What's wrong in my greenhouse?

[Peter Epperson]

We put up a greenhouse this year at our place near Mountain View. It's 18' x 20' and the ends are screened to keep the bugs out. We figured that we could finally grow tomatoes and squash and cucumbers. The first harvest was good but now we're having a hard time getting the same plants to produce. We're growing in large containers. We have drip irrigation on a timer. We made some nice looking soil from hamakua top soil mixed with lots of aged mulch and vermicompost from our worm bins. We even changed the garden containers with fresh soil between harvests. It seems like we're doing it right but it ain't coming out that way. Any ideas out there?

[lquade]

peter, without more specific info on what your plants are doing/look like it is hard to say, but all the soil is sorely depleted in all the minor elements. i also heavily lime my soils in mt. view. are you giving them plenty of P and K ? i think garden exchange has a good fertilizer right now on sale... if i recall it is 16-16-16 with minors... this is one of my favorites in mt. view

[Peter Epperson]

I should have been more specific. Our biggest problem is blossom end rot. We had our soil tested at UH for nutrients ph and it checked out fine. I suspect some kind of critters in the soil. ???

[Mitzi M]

Peter, seems like here in the tropics greenhouses start out ok then soon become petri dishes for all sorts of critters,fungi and disease. Sanitation is key for prevention but then when you inevitably get the cooties...what to do? If your problem really is blossom end rot, the cure is pretty easy - calcium. You can buy a foliar spray (organic) from any plant supply/nursery that will help fast. Other good ways to improve your greenhouse growing conditions include increased ventilation, look out for leaky roofs dripping on foliage, and pay attention to the quality of your growing medium. Many greenhouse growers only use sterilized soil less medium instead of soil to avoid introducing pathogens.

[lquade]

yep blossum end rot: calcium spray... agree with mitzi

[DanielP]

I will second ventilation. Vents at least and fans are preferred.

Dan

[Peter Epperson]

Thanks everybody. I'll try the calcium spray

[Scott_S]

If the end rot doesn't get them powdery mildew will. Figured it was cheaper just to buy them and grow what does better. I am in HA with no greenhouse.

So I have been mostly growing green beans, carrots, radishes, lettuce, sweet corn, cucumbers, tomatoes, and chinese cabbage. Cucumbers work for a picking or two until some grub gets in them.

Scott

[DickWilson]

Blossom rot stop & copper spray. Tomatoes are head high and still growing.

dick wilson
"Nothing is idiot proof,because idiots are so ingenious!"

[mary blonde]

I had that grub (borer) problem but Garden Exchange suggested BT sprayed on soil once a week. No more borers!

mary blonde