Vegetable Gardening Problems and Causes
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You may be faced with many vegetable gardening problems on your way to set up your own vegetable garden. These problems may vary from vegetable diseases and pest attacks to the failure of the plants to bear fruit. As for every problem, vegetable gardening problems also have solutions. We will see some of the common vegetable gardening problems and its causes.
One of the problems is that after sowing the seedlings don’t come out. This might be because it did not have enough time for germination and you will have to wait for some time for the sprout to emerge. Very cold temperatures, too dry or wet soil may also prevent the seedlings from coming out. The seeds have to be sown at the right temperature; and sufficient water has to be provided to avoid drying or water logging. If the birds ate the seeds you will have to replant and protect the bed with net. Another reason for the seedling not coming out may be that the seed is too old. Then the only option is replanting.
Dry soil and over-watering may cause most of the vegetable gardening problems. Seedlings may wilt and the young plants die because of this. It causes the rotting of stem and roots. The solution is proper and adequate watering. Fertilizer burns, root maggots and cut-worms may also cause the young plant to die. Fertilizer burns could be avoided by adhering to fertilizer instructions. Cut worms could be avoided by keeping the garden clean. The laying of eggs by flies and moths has to be prevented by using covers.
Plants may wilt because of fungal diseases. The best way to avoid this is by using disease resistant seeds. Too much fertilizer is also not good for plants. This will make plants weak and spindly. Plants won’t grow properly if there is not enough light and if the plants are too crowded. Sometimes the plants may grow slowly and the leaves will have a light green color. This is because of improper photosynthesis. This is caused by absence of adequate sunlight or crowding of plants; cool weather, deficiency of fertilizers or over-watering.
Mineral deficiency and improper sunlight will make the leaves yellow, but they won’t wilt. Sometimes the leaves will have yellow and green patches in a mosaic pattern and the plants get stunted. This is a virus disease and the infected plants have to be destroyed. Sometimes fertilizer burns may cause symptoms similar to viral diseases. Before destroying the plants make sure that the stunted growth and patches are not resulted from fertilizer burn. Sometimes the leaves will have holes. This can be caused by winds and insects. If it is insects, use organic insecticides and for wind, barriers have to be provided.
In the end if the plants won’t bear fruit all your efforts will be wasted. Plants won’t bear fruit because of the extreme hot and cold climates; or excess of nitrogen. The seedlings have to be planted in such a way that it bears fruit before the extreme climates.
Proper watering, fertilizers, sunlight and climate are essential for the success of your vegetable garden.