Posted on 07/01/2024 6:30:55 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin
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Zone 7b. My cucumbers are short and kind of round, almost look like limes. Pollination issue? Any help is greatly appreciated. The plants also are not vining like they usually do.
American Flag Flowers – How To Grow A Red, White, And Blue Garden
You can do more than just wave the flag to demonstrate your love for the country. A patriotic flower garden is a fun way to celebrate the Fourth of July or any national holiday. Red, white, and blue flowers combine to represent your devotion to the country. There are tons of combos or you can plant an American flag with your plant selections. Follow our tips on a USA flower garden that will astound your neighbors.
Planning a Patriotic Flower Garden
Making a political statement with gardening may seem a bit much, but it can be a fun and beautiful addition to the landscape. A red, white, and blue garden is about so much more than a partisan statement. It is an expression of love and devotion to the land in which you live.
American flag flowers may be perennials, annuals, or an entire bulb garden. You may even opt for bushes with colorful leaves and blooms. Choose an area where the bed will be seen and where flowers will get appropriate light. Amend the soil as needed and then it’s time to select red, white, and blue flowers or plants.
Using petunias as the base provides an affordable and easy way to build a USA flower garden. There are solid or striped, single or double petals, and even creeping petunias in each of our patriotic hues. They make the ultimate American flag flowers, which will grow and blend together in a tapestry salute to our pennant.
Using Native Plants as Part of a Patriotic Garden
Native plants in the scheme pack a double whammy. Not only can they bring in the red, white, and blue tones, but they are part of this country naturally. Few things will salute our great nation as easily as plants that are indigenous to this part of the world. Some wonderful native selections might include:
White
Arrowwood
Silky dogwood
Fringe tree
Goat’s beard
Wild quinine
Calico aster
Red
Cardinal flower
Columbine
Coral honeysuckle
Rose mallow
Blue
American wisteria
Passion vine (maypop variety is native species)
Lupine
Virginia bluebells
Jacob’s ladder
Wild blue phlox
More at link: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/fgen/grow-a-red-white-and-blue-garden.htm
Zone 3a (Northern ND) My cucumber vines are about forearm length and no buds yet. Tomatoes just under knee high. Dandelions are doing awesome though.
That doesn’t sound like a bug issue to me, so I’m going to suggest that you’re consistent on the watering (An inch per week, and more if it’s REALLY hot right now in Zone 7) and that you’re fertilizing them with a balanced (10-10-10 or 20-20-20) fertilizer. Don’t over-do it on pure nitrogen as that will give you lots of foliage and less or even no fruit.
There are some cukes that DO produce round fruit - you’re certain of the variety you planted? (Just asking! It happens!) Do you know the variety? That may help me, too. They’re a lot of hybrids out there for cukes, now.
Has your weather been especially hot and dry? If so, the consistent watering and fertilizing should help with better production all the way around.
I’m assuming they’re in full sun? Well draining soil? If it doesn’t drain well, don’t overdo it on the watering, then. If you ARE over-watering and it’s not well drained and you’re not fertilizing, that could be the culprit, too.
Is that complicated enough? LOL! I mean, it’s just a cucumber for Pete’s Sake! They should be pretty easy to grow. I’m just covering all the angles, here. ;)
I have peppers, squash and tomatoes doing well but they are losing the battle against the weeds.
“I have peppers, squash and tomatoes doing well but they are losing the battle against the weeds.”
I have peppers and tomatoes and herbs, but for the life of me, I can’t manage to successfully grow squash here. The vines grow big and showy with flowers, but I never get any squash. Same with cucumbers. Weird.
Many thanks for the July thread!
Ate the first radishes from the vegetable bed. Tasted much better than store-bought. Have also taken it into my Neanderthal pea brain to try growing an orange tree from seeds. Bought some Valencia oranges and extracted all the seeds. I’ve read that it can take several years before the tree produces fruit, but that’s OK by me. Putting them in containers will make it easier to move them inside for the winter. Alternatively, is there a way to insulate / protect them so that they can remain outside?
Yes, it has been quite hot and dry. At least two other things (”cherry tomatoes” and beans) I have planted have not been exactly what I thought I was getting, so it could just be the type. I will make sure to consistently water. Thank you!
“Dandelions are doing awesome though.”
Same. They seem to be impervious to drought-like conditions.
Hard to believe it’s July already!
Not 10 minutes ago, saw a fawn (with spots) in the front field & when it saw me, it ran into the front pasture. There is an old apple tree there & 2 does were eating small green apples that fell off during the storm last night. One of the does is “mom”. My brother saw a doe with twins yesterday, down the road at the creek. There was a large coyote chasing 3 does in the back pasture 2-3 weeks ago so I am glad to see there are 3 fawns it hasn’t gotten yet.
Crows are in the fig bush - figs were still very green last time I looked, so I will have to see if some are ripe & attracting birds.
We had severe thunderstorms around the area last night. Lightning stayed north, but we had one downpour that was almost an inch of rain. This morning, it is wonderfully cool, close to an early fall feel to the air. Tomorrow should be similar, then the high 90’s heat & humidity come back in.
So now it's all about maintenance, watering and mulching as much as possible.
Few things bloom in our extreme summer heat and hot winds.
I do have some tiger liles coming up in a shaded area:
Plumerias can stand some heat, these are in partial sun:
And this lone iris that is blooming bravely:
Ready for the 4th of July!!
It’s 71° at almost 11:00 today. Yesterday, the high was 101° .... record is 102° ... it was sweltering!
Hi Diana. Thank you for this thread. Love it! Am interested in responses to cucumber question. Am having mixed results in my garden. Some normal, some disfigured. Thank you!
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