Novice veggie gardener needs reassurance

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janet59 Brampton, Canada Jun 25, 2008

Hi, I am growing my first vegetable bed in Zone 6, have planted peppers, celery, broccoli, leaf and romaine lettuce, strawberries from nurseries. Everything is tiny and doesn't look like it's growing, and some plants (broccoli) appear to have been munched on. The bed had alot of hard clay and we rototilled with top soil, manure, and blood meal to discourage snackers of all types. I have used insecticidal soap where I thought there were bugs. Should I just leave it alone except for waterning and watching... and waiting? You would never know my grandparents were farmers!

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LTilton Glen Ellyn, IL(Zone 5b) Jun 25, 2008

If you set out transplants, they'll take some time to settle in.

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Moofiepoo Orlando, FL Jun 25, 2008

It seems like gardens are like pregnancies....it all seems slow at first. Then off they go. Patience is the hardest part of gardening. But the rewards are so worth it. Water, watch and enjoy.

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TMaple Saint Paul, MN Jun 25, 2008

My broccoli has become a buffet for cabbage loopers this year. Look for small bright green caterpillars on the underside of the leaves and treat your plants or pick them off by hand if you find them. Other than that just give it some time.

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janet59 Brampton, Canada Jun 25, 2008

Wow. Thank you annonymous gardener friends. Its so nice to know you are out there

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dividedsky Indianapolis, IN(Zone 5b) Jun 25, 2008

:o) I'm in the same situation and posted the very same question on here a few days ago. Just gotta watch for pests and let it grow, for the most part.

The soil in mine got really hard, so a friend advised that I get in there with the hoe and break it up so that air can get to the roots. But yours probably isn't like that because it sounds like you prepared yours much better than I did mine.

Are you seeing any worms or bugs or anything on your broccoli? There's tons of information this site on identifying pests and good critters and how to deal with them. I had a few holes in some of my green bean leaves, but there's nothing crawling around on the plants, so I'm going to assume it was just birds.

Happy gardening!

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luvs2garden2000 (Tia) Norman, OK(Zone 7a) Jun 26, 2008

I know your pain. Every morning after first couple of cup of coffee it is a ritual to go out to the garden and look to see if anything grew over night. We just look and look and nothing. Then kinda over night we are picking squash. The tom's are growing better than the weeds now. Before you know it you will be asking when will all this harvesting stop. Enjoy and happy gardening.
L2G

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janet59 Brampton, Canada Jun 26, 2008

thanks everybody!

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