be more than I can possibly eat!
    I think I will take the WOW off this weekend. I was hoping they would be some protection from the wind, but they look really strong, so I think they will be fine.
    Thanks again! I will keep you posted on how things work out!

  • Rosie025
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Just a little update...
    I planted some green beans and can't believe how quickly they sprouted! Even with all this crazy rain, they flew out of the ground! I'm sure I will have some green beans this fall!
    I ended up pulling most of the peas since they were looking a little crispy, except for a few plants that really looked strong, and today I noticed blossoms all over them! The wonders of nature! :) I'm going to drop some more pea seeds in the ground this weekend to see if I can get a fall harvest out of them.
    I'm also going to plant some spinach this weekend. Anyone think this is too soon? Any other fall crop that's fairly simple to grow?

  • Dan _Staley (5b Sunset 2B AHS 7)
    12 years ago

    Spinach is fine, mine getting direct sown any day now (uh-huh...), I have germination in pots for lettuce and short-maturity cabbage. Other cool seasons should go very soon, the baby-harvest can wait another week-10 days. You can also sow spinach later closer to frost and cover with straw or similar and overwinter.

    Dan