Oh, what a shame, Mary. I'd suggest you empty the soil out of that EB, clean it completely with soap and bleach, and start with fresh potting mix for your next planting. You can try for more tomatoes starting in February. Start your own seeds in early January, which will be cheaper and safer than buying transplants.

That looks more like a blight infection to me than herbicide. If it was herbicide drift, your broccoli and cabbage would have died as well. It may have been from wherever you bought your transplants, but wherever the blight came from, it has surely infected the soil in there again.

beckygardener said:I agree, Kristi!
I have a thriving worm population in my worm bin and they can break down a large amount of waste in the bin within a month now. I just harvested almost 5 gallons of worm compost (castings) and will be using it in my new raised bed. (Though that new bed is not for veggies, but for daylilies! )

I am trying to garden as organically as possible. I love my red wigglers worms! I have noticed when I amend my beds, I am now finding lots of earthworms in the soil. That is a drastic change from 5-6 years ago when I never saw even 1 earth worm in my garden beds. So the amending is working .... however slowly. But the nematodes are still a big issue.

I wished I had a list of edibles that nematodes do not attack.

I made some self-watering buckets a few years ago and am going to use those for growing some veggies in.

I used to have the red wiggler worms; but gave up after a couple of years. I didn't think these worms would survive in the ground -- you would have to get the red earth worms. Is that correct ?
Nematodes will also be an issue. Chitin (which is repellent to nematodes) is found in the shells of crustaceans such as shrimp and crabs and I keep these seafood shells in bags in my freezer) and dig that into the veggie bed.

Anybody got any harvests going on yet? I'm getting a handful or two of little tomatoes every few days, plus the odd pepper and some broccoli. More coming along. I made a frittatta for breakfast on Sunday with the goodies in the 2nd picture:


But last week when they predicted the cold front to come through, I rashly planted some snap peas and beets. They're up already, and getting really leggy and sad looking because it warmed right up again! I seriously considered putting some ice cubes down the watering tube of my Earth Box, just to keep it a bit cooler.

Elfrieda - No the red wigglers will NOT survive in the ground soil for very long. I sift my worm casting and add all the worms that I pull out of the castings back into a newly started worm bin. I love my worms! The castings are the best! The big note on worm castings that I have noted is that the stuff (just a handful amount) helps any plants with transplant shock. It works beautifully. Instead of the plants dropping a few leaves and sulking, they just keep growing like they had been in their new home forever. So I hope to always have a worm bin. I am hooked on the worm castings in my garden and in my potted plants!

I had not heard of Chitin. I am going to have to do some research about that. Does it repeal or kill root-knot nematodes? I would sure like to know!!!

Elaine - No edibles here. But I did recently purchase some seeds for California Wonder Sweet Peppers. (Wished I had found seeds for the "Snack Peppers".) Also got seeds for: Sugar Sprint Pea, Tomato Pineapple, Sweet Pickle Pepper, Lacinato Kale, Malabar Red Stem Spinach, and Nevara Lettuce. I will be starting some of those (or maybe all of those) next week while I am still off for the holidays. Probably in containers, unless I can make a new small raised bed in time.

just might have to start up with a worm bin or two again sometime. I know the castings are great for the plants. You don't live too far from me Becky -- and I don't find earthworms in my gardens at all; no matter how much I amend. I'm envious that you are finding them and wondering how they got started.
My understanding is that chitin repels nematodes. I don't think there is anything that will kill them -- even solarization doesn't quite do it as they just go deeper. But anything you can do to make their environment more unpleasant for them is better than nothing. We know they don't like rich soil -- so just amend, amend and amend -- and amen to that !

I ordered the red wigglers online. I had NO worms in my ground soil either. But over the past 2 - 3 years with amending and planting more plants, I am now finding big, fat earth worms in my soil. Yay! It's not barren soil anymore!

I started adding fallen oak leaves to all my garden beds and that has done wonders along with amending all the beds and lots and lots of watering. I installed a micro-irrigation system around all my garden areas 3 years ago. That made a huge difference as well. The yard is alive now instead of looking dry, unhealthy, and dead. Most everything is thriving in the soil. What a concept for FL soil. And it is still a work in process. But I am seeing the difference finally. Thank goodness for small miracles of bettr soil practices. Amen! I am learning as much as I can about soil health. That is the key to successful gardening. Starts in the soil.

It sure does, Becky. It will always be a 'work in progress' because our heat and heavy rain breaks down and washes our good organic stuff out of the soil pretty quick. So raised beds and "pick your battles" is my order of the day.

I've gone almost completely to Earth Boxes for my veggies, just so I can move them around to find enough sun (especially at this time of year). The shadow of the house, and shade from the big oaks and my mango tree leave an ever-smaller window of sunny space in my back yard.

I started out 8yr. ago in this house with 4 large oak trees all around the yard. I always did have some worms, because the oaks had been dropping leaves (and happily the previous owners had very little lawn and did not rake them all). But as you say, the more organic material I've added, the more worms I've seen.

I have not read all post but might have a few things that might help. We use to grow a great veggie garden each year I am a third generation Floridian up here in Jacksonville
First if you can find a Feed and seed store in your area-you can get the best seeds and plants for your areas.
On the celery-in the last weeks before you harvest put boards or something to block the light up against the plants, this is how the celery is blanched to white.
We had no problems grown cucumbers in our gardens. Mom canned them
It you want good fruit trees for your area then go to Just Fruit and Exotic web site or if you can they have a store just below tallahassee they have tropical plum and peach trees (the tallahassee nursery and the Native nursery and that is their right names have great plants
For a great book about all of our "bugs" look for the book 'Florida Critters' by Bill Zak
Hope all this helps

Sandy

Thanks, Sandy! Will research your suggestions!

The book is very good and is a very good and sometimes funny read

My pepper and tomato starts for the school garden are rapidly getting way too big! I thought it would be warm enough to start planting them last week, but here we are expecting lows in the 40's again this week. Seems like weeks now, I've been schlepping them in and out of the house to harden them off . . .