Q. I’ll be transplanting cucumbers into the open garden soon, hoping that they don’t display the same disorder that appeared on last year’s plants, soon after transplanting. They were my own seed-grown transplants, and I set them out while they were still fairly small. The leaves turned white.
A. The issue sounds like sunscald, a type of injury common with the onset of high temperatures and hot sunshine. Newly set out transplants are especially vulnerable. If the growing points and stems of affected plants remain green, they will very likely be all right and outgrow the condition.
The point to take here is to avoid transplanting during very hot weather. If it cannot be put off, arrange some sort of temporary shading over the new transplants.
Another issue to consider is the size of the transplants. Very young, small plants have a minimal fighting chance against adverse outdoor conditions. When choosing transplants at a garden centre, or deciding when to set out your own seed-grown ones, consider the ideal stage of growth for transplanting.
Look for robust, compact plants that have yet to begin elongating. Very tiny, fragile looking plants, and overgrown ones with trailing stems, have more of a struggle settling in and growing well in garden plots and patio containers. I watch for the “just right” condition between these two stages of growth.
Q. Why do spinach and beet seeds never germinate in my garden? Any that sprout stay pitifully stunted. I live at the coast.
A. Lime is the answer. Both plants need a very slightly acidic to neutral soil. Most coastal soils are more acidic because fall and winter rains leach alkaline minerals such as calcium and magnesium out of the ground.
In my garden, I was able to grow really good beets and lush spinach only after using Dolopril, a fast-acting, granulated form of dolomite lime, as part of preparing the soil — along with compost and fertilizer.
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