What to do? A little advice needed

[Inchworm]

My garden is basically 4- 5'x5' squares with walks between. One of the squares didn't do so well. I had planned on having within the square:

2- cheyenne pepper plants
1- Bell pepper plant
1- Lemon Tomato plant
3 short radish rows as space filler
and a cantaloupe section.

The tomato plant is doing ok, and the radishes are in my belly. All the other were from seed and didn't sprout.

I'm thinking of removing all but the tomato plant and either loosening up the soil and putting black plastic over, or removing all but the tomato plant and re-planting something else.

Here it is mid-July and I feel leaving it be is wasting space.

Is there any benefit (weeds) to tarping over it?

If I were to replant, (I'm in the mtns of NC Zone 6) what are some planting suggestions that will produce before it freezes in.. hmm.. late October?

Any advice is welcome. I'm a total newbie just having fun :)

:hi:

[asdjrocky]

1. I'm having real good luck with a mixed lettuce seed I got.

It's like 6 different kinds of small lettuce. I plant the seeds, and in like 35 to 50 days I have great lettuce everyday. As a result, I've got the little guys growing everywhere right now. They don't like long term full sun though, so you may want to use the tomato plant for shade. My Japanese cucumbers have grown incredibly fast as well, and I love the taste, but they are eating up the space pretty well too.

[wildeyed]

2. Do another round of radish, broccoli and some greens, perhaps kale and chard.

Look for varieties that like a little bit of frost at harvest time.

[ClayZ]

3. We planted 4 new raised beds.

We used the lasagna technique. http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/sqfoot/msg0515212618770.html

Seriously, NO WEEDS!

We put down cardboard, then compost, then mulch and then new topsoil! We have been eating out of the garden for weeks and it snowed here on April 15th.

I am amazed!

The only problem so far is the broccoli. They got some little green worms on the leaves and look pretty ragged. We spread marigold blossoms around and that helped. We just released 1500 ladybugs. We shall see.

The tomatoes are monsters so far.

My radishes were the best ever.

I am a happy lasagna gardner.

[Kolesar]

4. For the cabbage caterpillars--Bonide Bt Dust

Target pests: leaf-eating insects including, loopers, hornworms, cabbage looper, imported cabbage worm, grape leaf folder, sod webworm, corn earworms, caterpillars, gypsy moths, oakworms, meal and flour moths, diamondback moths, fruitworms, elm spanworm, spring and fall cankerworms (inchworms), bagworms, leaf folders, and most species of leaf-feeding moth and butterfly larvae.

Shipment, biology and release: Bt is specific to certain pest insects, can be used with Bio-Pest-B-Gone Beneficial Nematodes, and is completely safe for the environment. Bt works by disrupting the insects’ digestive system which causes starvation and death. Crops can be harvested the day after any Bt variety is applied. Bt is available in dust, liquid, or wettable powder. Repeat as necessary

Application rates: WETTABLE POWDER: 1-4 Tbs/gal. of water for vegetables, ornamentals, and shade trees, 4-8 Tbs/gal for flowers; 15-20 lbs/acre/100 gallons of water.

LIQUID: 1-4 tsp/gallon of water.
======

The bodies of the dead caterpillars will further release bacteria onto the cabbage plants. We used Bt about ten days ago after a long period of rain. I saw a few slow moving sick caterpillars with black spots on them. I have seen no caterpillars since then.

[ClayZ]

8. Thanks!

[japple]

5. I lived in the NC mountains for 25 years and we had

wonderful tomatoes, squash, beans, eggplants and peppers when we lived in Asheville. When we moved to Banner Elk, we were never able to grow tomatoes successfully, even in pots. They always starting getting ripe about the time of 1st frost. My friend who still lives in BE grows great beans, beets, pumpkins, squashes, many different varieties of chard, spinach, and other greens, but she hasn't had any luck with peppers, tomatoes or eggplants.

I'm not sure where you're located, but maybe if you planted cole crops as suggested above, added some onions and patio tomatoes, you could make it work. Good luck, and keep us posted.

I was in Banner Elk last weekend and it really made me realize why the mountains of NC will always be paradise for me. The cool temps, the rhododendron, the wonderful vistas and the more breathable air. Lucky you.

[Gormy Cuss]

6. Broccoli, carrots.

Broccoli or other cole crops like warm soil and cool air at the end of the season, so plant broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage,kale, etc.

Carrots need similar conditions.

Cukes and the evil zucchini should do well with a planting now.

Lettuces should work too -- just be ready to provide some shade.

[hippywife]

7. Don't stop now!

Keep composting, planting and mulching. You got lots of time for another round of fast growing summer veggies and to plant late summer for fall.

Since gardening is a real trial and error activity, might as well keep going and learning. 'specially since you're having so much fun with it.

:hi:

[hippywife]

10. Here ya go!

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/10/garden/10garden.html?_r=1&ref=garden&oref=slogin

[asdjrocky]

11. Really good article, thanks.

[jillan]

9. Plant crops that will improve the soil of your garden for next season-

like alfalfa. Let it grow and then turn it back into your soil.

This is according to a book I have on organic gardening. It adds important nutrients to your soil.

I haven't tried it yet, but will before my next planting season.

[Inchworm]

12. Thanks everyone!

I've yet to choose my attack, but I appreciate all the info. From what I can tell I need to figure out when the first frost comes. I'll give the co-op a call Monday.

I think I may 1/4 up the space and plant bunches of spinach/lettuce-type stuff and transplant some herbs from a window box. We'll see... :D

:hi: