# Help with cucs



## MesquiteMan (Jun 28, 2008)

I am new to gardening this year. I used to work in the garden with my dad as a kid (forced labor!) but have not done any since being an adult. I decided a garden would be a good way to spend more time with my wife and 7 year old daughter.

I live in the Tx Hillcountry outside of San Marcos. For my garden, I picked a site that I oriented due north for my beds with full sun. I dug down in the native soil about 20" with an excavator and removed all the loose rocks. I then added 6" of sandy loam since the dirt was somewhat clay. I then added 6-8" of mushroom compost and mixed and tilled it all up real good. Then I made 4- 4'x16' raised beds with 2x6's so I have a hybrid raised bed. Mostly in the ground with 5.5" above ground. I have good tilled, rock free (for the most part) soil 2' deep. 



I am getting a pretty late start but thought I would go ahead and give it a try this season. In my first bed, I planted tomato and peppers. The second bed has 3 cuc plants, 2 zucchini, and one watermelon. 1/2 of the third and fourth bed is Ambrosia sweet corn to make a 8'x8' block with a 30" pathway between. The other half of bed 3 will be green beans with pole beans planted in the corn. The remaining half of the 4th bed will be okra and Tx Cream peas. 



As I said above, I am very new to this and could use a little help on an issue I am concerned with. 



I bought my cucs, zucchini, and watermelon as plants from C&J Greenhouses and planted them last Wednesday (4 days ago before we got 1/4" of rain. When I planted them, I put a small handful of mushroom compost in the bottom of the hole, then added a little dirt, then planted the plant and watered them in. They all look TERRIBLE! My tomato bed looks fantastic and are really growing well already. 


Could this just be transplant shock or could it be fertilizer burn due to the mushroom compost? Maybe I am just being impatient and they need a little time to acclimate? They were planted about 4 days ago. I did water them when I planted on Wednesday, then we got 1/4" of rain Thursday. Friday they were looking a little wilted so I watered again. Maybe I watered too much? Here are some picture of the plants. 


Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated!


Here are some pics

The first two are cucs and the last is my watermelon.


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## AceArcher (Feb 8, 2012)

I'm sure better gardening minds than mine will weigh in, But if i were you i would not be terribly concerned about this yet.

My tomatoes are growing nicely and my cucumbers look about the same as yours.... while we are warm enough for tomatoes to do well... we really are just on the edge of the temp range where cukes will grow well. And with another cold front rolling thru twice a week... well mine like yours are still pretty much dormant. 

With that said here's to hoping that things warm up a little bit and stay that way, so that both of our cucumbers can grow..


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## AceArcher (Feb 8, 2012)

Also i don't know if you have done it... but send in some of your soil to your state ag division for some soil testing. They can give you a definitive answer on if your soil is in need of any particular amendments....


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## MesquiteMan (Jun 28, 2008)

AceArcher said:


> Also i don't know if you have done it... but send in some of your soil to your state ag division for some soil testing. They can give you a definitive answer on if your soil is in need of any particular amendments....


I have already paid for some soil testing through Texas Plant and Soil Lab (or something like that!). Just need to take the sample and send it in. I am building a fence this weekend so keep the deer out! I have temporary fencing up now but it look terrible. So far I have dug 10 holes in this wonderful hillcountry "dirt". Nothing like using a crowbar and sledge hammer to dig a hole due to all the rocks!


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## MesquiteMan (Jun 28, 2008)

Here are a couple of pics of my garden for those who are interested.


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## AceArcher (Feb 8, 2012)

Looking good! I don't doubt you put that tractor to good use 

do you have some plan in place for water? I would imaging your running water to the garden with a hose now, but as nice as your setting it up you might want to run a dedicated pipe out there. 

Did you buy your maters as plants or did you raise em from seeds, I about had a heart attack this year when i saw that lowes wanted near 5 buck a plant for a tomato plant. Am glad that i got 40 of them started from seeds this winter.


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## MesquiteMan (Jun 28, 2008)

I am running a dedicated water line to the garden. On the right of the bottom pic you can see where the ground it torn up near the post. That is where the water line will be coming in. Already have the trench dug, just need to lay the pipe and tie it in. I am going to come up right by the corner post so I can tie the galvanized riser to it for support. 

Just came in from finishing up all the posts! My wife was a good helper and we had fun doing it together. Of course the 7 year old daughter was of no help!


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## Muddskipper (Dec 29, 2004)

You might of done your planting too fast after you did all the work in the soil.

Gardens need to rest when putting in new material ..... that compost might of created more heat than the veggies could stand .... some tomatos can handle the heat ...

Just an opinion


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## whistech (Jul 25, 2005)

That is a good looking garden. Like others have said, your cucumbers look OK for this time of the year, given the cold fronts we still have coming trough. Two weeks of temps no lower than 50 and they will take off.


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## mas360 (Nov 21, 2006)

Muddskipper said:


> You might of done your planting too fast after you did all the work in the soil.
> 
> Gardens need to rest when putting in new material ..... that compost might of created more heat than the veggies could stand .... some tomatos can handle the heat ...
> 
> Just an opinion


I just finished a raised bed and put one yard of soil mix (50% soil, 50% compost) in it. My wife planted her tomato, zucchini and eggplants into it the following week. So far they are growing. I am holding my breadth.


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## homebrew (Jun 14, 2011)

I'm with the skipper on this one....your soil mix is probally to "Hot" for the new seedlings

toms are heavy feeders and may be ok

give it some time ....even if you have a **** turnout this year ..it does take a couple years to get the soil how you want it.

the hard part is almost done....its gravy from here on out


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## chuck leaman (Jul 15, 2004)

MesquiteMan said:


> I am running a dedicated water line to the garden. On the right of the bottom pic you can see where the ground it torn up near the post. That is where the water line will be coming in. Already have the trench dug, just need to lay the pipe and tie it in. I am going to come up right by the corner post so I can tie the galvanized riser to it for support.
> 
> Just came in from finishing up all the posts! My wife was a good helper and we had fun doing it together. Of course the 7 year old daughter was of no help!


Your daughter will help when its time to pick the veggies. My son is 9 and he was a lot more help when he was 5 as far as planting. Now he waits until its time to pick.


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## chumy (Jul 13, 2012)

Mine looked like those about 3 weeks ago, they finally came out of it. Stirring the dirt around those plants, breaking the crust often does wonders.


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## MesquiteMan (Jun 28, 2008)

Here is an updated pic of the cucumber and melon bed I asked about in the beginning of this thread! They have absolutely gone crazy!


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