Watering Veg patch

Happyman42

How often and when would you water in weather like this? (prolonged sunshine and high heats)

Cardinal Richelieu

Happyman42 wrote: »

How often and when would you water in weather like this? (prolonged sunshine and high heats)

Depends on your soil conditions(sand, clay, high in organic matter) and what crops your growing.

Happyman42

Would be a clay soil with horse manure added. Growing potatoes, cabbage, cauliflower, brocoli, peas, scallions, onions, and a range of salad crops. Strawberries, beetroot, beans and carrots

Cardinal Richelieu

Happyman42 wrote: »

Would be a clay soil with horse manure added. Growing potatoes, cabbage, cauliflower, brocoli, peas, scallions, onions, and a range of salad crops. Strawberries, beetroot, beans and carrots

Just keep watching the weather forecast, use a hose with sprinkler head if you can and water in early morning and revisit in the evening if crops appear dehydrated . Some of your crops like beans when they get bigger should be able to hold in more moisture by creating shade so make a judgement by crop. Salad crops usually require a lot more water otherwise they get stressed and run to seed quicker. Don't let your potatoes dry out too much or in clay soil the ground cracks too much and you have an increased risk of the spuds greening underneath.

Happyman42

Cardinal Richelieu wrote: »

Just keep watching the weather forecast, use a hose with sprinkler head if you can and water in early morning and revisit in the evening if crops appear dehydrated . Some of your crops like beans when they get bigger should be able to hold in more moisture by creating shade so make a judgement by crop. Salad crops usually require a lot more water otherwise they get stressed and run to seed quicker. Don't let your potatoes dry out too much or in clay soil the ground cracks too much and you have an increased risk of the spuds greening underneath.

Excellent, thanks! I did wonder about the potatoes, have quite a few in and the soil is begining to look like it is going to split up.

If I could ask another question about the potatoes, the first ones I planted are above ground now and begining to flourish, where I have them a weed like a minature christmas tree is trying to go rampant. I think it would take over if I let it. Any ideas what it is and how to control it? It has a seriously long and stubborn root which is prone to snapping before I get it out. (I can take a pic of it if that would help in id-ing it)

muckyhands

Happyman42 wrote: »

Excellent, thanks! I did wonder about the potatoes, have quite a few in and the soil is begining to look like it is going to split up.

If I could ask another question about the potatoes, the first ones I planted are above ground now and begining to flourish, where I have them a weed like a minature christmas tree is trying to go rampant. I think it would take over if I let it. Any ideas what it is and how to control it? It has a seriously long and stubborn root which is prone to snapping before I get it out. (I can take a pic of it if that would help in id-ing it)

Pic needed.

Does it look like this?

Happyman42

muckyhands wrote: »

Pic needed.

Does it look like this?

That's the one!

muckyhands

Happyman42 wrote: »

That's the one!

Uh Oh. :eek:

Repeated treatments of weed killer may be order of the day Im afraid, thats one persistent weed.

The pic I put up- its called Horsetail, Equisetum arvense.

Happyman42

muckyhands wrote: »

Uh Oh. :eek:

Repeated treatments of weed killer may be order of the day Im afraid, thats one persistent weed.

The pic I put up- its called Horsetail, Equisetum arvense.

I am glad you edited that....I was planning to evacuate last night!:D
I'm reading that horticultural vinegar (20%) is an effective killer of this.....any advice?

Cardinal Richelieu

I wouldn't worry about it for the moment, you always get some weeds in potato crops even with early herbicide treatment. If you apply anything now unless its extremely selective its going to damage your potatoes. When you dig up your potatoes make sure you remove the horsetail and any pieces of its root from the soil.

dardevle

^^^^^^^
+1

when the foliage canopy on the spuds closes in it should keep the horsetail in check, it can be difficult to remove by hand since the stems are segmented and usually break at a joint rather than come out all at once, it is believed that it has a liking for poorer soils so by adding lots of organic material to the soil and continually improving the soil structure it should help,

ps; i don't ever remember coming across horticultural/agricultural vinegar in this country but i would advise you stay away from it.


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muckyhands

dardevle wrote: »

^^^^^^^
+1

when the foliage canopy on the spuds closes in it should keep the horsetail in check, it can be difficult to remove by hand since the stems are segmented and usually break at a joint rather than come out all at once, it is believed that it has a liking for poorer soils so by adding lots of organic material to the soil and continually improving the soil structure it should help,

ps; i don't ever remember coming across horticultural/agricultural vinegar in this country but i would advise you stay away from it.


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I think he means Acetic acid based weedkillers.

muckyhands

Happyman42 wrote: »

I am glad you edited that....I was planning to evacuate last night!:D
I'm reading that horticultural vinegar (20%) is an effective killer of this.....any advice?

Sorry about that.

Irish organic weedkiller may be the one youre thinking of, its based on acetic acid (vinegar).

http://www.johnstowngardencentre.ie/irish-organic-weedkiller--100-natural-/iog_weedkillerpd.aspx

dardevle

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there used to be an actual product called horticultural vinegar available when i lived in the US, this is what i thought was being mentioned as it is 20% acetic acid....nasty shyte and not to be recommended,

in comparison, IO weedkiller is about 9.5%, which keeps it just below the safe recommended level of 10%.







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Happyman42

That's what I was referring to, the US stuff. I was reading on a site that if you freeze or boil ordinary vinegar, you can get the water out. Maybe not then?

dardevle

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it would not be for me anyway..... above 10% the acid concentration is a skin irritant - in the 20% range it can cause burns and permanant eye damage - then there is the damage to the soil you would be applying it to:eek:






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dardevle

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wow....just wow!

engage what?where?

enough with the personal abuse.

dardevle

^^^^^
Last edited by paddy147; Today at 20:07.


appreciate you removing the abuse,

if i have misconstrued the op's questions then i apologise to him/her.(i know i have not)

better still appreciate you removing all of the nonsense you previously posted!



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paddy147

dardevle wrote: »

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wow....just wow!

engage what?where?

enough with the personal abuse.

No personal abuse at all.No foul or crude language,so no personal abuse.

dardevle

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still at a loss





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Happyman42

Jesus Paddy....it's a gardening forum. I think you might be getting the wrong end of the stick.

paddy147

Happyman42 wrote: »

Jesus Paddy....it's a gardening forum. I think you might be getting the wrong end of the stick.

What,like the "peat free" compost thread.??...;):D

dardevle

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where did i state irish organic weed killer did this?
(not applicable now that the bullsh1t filter has kicked in)
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Ophiopogon

Maybe I'm reading it wrong but I they are talking about two different products...no?

dardevle

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2 different products indeed....well read sir!



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Ophiopogon

dardevle wrote: »

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2 different products indeed....well read sir!



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Madam

dardevle

Ophiopogon wrote: »

Madam

my apologies are profuse *madam*:)



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redser7

Crap! What did I miss!? What did I miss!??

johngalway

redser7 wrote: »

Crap! What did I miss!? What did I miss!??

Handbags and sharp elbows, tis like a day at the sales

dardevle

johngalway wrote: »

Handbags and sharp elbows, tis like a day at the sales

i (rep)resent that remark:p



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Happyman42

Fecking hell I can't leave youse for two minutes!...........:D