6 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Growing Succulents

 by Linda Parker

Take a look at the most common mistakes when it comes to succulents and learn how to avoid them.

Overwatering

One of the biggest mistakes is overwatering. I am sure you have heard this over a million times, but still can’t stop making the same mistake. If you keep doing it, the waterlogged roots will rot, the stem will become squishy, and the leaves will fall off. 

The reason for this mistakes is that on the surface, the succulent will look okay, but one day your lower leaves will become slimy and black.  The roots of the succulents are very sensitive and are susceptible to root rot, so you must be careful with the watering habits! When they are actively growing drench the soil once per week, and when they are dormant, do it once a month. Let the soil dry out completely before you water them again.

Using the Wrong Container

Succulents need well-draining containers, as ones with no drainage holes will retain too much water and your plants won’t do well in them. So, whatever planter you are using, make sure it has drainage holes first. The best choices are wood, terra cotta, or hypertufa containers.

Using the Wrong Soil

Succulent roots don’t get the water from direct contact. They absorb the water molecules in the air. Succulents don’t do well in conventional garden soil, unless you water very rarely. You will need a well draining soil, so buy a succulent mix at the closest garden center, or mix your own.

Trying to Squeeze Too Many in One Space

Succulent arrangements are just a temporary decorations even though they look amazing. Succulents can take some “squeezing” better than most plants, but sometimes close becomes too close and they fight for nutrients in the end. If you have a ham packed succulent arrangement, and you find succulents withering or dying, if might be time for some separation!

Keeping Them in a Windowless Room

When you keep succulents indoors they don’t get enough sunlight. Generally, they need six hours of sunlight daily. Remember that these naturally desert plants are ideal in some of the sunniest and driest locations.

Fertilizing Improperly

Like any other plant, succulents need a variety of macro and micro-nutrients to survive. While they get along just fine without it, sometimes a bit of fertilizer can be the key to having lush and green plants.

source: https://gardeningsoul.com

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It’s Zucchini Season! How You’ve Been Growing Them All Wrong.

 You probably think you already know how to grow a zucchini but if you live in North America … you might not.  Here’s the way to grow zucchini to make your plants last longer, take up less space and produce more. 

First off, this post has been shared half a million times. Why? Because it’s GREAT information on something we are all doing wrong.

Secondly … why would you want your zucchini plants to produce more, you’re asking?  Because of the obvious.  They’re fun to throw through people’s open car windows during zucchini season. 

Zucchini are one of those vegetables that already produce more than you ever expect them to and seem relatively easy to grow. And they are.  But you can do a MUCH better job of growing them if you’re aware of these 3 surprising things about zucchini plants.

Most surprising of all is the fact that Zucchini can perform complex math equations.

No they can’t.

Zucchini Growing Tips

Zucchini need to be pruned and staked.  For real. Like a tomato.

Zucchini can be planted VERY close together. 1 per square foot.

Powdery Mildew CAN be halted.  O.K., maybe not entirely halted but slowed wayyyyy down.

Pruning and Staking Zucchini

The only other plant in my garden that I prune more than my zucchini are my tomato plants.  Just like tomatoes, zucchini benefit hugely from pruning.  They’ll be susceptible to less disease, have a more open formation that allows easier access for bees to pollinate and they’ll take up less space.

Staking

It’s best to stake your zucchini when you first plant it, but you can still do it during the growing season.

Plant a stake right next to the main stem of the zucchini plant. I use coated metal stakes. You may not have noticed it before, but zucchini all come from one stem. That stem is just usually sprawled and dirty on the ground covered in decaying leaves. So you can’t get a good look at it.

But trust me. Zucchini have one stem, that can be staked just like a tomato. 

The earlier you do it the easier it is though.

Above you can see a zucchini plant that’s only been staked and tied once, earlier in the season with the rest of the growth just flopped over.  The leaves are being eaten by bugs, there’s no air circulation and the lower leaves near the soil are getting powdery mildew.

Pruning

You can remove ALL OF THE LEAVES FROM THE STEM THAT ARE BELOW THE LOWEST ZUCCHINI.  If you don’t already, you have to start trimming your zucchini plants.

Zucchini leaf stems are hollow UNTIL they get to the stem of the plant. There they turn solid again.  Prune your zucchini leaves right up to the stem of the plant so you don’t have any of the hollow stem left.

Hollow stem portions car harbour disease and bugs so make sure you get right close to the plant stem when removing the leaves.

See the difference from the left photograph and the right one? 

WHY PRUNE?

The developing zucchini gain all their energy from ONLY the leaves growing above them. The leaves below, are just taking energy away from the rest of the plant.

Pruning away diseased and damaged leaves helps prevent and slow powdery mildew by creating greater air circulation.

