Grower Diaries

From the Archives: Curated grower diaries…

Why Are My Christmas Cactus Leaves Wilting and Limp? | Forum Diary

🍅 Quick take: In this thread, indoor gardeners troubleshoot a very common issue with the Christmas Cactus (Schlumbergera): why do the leaf segments suddenly become limp, lifeless, and shriveled? The growers debate several potential culprits, including root rot from overwatering, the lack of humidity in winter apartments, and the mistake of feeding them with traditional … Read more

How to Decide When to Plant Garlic in Early Spring | Forum Diary

🍅 Quick take: In this thread, veteran growers discuss the critical importance of measuring actual soil temperature rather than relying on air temps or old wives’ tales when planting early spring crops. The conversation also covers preventing leggy seedlings and a traditional method for curing onions in braids to prevent top-down rot. In this thread: … Read more

Growing Cucumbers in Pots for an Early Greenhouse Harvest

📌 Quick Summary: The Early Harvest Container Trick 🪴 The “Pot-on-Soil” Method: To get super early cucumbers, zucchini, or eggplants, don’t plant them directly into freezing spring greenhouse soil. Instead, plant them in black nursery pots and set those pots on top of the greenhouse beds. The black plastic absorbs the sun, heating the root … Read more

Summer is Ending, But My Tomatoes Are Still Green | Forum Diaries

📌 Quick Summary: Late Harvests & The “Small Tomato” Myth 🍅 Size Doesn’t Equal Speed: Many growers assume that small cherry or paste tomatoes will ripen much faster than giant beefsteaks. However, genetics play a bigger role than size! An early-season beefsteak will easily beat a late-season icicle tomato to the table. 🌿 The Density … Read more

Mushroom Hunting and Sick Tomatoes in a 10-Year-Old Greenhouse

📌 Quick Summary: August Harvests & Greenhouse Mysteries 🍄 Foraging & Forests: Late summer isn’t just about tomatoes! Heavy rains bring massive flushes of wild mushrooms (Porcini, Chanterelles, Aspen boletes) and unexpected forest finds, like shed moose antlers. 🏷️ The “Shape-Shifting” Tomato: Have you ever grown a famously pointed tomato variety, only for it to … Read more

Exhibition Onion Storage, Uses & Comparison | Forum Diary

📌 Quick Summary: Growing & Using Giant Sweet Onions   🧅 The Giant Onion Appeal: Growing colossal sweet onions (like the ‘Exhibition’ variety) takes patience, but the payoff is huge. When you need 3 lbs of onions for a canning recipe, you only have to peel two bulbs! ⚖️ Alternatives to Exhibition: If you want … Read more

Determinate Tomatoes Beat the Heatwave: Best Varieties and Why Some Taste Sour

📌 Quick Diary Summary: Determinates vs. Heirlooms 🔥 Heatwave Survivors: During prolonged heatwaves (95°F+ / 35°C+), tall indeterminate and exotic heirlooms often drop their blossoms due to sterile pollen. However, gardeners are finding that compact determinate (bush) varieties keep setting fruit without dropping a single truss! 🍅 Early Determinates: Determinates are early producers, but some … Read more

Beating the 97°F Heatwave: Roof Vents, Dropped Blossoms, and Tomato Success

📌 Quick Summary: Loaded Trusses, Heat and Blossom Drop in a Greenhouse 🍅 The Goal: Valeriy set out to grow several well-loaded fruit trusses on every plant. He says it worked on Bulgarian Miracle, Brandywine Covlik’s Strain, Chocolate Stripes, Japonka, Coeur Fondant, Summer Sun and Dark Galaxy, but he hasn’t figured it out for pink … Read more

Why Did My Determinate Tomatoes Grow 6 Feet Tall? (The Shade Mistake)

📌 Quick Diary Summary: Mid-July Harvests 🧄 The Whole-Bulb Garlic Trick: You don’t always have to separate garlic into cloves. If you plant a whole garlic bulb directly into a strawberry bed (as a companion plant), it will grow a cluster of slightly smaller bulbs that are just as good as single-clove plantings! 🥒 Spider … Read more