Growing Sweetcorn, Rubarb, Watermelon HELP

Discussion in 'Edible Gardening' started by Indie_Rocker_Chick, May 28, 2009.

  1. Indie_Rocker_Chick

    Indie_Rocker_Chick Apprentice Gardener

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    I have started a vegtable patch for the first time. Last summer i tried growing watermelon but after the plant got about 3 inchs high with 2 little leaves at the top the all fell over, snapped and died. This year i have grown sweetcorn, Rubarb, Watermelon, Cucumber, Tomatoes and some others. They are all getting to about the high where they are looking like they are going to fall over a few started so i have propped them up with some sticks and gentally tied them with string. I am growing them inside at the moment in the side house which has a plastic see through roof so its kind of like a green house.

    I have looked on many sites but non of them say that these plants usually cant support them selfs and to prop them up.

    Has any one got any usful information that will help me.

    Many thanks

    Susie
     
  2. Kristen

    Kristen Under gardener

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    Watermelon, Cucumber and Tomato [if they are Indeterminate/Cordon type, rather than Determinate/Bush type] need supporting - or be allowed to trail along the ground.

    You need supports strong enough to take weight of both plant and fruit :) I use a bamboo cane, with the top secured to the top of my greenhouse to stop it falling over with plant, fruit and all
     
  3. Marley Farley

    Marley Farley Affable Admin! Staff Member

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    [​IMG] Indie & Welcome to GC.. Plenty of info on here & people to help out.. I am sure othrs will be round soon..:thmb:

    Well this is what I do...
    Rhubarb obviously doesn't need support.. Just a nice little corner somewhere...
    If you plant your sweet corn 12" apart & in a block formation rather than rows they should be fine... I hardened mine off & planted them out at about 8" high.. Now growing well, but they do not like too windy an exposed spot..
    Watermelons usually rassle around at ground level.. Grow them on a mound like marrows & courgettes in a very sunny spot...
    Cucumbers are best if given support.. In the greenhouse I use canes, string & ties & outside up a piece of trellis..
    Tomatoes I use canes in pots & strings if in grow bags..

    All of cue, melon & tom plants are hungry thirsty plants so get your watering & feeding regime sorted out.. If you don't & they are allowed to dry out you will end up with either no friut or split ones in the case of toms often....

    Hope that is of some help..:)
     
  4. Indie_Rocker_Chick

    Indie_Rocker_Chick Apprentice Gardener

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    Thankyou thats great. When i checked on my sweetcorn yesterday one of them has reached about 8 inchs high and started to bend over as if it was going to snap, so i have propped it up.

    Also my rhuarbarb is just green steam and leaves so far so i have proppered them up as they looked like they where goint to fall over. I will get sum piccys up 2night.

    I am also growing pumpkin, radishs, carrots, strawberrys, tomatoes (with are very tiny and thin atm) mmm can rememeber what else. Any other info would be very much appriciated.
     
  5. Kristen

    Kristen Under gardener

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    Sweetcorn and Rhubarb should be able to stand up by themselves (although the outer leaves, and stems, of a mature Rhubarb will flow down onto the ground).

    Something wrong if your sweetcorn won't stand up! A picture would help :)
     
  6. Marley Farley

    Marley Farley Affable Admin! Staff Member

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    Kristin is right your corn shouldn't need support & rhubarb should be outside in the ground.... :scratch: Indie are your seedlings stretching up to the light in the roof of your lean to..??? I am thinking they are stretching for the light & that is why they are flopping around as they have no strength in them, because of not enough light & too far away from it..!:(
     
  7. Indie_Rocker_Chick

    Indie_Rocker_Chick Apprentice Gardener

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    I was actually thinking about that earlia. I have started de weeding my very very over grown garden and am planning to plant them out side over the weekend. Do you think they need any covering over them because the weather is so up and down at the moment? I dont want them to die.
    1st photo: Pumpkin
    2nd: Rhubarb
    3rd: sweetcorn
    4th: cucumber
    5th: melon
     
  8. Marley Farley

    Marley Farley Affable Admin! Staff Member

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    :thmb: OK, I have seen your pics & they are healthy enough, but I would say they are stretching for the light. I think I would put them outside in the day time & inside again for the night for the 1st week to at least harden them off a bit & hopefully strengthen the stems a bit, then outside all the time for a few days at least, before planting out.. Otherwise they will go into shock & you will lose them.. !
    Just carry on & get your ground cleared & dug over ready.. If you are using grow bags, get them ready as well before they sell out.
    Are you creating mounds for the melons..? If so get those done too..
    I would not plant your Rhubarb out in the ground yet, pot it on & look after it during the summer & plant out if big enough, at the end of the summer beginning of Autumn I think that would depend on size again....

    You will need to protect them all from winds to start with, plus the dreaded slugs & snails....:mad:
     
  9. Kristen

    Kristen Under gardener

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    "I would say they are stretching for the light"

    me too, the sweet corn should be more "stocky" than that.

    Have them been on a window sill or similar?

    If so I would make a "reflector" with tinfoil. Cur a cardboard box in half, the open side will face the window and have the plants in it, line the inside (which will be the back) with tinfoil, so that more light it reflected and provided to the plants. It doesn't need a lid.

    They need to grow on a bit before planting out (and some need to be past last frost, but I reckon you are alight on that in Brentford - 1st of June is my target date to be past last frost.
     
  10. Indie_Rocker_Chick

    Indie_Rocker_Chick Apprentice Gardener

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    Hi thanks thats great. I will deffo start putting them out during the day. The side house that they are in at the moment has a see through roof and one window on the side. Im so glad you said that, i was planning on just planting them straight out side soon. How long does it take for the sweetcorn to start flowering or growing?
     
  11. Indie_Rocker_Chick

    Indie_Rocker_Chick Apprentice Gardener

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    Oh also i forgot to ask. Where im planting them do they need to be in full sun light all day?
     
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