Just by way of introduction...I grew up gardening with my parents, several acres every year (in TN). When I got married in '04, I started a small garden of my own (in MO), but after a couple of years gave it up because of a lack of space. In January, we moved to SW Louisiana (zone 8b), and have a large-ish yard, so I decided to try it again. But this isn't the kind of gardening I'm used to... (this to say, I'm not an expert my any means, but I do have a little bit of experience)
In April, I planted - some plants that I bought from Lowe's, mostly seeds. The day after I planted, it began to rain. And rain. And rain some more. Out of all the stuff I planted (green beans, lettuce, I don't remember what all) NOTHING. Not even ONE seed sprouted. My plants, which were peppers and tomatos, sat there looking puny and shriveled.
So, the beginning of May, we tilled it all up, except for the plants, and I planted again. One week later, everything was up.
:
I dug up my little plants and moved them to a slightly raised row to try to get them up out of some of the water (from all the rain), and planted a few new tomato plants.
Now, a month later, it's all about the same size it was a week after it sprouted.
: All the plants look healthy, but they just aren't growing. Around the first of June, I went out a hoed around everything to kind of loosen up the soil, refertilized, and since I've been trying to water every couple of days (since it won't rain at all, now), and it's grown a tiny bit, but not much.
My green beans are about 3" high, squashes - maybe 6", corn abt. 6", and my tomatos have small tomatos on them, but the plants are only about a foot tall. The stalks (the main part of the plant) are thick and strong looking, but they just aren't going anywhere.
My pepper plants are spindly and yellow-ish.
I realize that this is 'virgin' soil - it was lawn before we got ahold of it. But I used bagged, composted cow manure (it didn't look like high quality stuff, but it was better than nothing) when I planted, and have fertilized with Miracle-Gro for veggies at least twice that I remember.
Does anybody have ANY idea what's going on here?
Any ideas? I'd like to get SOMETHING out of this mess. Most folks around here are just telling me to give it up and plant a fall garden, but I'm expecting #2 and I have a VERy active 2.5 year-old, so by fall I don't know how much digging I'm going to feel like... :yawning:
In April, I planted - some plants that I bought from Lowe's, mostly seeds. The day after I planted, it began to rain. And rain. And rain some more. Out of all the stuff I planted (green beans, lettuce, I don't remember what all) NOTHING. Not even ONE seed sprouted. My plants, which were peppers and tomatos, sat there looking puny and shriveled.
So, the beginning of May, we tilled it all up, except for the plants, and I planted again. One week later, everything was up.
:I dug up my little plants and moved them to a slightly raised row to try to get them up out of some of the water (from all the rain), and planted a few new tomato plants.
Now, a month later, it's all about the same size it was a week after it sprouted.
: All the plants look healthy, but they just aren't growing. Around the first of June, I went out a hoed around everything to kind of loosen up the soil, refertilized, and since I've been trying to water every couple of days (since it won't rain at all, now), and it's grown a tiny bit, but not much.My green beans are about 3" high, squashes - maybe 6", corn abt. 6", and my tomatos have small tomatos on them, but the plants are only about a foot tall. The stalks (the main part of the plant) are thick and strong looking, but they just aren't going anywhere.
My pepper plants are spindly and yellow-ish.
I realize that this is 'virgin' soil - it was lawn before we got ahold of it. But I used bagged, composted cow manure (it didn't look like high quality stuff, but it was better than nothing) when I planted, and have fertilized with Miracle-Gro for veggies at least twice that I remember.
Does anybody have ANY idea what's going on here?
Any ideas? I'd like to get SOMETHING out of this mess. Most folks around here are just telling me to give it up and plant a fall garden, but I'm expecting #2 and I have a VERy active 2.5 year-old, so by fall I don't know how much digging I'm going to feel like... :yawning:
Are you sure that you are watering them enough?
