Any particular veggies that have.....

[longwinters]

Any particular veggies that have given you fits trying to grow.  For me it has been asparagus....we seem to have a love hate relationship.  I can plant it accoring to all directions and a small percentage of the plants will sprout and if they do, they typically don't survive the winter to sprout the following spring.  But I know they can be raised here abouts as some grow wild and some people have nice beds of them.
 
Long

[cjclemens]

Asparagus grows here like a weed.  Unfortunately, I couldn't tell you the secret to making it thrive.  I've never actually planted any - All I do is cut some when I want it.  The patch of asparagus we have here on the family farm was planted sometime back in the early 70's by my great grandfather, and its still here today.
 
Now, as far as veggies that cause me grief - that would have to be carrots primarily.  My garden is a fairly heavy sandy clay, and it gets too tight as the summer progresses for the root crops to develp well.  The result is a lot of small, oddly shaped carrots.  Potatoes and sweet potatoes fall into the same category.  If they do grow well, it seems like rodents chew half of them up, so I dont put a lot of effort into them.

[keith44]

Asparagus directions are generic, I modified what was written, to suit local conditions. 

Dig a trench that is about 2" deeper than your freeze depth.  Put 1" of compost in the bottom of the trench, place your crowns in the trench, and cover them with 2" of compost.  Leave the trench open.  In the fall cover the trench with enough mulch (leaves, straw, or grass clippings) to have a mound 6" over the top edge of the trench.  The following summer cover the remaining mulch with 6" of dirt.  Do not harvest any asparagus until the third year.

Good luck

[charles p]

I have problems with squash vine borers.
 
Friend of mine has lots of snails in his garden.  Birds peck hole in my tomatoes.  Deer eat almost anything if they get through the fence.

[cjclemens]

You can probably add cabbage to my list of problem plants - between cabbage worm and rabbits, I cant seem to get any established here.

[keith44]

I have problems with squash vine borers.
 
Friend of mine has lots of snails in his garden.  Birds peck hole in my tomatoes.  Deer eat almost anything if they get through the fence.

This might help with the borers:
http://ediblesanmarcos.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/squash-bug-and-squash-vine-borer-m.pdf


As for the deer, go talk to the barber shops in your area and get some hair and scatter around and through the garden.


The birds, well I use pellet rifles and pie pans tied to stakes good luck

[chefjeff]

There is always some sort of varmint ready to eat your stuff.Right now my biggest one is VOLES. Just put out some granulated castor oil to see if that would help.For the squash borers,use diatomaceous earth all around and on the main plant stem.Peanuts are the hardest for me to get mature,to answer the subject post.

[keith44]

You can probably add cabbage to my list of problem plants - between cabbage worm and rabbits, I cant seem to get any established here.

chicken wire fencing will deter rabbits, the worms are more difficult.  I use seven dust as soon as it starts to head up.