Aug 2017 lower south - better late than never

I started some seeds for my fall garden just after the 1st.  I've got sprouts for redbor kale, winterbor kale, swiss chard, vates collards, butter crunch lettuce and bibb lettuce sprouting.  I put spinach seed into a container with wet paper towels inside in the A/C but not sprouting.  Somebody told me to put them in the fridge, so I did that yesterday.  I do know spinach needs cooler temps to sprout.

My squash all melted from too much rain, too much powdery mildew, and who knows what else.  Got 1 zuke and 1 yellow squash from 18 plants.  Even before they melted all I was getting was male blooms.  The cukes had all dried up to crinkly leaves, so I pulled them out.  Tomatoes - well I have gotten a few but the plants stayed spindly and didn't flourish this year. 27 buckets of plants and only a hand full of fruit. They are still alive and most are not blight stricken, so I'm hoping they will revive in the fall.   Eggplant and beans are doing ok.  Peppers all 36 buckets full are growing but not well.  We have had a hot, cloudy, wet summer.  Makes me think they just didn't get enough sunshine.  Aug is predicted to be wet and cooler than normal.  FYI, peppers and tomatoes were in buckets of new MM this year.  The basil and egyptian walking onions are doing great.

What's happening in your gardens?

Kay

Sounds Rough! I didn't build my boxes until July 25. (two 4' x 10' x 12") I filled the first with a slight variation of Mel's Mix. (25% vermiculite, 25% pete and 50% mushroom, chicken, cotton burr and cow compost) I trans-planted 12 tomato plants on 7/27 ( 6 heatwave and 6 celebrity). They are doing pretty well, ranging in height from 2 1/2 to 4 feet. I have many blossoms but not yet any fruit. I also planted 4 jalapneo, 3 sweet banana, one tai hot and 4 bell pepper plants. The sweet banana are growing well and I have lots of very small peppers. The jalapenos don't seem to be growing much at all , although I do have some blooms and one small pepper. The bells are about the same as the jalapenos. I direct sowed 16 silver queen corn plants which are doing well. (about 1/12 feet tall) I direct sowed 4 cucumber seeds on 7/28 and they are flourishing. They are very large and healthy. Fruit is very near from coming on. I also direct sowed carrots and romaine lettuce the following day which are growing very slowly but surely. 4 days ago, I added one collard (which is sprouting now) 16 mustard (which have sprouted ) and 9 snap bush beans which have also sprouted.

One of the things I'm not very sure about, is how to determine exactly when I need to give them more water now that the plants are getting larger. Anyone have any advice?

It is very hard to overwater MM.  That's one of its beauties.  Tried and true method, stick your finger in the MM and if it's drying, water. Wilting during the day is also a sign.   I find the bigger and fuller the plants get the more water they need.If you really want to spend money buy a moisture meter. 

Kay