Newbie question

[ginger2778]

I am learning,having never grown sugar snap peas, cucumbers, or pole beans before. My question is, these are getting tall very fast, and I have them in 4 inch pots because they are going to be sold for my garden club's plant sale in late October. This is a charity event, so I would like them to look somewhat professional. What would you all do to support them and keep them in the small pot? ( how to " trellis" them). Also, please let me know if my timing was wrong for when I planted because I really havent got a clue yet. Except for tomatoes, I am a clueless rube! LOL

Marsha

[jerryinfla]

Marsha -

Pole beans, sugar snap peas and cucumbers grow very fast and will outgrow a 4" pot and anything you try to trellis them with long before late October. So, yes your timing was off for starting them. I suggest you keep what you have for yourself and start new ones for your charity event about two or three weeks before the event.

[ginger2778]

Originally Posted by jerryinfla

Marsha -

Pole beans, sugar snap peas and cucumbers grow very fast and will outgrow a 4" pot and anything you try to trellis them with long before late October. So, yes your timing was off for starting them. I suggest you keep what you have for yourself and start new ones for your charity event about two or three weeks before the event.

Ill take your suggestion.
Thanks Jerry.

Ok, so when I start them 2 or 3 weeks before, how should I stake them? I have wood skewers, would that work? What should I use to fasten them to the skewers?
I have green garden tape, could I use that?

I feel so ignorant, must learn!

Marsha

[Doug9345]

Generally beans don't like transplanting. In 5 weeks the pole beans would be 5 feet or more tall in the ground. For timing, look at what you have now. If they look the right size to sell, take how long they have been growing back that amount of time back from the sale and start the plants. Maybe I'd add a couple of days because it's cooler now if you started them outside.

[ginger2778]

Originally Posted by Doug9345

Generally beans don't like transplanting. In 5 weeks the pole beans would be 5 feet or more tall in the ground. For timing, look at what you have now. If they look the right size to sell, take how long they have been growing back that amount of time back from the sale and start the plants. Maybe I'd ad a couple of days because it's cooler now if you started them outside.

wow, Iwish it was cooler but we are still high 80s,low 90s.
so if they shouldn't be transplanted, should i even bring some to market for the sale?
Marsha

[Doug9345]

I don't think I would. If people are disapointed in them they may be hesitant to buy things at the sale in the future. In warm grown beans just germinate and grow to fast to bother with transplanting.

[ginger2778]

Originally Posted by Doug9345

I don't think I would. If people are disapointed in them they may be hesitant to buy things at the sale in the future. In warm grown beans just germinate and grow to fast to bother with transplanting.

Thanks Doug, I am going to leave them out. Same for Sugar Snap Peas? They don't transplant well either?
Marsha

[Doug9345]

I don't know about the peas. I've never transplanted any kind of pea.

[jerryinfla]

Marsha -

Neither beans nor peas transplant well and even cucumbers are a bit difficult in our climate this time of the year. All do much better when seeds are sown directly in our very warm soil. Another thing to consider with beans and peas is that a customer would have to purchase several pots of beans or peas to make planting them worthwhile and that might make them cost prohibitive to them. If you are not committed to beans, peas and cucumbers and can provide anything for the event, then I suggest that you use the Florida Vegetable Gardening Guide at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/vh021 and start something like collards, broccoli and Chinese cabbage with a transplantability of 1.

[ginger2778]

Originally Posted by jerryinfla

Marsha -

Neither beans nor peas transplant well and even cucumbers are a bit difficult in our climate this time of the year. All do much better when seeds are sown directly in our very warm soil. Another thing to consider with beans and peas is that a customer would have to purchase several pots of beans or peas to make planting them worthwhile and that might make them cost prohibitive to them. If you are not committed to beans, peas and cucumbers and can provide anything for the event, then I suggest that you use the Florida Vegetable Gardening Guide at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/vh021 and start something like collards, broccoli and Chinese cabbage with a transplantability of 1.

Jerry, thanks for the link and the sound advice. You are a great teacher. No, I am not committed to those. Do I have enough time now to grow the brassicas to a marketable size?
Marsha

[Pappi]

Depending on type most brassica's will be transplantable within 3-5 weeks. Good luck with your starts.

[jerryinfla]

Marsha -

As Pappi said, they are ready for transplant about a month after seeds are started. In 4" pots they can go several days longer and will look even better if you keep them watered and give them good sunlight. I start seeds inside my lanai where the screen provides a tiny bit of shade then move them into full shade when the sun gets brutal around mid day. If you do yours this way I think you'll have some really nice products for your event.

[ginger2778]

Originally Posted by jerryinfla

Marsha -

As Pappi said, they are ready for transplant about a month after seeds are started. In 4" pots they can go several days longer and will look even better if you keep them watered and give them good sunlight. I start seeds inside my lanai where the screen provides a tiny bit of shade then move them into full shade when the sun gets brutal around mid day. If you do yours this way I think you'll have some really nice products for your event.

Sounds like a good plan Jerry. The only problem is the sunshine. I have 52 flats of 24 -4 inch plants each on my patio right now due to the torrential rainfall. not supposed to be better until Saturday. I went to the gym on Sunday, came home to plants drowning, we couldnt find drainable trays large enough so we are using Costco cardboard boxes with a plastic trash bag around them for the bins. No drainage!
Frantically searching the web for plastic trays that will fit our size requirements. It is a challenge!
I am digressing, sorry.
Too late go order seeds, but Iwill buy some at the garden store.
Marsha