Why is my dill turning yellow and veggies stopped growing?

I am somewhat new to gardening in BC. I have planted a vegetable garden in the same spot (not quite full sun) for 4 years with varying luck. Last year everything was fabulous --- lots and lots of greens of all kinds, herbs galore, nice tall dill, huge parsley, vigorous basil plants, tomatoes, cukes, cabbage, kale, chard, leeks, and more.

This year, some lettuces are doing well and we are eating them daily but the mixed greens and herbs are growing slowly or not at all. Dill came up about 10 inches and now is turning yellow. Summer savory is doing a bit better but not tall. Tarragon is okay. Parsley is growing a little but not vigorously. Basil has small leaves. Arugula not doing well. Mesclun mixes not doing well. Spinach just came up and went to seed early. Beets stopped growing. I have some kale and chard but the plants seem to be growing very slowly and heads are forming slowly. Peas and beans are doing very well. Zucchini doing very well. I am also getting cukes and the vines have lots of flowers.
The plants around the edge of the garden e.g. near the fence are doing best. The ones in the middle are stunted. I am watering every 2-3 days with a sprinkler --- usually for about 2 hours. The soil drains very well.
Although in past years I have added bags and bags of compost and manure, the soil still seems very sandy to me (compared to Manitoba loam). I didn't add anything this year.

I am suspecting lack of manure, possibly not enough water, possibly the greens and herbs need more shade?

Advice would be much appreciated as I really rely on my fresh greens and herbs all summer. So disappointing not to get lots of dill.

 

It sound to me that your soil lacks of nutrients; try some "miracle-Gro" and your plants will thank-you for it.

 

I'm guessing that you need to add compost or manure at the end of the season. Also with this heat we're having you may not be watering enough. Plants don't like to get really dried out for long. I have raised beds and I'm watering twice a day.

 

I think it's probably lack of water in this heat, but another possibility is that the soil has gone more acid over the winter. I lime my veggie garden in the spring before turning over the soil and then grind up all my eggshells and sprinkle them on the soil (especially near the tomatoes, greens and lettuce) throughout the growing season. I have found it improves their growth considerably.

Mulching could help, if nothing else to hold the water in the soil -- but be careful of what you use (no cedar or stones). Try an hour with the sprinkler *in the early morning* every or every other day. If you want to fertilize, sprinkle first and then use a watering can to apply diluted fish fertilizer to plant roots. I try to keep my garden as organic as possible so I don't use Miracle Gro or any of those.

HTH
keke