Pruning away the larger, lower leaves that aren’t contributing to the plant means you can plant more zucchini in a smaller space.

Spacing Zucchini

Most guides tell you to place zucchini plants at least 24″ apart. You don’t need that much room between them.

Plant zucchini 1′ apart in 1.5″ rows.

If you’re staking them and pruning them this is all the room they need.

Here you can see pre-pruning and staking …

And below you can see post pruning and staking.

source: https://www.theartofdoingstuff.com

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The 7 Secrets To Growing Cucumbers – How To Grow An Incredible Crop!

 When it comes to growing cucumbers, following a few key tips can make all the difference between struggling plants, or a massive harvest.

And if you love cucumbers, a big harvest means plenty of cukes for salads, fresh eating,

pickling and more! Here is a look at 7 key tips to help you grow your best crop ever:

The 7 Secrets To Growing Cucumbers

#1 Plant For Early Morning Sun

Cucumbers need a lot of sunlight to produce a bumper crop. Cucumbers rely heavily

on photosynthesis to build strong, sturdy and productive vines. A process that is

centered around the sun entirely.

Locate your crop in an area that receives a minimum of 8 hours of sunlight each day.

And if at all possible, make sure your plants receive early morning sunlight.

Early morning sunlight helps to dry off vines and foliage from early morning dew.

Dew that if left to linger, can create the perfect conditions for mildew and blight.

#2 Great Soil = Great Cucumbers

Whether planted in the ground or in containers, cucumbers need rich, fertile soil

to grow strong and thrive. In addition, that soil needs to be light and airy to allow

for good drainage.

When planting, add in 6 to 8 cups (a few shovels) of compost to each planting hole.

Compost adds vital nutrients that can easily be absorbed by the cucumber plants.

But even more, it also loosens the soil to create excellent drainage.

From pitchforks to shovels and more, there are a wide range of gardening tools that

can work well to work the compost in.

Want to build even more power? Add in a quarter cup of worm castings to the compost.

The worm castings / compost combo can make a huge difference in the health and

productivity of plants.

#3 Plant In Mounds

When planting directly in the soil, plant your crop in slightly tapered hills. In containers,

make sure the primary stem is planted above the surrounding soil as well.

Cucumber plants are highly susceptible to rot. But a bit of “raised planting”

helps keep the main plant stem out of sitting water during heavy rains or watering.

Create tapered mounds approximately 18″ in diameter, that are 3″ to 4″ high in the middle.

And remember – add in that compost!

#4 Transplants Vs. Direct Seeding

Although cucumbers can be grown easily by direct seeding, we prefer starting our

seeds early and transplanting. The added growth and strength of a transplant gives

the plant a better chance to avoid and fight dreaded cucumber beetle attacks.

When planting, plant two transplants per cucumber mound. If seeding, plant 3 seeds

and thin to the 2 strongest after a few weeks. By growing multiple vines per mound,

they intertwine for added strength.

#5  Be Careful What You Plant Nearby

What you plant around your cucumbers will play an important role in their productivity.

One thing to avoid for sure is growing cucumbers near potatoes.  

Potatoes release a substance in the soil that greatly hinders the growth of cucumbers.

And planting them nearby can have devastating effects on your cucumber crop.

But there are some crops that are highly beneficial, like radishes. When grown nearby

or with cucumbers, radishes help to repel harmful insects like cucumber beetles and

aphids that attack tender cucumber plants.

When planting cucumbers, simply seed 5 to 10 radish seeds on the edges of your

mounds. The seeds germinate fast, and will help stave away the beetles. 

#6 Crop Rotation

Cucumbers, much like tomatoes and peppers, can easily develop soil borne

disease when planted in the same space year after year.

Rotate your crop to a new location in the garden each season. This allows the soil

to recover, minimizes disease, and reduces the possibility for long-term infestation.

For best results, wait at least three years before rotating back to plant cucumbers

in the same location.

#7 Harvest Regularly

Once cucumber plants begin to grow and produce,  they need to be picked on

a regular basis to continue to produce.

When overloaded with a harvest, plants will instead put their energy towards making

existing fruit larger, and not into producing new blooms.  

In addition, cucumbers left on the vine too long will become woody, full of seeds,

and bitter. Check plants daily, cukes can go from 2″ inches to 12″ in just a day or two!

A bit of slow and steady fertilizing can help to keep plants producing as well. Apply

a light dose of compost tea or organic fertilizer ever 2 weeks until plants begin to

form their first cucumbers. Once they begin to fruit, fertilizing can cease. 

There you have it, seven huge secrets for growing cucumbers successfully.

Now get out there and grow your best crop ever!

source: https://oldworldgardenfarms.com

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