16,949 Garden Web Discussions | Growing Tomatoes
I think what I like about automated watering like drip/micro sprinklers is that I can water them at say 8:30 am every day (while I am already off to work) and let the micro sprinklers work for 15 mins (waters about 6 inches deep) every 2 days (1 day when temps are high). So no watering needed in the evening so less slugs at night and less chances of getting fungus as the leaves are dry by afternoon/evening. I use evenings to check on the plants for insects/diseases.
This afternoon I picked a spray of Red Robins, and what a thrill ! My first ever home grown tomatoes from seed ! The taste as just what I was hoping for-beefsteak and not sweet at all. Thin skins too. I have a packet of seeds but I will definitely be saving seeds. What fun ! And thanks for your kind words !
Thanks sooo much everyone! :) I can't take all the credit though, I followed a ton of advice that I read around these forums and I think that's been my biggest reason for success with my tomatoes! Everyone here is so helpful and knowledgeable!
I'm so glad to hear it's not BER! I'm so excited to try an heirloom tomato! Thank you all sooo much! :)
Those, as already mentioned, are not affected by BER. If you were to see BER, more likely would be on SanMarzano (a Roma type) rather than Chrokee purple ...
Glad you don't have BER problem. I find it very frustrating, pitching all those tomatoes.
Agree, I'd go for the deck if eliminating trees, or at least trimming them, isn't possible.
Plus, given that the sun is at it's peak northern exposure for you over the next 2 weeks and then begins to shift after the 21st and move back to the south, use this year to track it. See if you would really gain anything.
As both the declination angle and the intensity fade after the equinox, it's possible you might actually lose early spring and early fall sun exposure by moving the garden.
Dave
For 8 years, I grew tomatoes right against the east side of a west-facing brick house. So at best the plants had 6 hours of direct morning sun -- and a lot less in the spring and late summer. Growth was adequate, all things considered.
Several years ago there was a GW member in MN whose yard was quite shady due to neighbors' trees, and the sunniest areas were all under 6 hours. IIRC, he grew tomatoes in large pots which he set wherever there was the most sun. I don't remember if he moved the pots over the course of the summer. He did get fruit.
Afternoon sunlight is always stronger than morning sun, so you might want to take that into consideration in deciding where to put your tomatoes. (I don't know why that is, but I've learned the hard way that plants advertised as "partial sun" will die if the sunny part of the day is the afternoon!)
Don't be quick to remove a leaf from a tomato plant that's looking like it's short of leaves, just because the leaf has a hole in it. It isn't a beautiful leaf thing, it's an edible fruit thing. Like sunlight, the plants need all the leaves they can get.
That dirt looks like it came out of a bag. Are you sure it's "cow" and not "steer"? Steer manure is problematic if used any quantity other than a light dressing. It's a salt thing.
Since the varieties you've already purchased are all among those being sold this year by Bonnie Plants (they supply tomato seedlings to many of the Big Box stores like Lowe's, Home Depot, and Walmart), you might want to look here to see the container varieties they're selling this year. Click on "Pots & Small Spaces" and "Determinates" for the smaller plants.
http://bonnieplants.com/products/vegetables/tomato-varieties
Bonnie sells many of their varieties only in certain regions, so you probably won't see most of these in your area.
Dave, I would like to look up foliar feed regulations and risks, any suggestions please...all google links I keep getting are about cannabis LOL
They aren't "regulations", Linda. No one is going to come arrest you. :)
They are simply research-based guidelines. many of them we talk about here frequently:
~well-diluted formulations only,
~use only low-salt index products to avoid leaf damage
~use only high atomization spray nozzles
~no mixing of different products due to possible interactions,
~light misting of both sides of the leaf rather than drenching the plant,
~not in the direct sun or the heat of the day,
~water-based formulations only to avid stomata occlusions or cuticle coating,
~apply only at appropriate stages of plant growth to avoid triggering blossom drop etc.
I'm sure you are aware the foliar feeding in and off itself is a somewhat controversial practice with naysayers and research supporting both sides of the argument.
Nutrient manufacturers, of course, come down heavily on the "it's great" side of the argument but their reasons for supporting it are sometimes questionable. Some horticulturists argue there is simply no way it can work given plant anatomy but their claims are also undermined by research.
So as with many things, the truth lies somewhere in between. That's where I am and I do use and advocate foliar feeding - in moderation..
It isn't a magic cures/fixes all, nor should it be practiced helter-skelter especially by the under-informed. While it has some documented benefits when done correctly, it can also harm the plants when done incorrectly. All of its benefits can be achieved by other less-risky methods like root drench, Just not as quickly. But then quicker isn't always better either. :)
Articles to explore:
The Myth of Foliar Feeding by Linda Chalker-Scott, Ph.D.
Haifa Group - Foliar Feeding Note section on limitations.
For a fun but informative look at both sides:
Farmer Fred Rant: Foliar Feeding: A Waste of Time and Money?
A&L Canada Labs: Leaf feeding vs. Foliar Feeding
Hope this begins to answer your questions but much more info is available.
Dave
Dave,
Thank you! Great to know info. I think with fertigation, hydroponics and now cannabis growers we seems to be getting more and more quality liquid fertilizers and while general issue of foliar feeds still remains controvercial it gets better and better. I have found it very beneficial for intensive type of gardening like veggie gardens but then I follow already predetermined calculations and mixes from quality products.
I think the flower is called a mega-bloom. If it does form a tomato it's likely to be misformed. They are fun to look at though. The foliage in photo 2 is regular leaf, and the foliage is called potato leaf. I never heard the term potato top before, but it probably refers to the foliage. It kind of looks like the foliage of a potato plant.
Potato Top was formally changed to Limbaugh's Potato Top Legacy by Doug Oster ( Ostler?, I forgot how to spell his name) as explained in the link below and there are other names for it was well,
Last I knew folks send seeds back to Doug and he sends them out to those who request seeds and there have been quite a few folks who have received seeds that were crossed that had beenn sent to him;;
I forgot to look when I fetched the link but I think there are several seed sites that list a stable Potato Top as well.
Carolyn
Here is a link that might be useful: Potato Top, etc
Put soil over the stem above where it toppled over and water it every day or so as you would a brand new rooting. It will survive but it will take long time for it to thrive again. Few of my tomatos toppled with damping. I did that and after a month or so now they are starting to grow. If you want to just buy new transplants from garden shop and plant them, that will save you time.
As far as the peat pots. This is for the first time I bought few "bonnie brand" plants in the 4-5" peat (I am saying peat but I don't know what they use) pots. That is the only thing they are selling now. Home depot, lowes, walmart they all had only that brand of plants. Any way, none of those plants have grown even an inch and they all look sick. I had taken at least some of the pot pieces off before I planted them. Today I dug up couple that looked really horrible to take them back for a refund. The roots have not grown at all in places where the peat was still intact and grown little bit in bare areas. So, next year, no peat pots.
oh cukes and zukes! This is first year I got in trouble with cucumber beetle! Joys of gardening at community gardens that everything eventually will find you. I am planning to switch to parthenocaripic varieties from now on and keep summer cover on. Too much trouble!
The toothbrush should help set fruits for those that missed the bees/lack of wind. I always get larger yields when hand pollinating using a powered toothbrush. It just ensures more flowers will set fruit.
Here is a link that might be useful: Pollinating tomatoes for maximum yield