I love that idea. I live in Austin, Texas with a VERY small backyard. Nevertheless, I'm an enthusiastic if not terribly successful gardener. I raised tomato plants from seed this year, which have just started blooming. In Texas, you really should start producing big fruit in May, so I'm WAYYYY behind. Still, the average 24 hour temp isn't above 90 yet, although it's close, so I should get something. I'm going to do your conduit idea next year.
I do have a question about zucchini. I've tried contacting our county extension agent, to no avail. I planted four grown-from-seed zucchini plants. (Sorry, I don't recall the cultivar. Burpee seed company from Home Depot.) I got lovely foliage, lovely blooms, and not one single squash. The blooms fell off and never set fruit, and the vines died last week. One day they were beautiful and two days later they were all dead. Do you have any idea what would cause this?
You probabably got hit by the Vine Borer Beetle.
I'm willing to bet that if you look atthe stalks just above the soil, you will see several small holes-- perhaps if you dig into those stalks, you'll see the larvae.
The fix to this is to plant RADISHES withing 2-inches of each Zucchini seed. The Borer won't go near your Zucchini. This holds true for Cucumbers, Melons, Squashes and Pumpkins.
You can still replant the Zucchini, down there in Texas. Just plant Radishes right next to them, and NEVER PICK THE RADISHES. Let them grow and grow, and go to seed.
--mf
Thank you!! I didn't find holes on the vines, but the vines near the ground shrivelled first, turned brown, and the plants died from the ground up. I will definitely try the radishes.
Thanks for the post mf! I was at the FeralFarm in MO since last Thurs. night - no computer (or TV) there so this was the first chance I had to check this out. I'm definitely going to try your conduit frame on some plants I have started down there.
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