16,949 Garden Web Discussions | Growing Tomatoes
IMO they look under fed, and possibly not getting enough sunlight. Plants get spindly reaching for light. Don't be afraid to use the fertilizer. Frankly, I under fertilized my plants for years for fear of over fertilizing. After I saw a youtube video showing how much fertilizer goes into those swc things, I significantly increased my application rate, and had very good results.
It looks like too much water,But being a tom. Gardner you know better,So to much of any one thing is not good. I would use a soap spray and take notes. If this happens again u would know.I really fell for you.I have redwood trees dieing and I can't get a answer either.It is tough to diagnose with out see it first hand.Thats gardening and u will figure it out.Good luck.
Don in Ca.
Sorry about that, hopefully it didn't get to the roots
Here is a link that might be useful: Organic Vegetable Garden
The PNW has lots of micro climates. Even a couple of miles can make a big difference. Here in Bellingham, north of Seattle, my tomatoes are just sad. While they have nice dark green leaves, and the determinates are bushy, they are all about 1/2 size, and only a few yellow blossoms. Just too cold and wet! A friend of mine between Lynden and Sumas has wonderful tomatoes; some are the same types as mine. I tried a number of cool and short season tomatoes, but they just aren't happy this year.
I'm still eating just the early ones. On a bright note my Brandywine is just loaded this year. If I get any ripe fruit and they are true to taste I will save the seeds. I rarely plant Brandywine since I have never had more than 3-6 tomatoes per plant. There must be a couple dozen or more on this plant, amazing.
Speaking of micro climates I have two garden plots. My house is at 800 feet elevation and everything there is always later. I have a community garden plot in the valley with what seems a much faster kick start every season. I grow most of my tomatoes there.
Malachite Box, Cherokee Green, and Green Giant are most likely to produce a crop of the varieties you have listed. This takes into account your location in TX.
Suggest you broaden your horizon. There will be a new one available next year from Sandhill named Bold Green. Get a few seed and try it.
DarJones
Agree with Darrel in my zone 5 area as well and in addition to those three I think I'd add Dorothy's Green as well.
Sometime I think you should try some of the GWripe cherries and of those I suggest.
Green Doctors and/or Green Doctors Frosted
Green Zebra Cherry ( not from the variety Green Zebra)
Verde Claro
All of the above cherries are very high yielding.
Carolyn, who notes that a couple of us predicted the GW ripe fad would follow the black fad and that has happened and I couldn't be happier since I've grown one heck of a lot of GWripe varieties and love the tastes.
When weather conditions are right for self pollenization usually that happens naturally, but yes, there are some who shake plants, some who use electric toothbrushes to help the pollen fall to the stigma and a few Iknow who have taken a broom to the plants and gently whaked them. But the effectiveness of those methods I think is called into question b'c there are no control plants ever used. ( wink)
But the fact is that as the bud matures to a blossom and the stigma starts to push up, it makes contact with the pollen bearing anthers usually before the blossom is even fully open.
No nectar in tomato blossoms so make some sugar water for the hummingbirds if you want to. ( smile)
Carolyn
You say your ground based ones have few blossoms? I had this problem a few years ago; incredible plants, healthy, robust, dark green, and BIG! But few blossoms and few tomatoes. A master gardener laughed and asked me how much I had fertilized and with what. He told me to get a soil testing kit, which I did. My NPK were all very, very high. The culprit was too much nitrogen. The tomatoes put all their effort into growing, not producing fruit. Even if using the same fertilizer product in your garden and your pots, the N could be higher in your garden soil than the pots because in your pots the N will leach out faster. Oh...and I have had tomatoes (not dwarfs or cherry) produce very well in 2 gal pots on my deck.
The climbing cutworms come in different colors and stripes. I have a butterfly book that shows two colorations of the same type of larva; one is green one darker.
I thought the tomatoes themselves were making me sick. It went on for two or three years. I ate tomatoes anyway because it is hard to give them up but then had a rumbling abdomen. One year I noticed that I was able to eat tomatoes breakfast, lunch and dinner for a few weeks until I had worms eating them. I sprayed with Thuricide. Now I don't use any of the bacterial products. I don't really know what does it maybe it was a coincidence but I can eat tomatoes now.
Looks like damage from a Tomato Fruitworm. Once in the tomato, the tomato is no good....you can't "cure" the damage. Prevention is the only step, now, from spreading to other fruit. If you see a tomato with a hole in it (some up to the size of a pea), pick it and get rid of it. I am not talking about "bites" such as tomato hornworms make, but holes that look like they were drilled into (or out) of the fruit. BT, Neem, or Spinosad can be applied to the plant and fruit, and I believe they are organic approved; but read the instructions. The little worms are the color of the stem and leaves, and prefer new green fruit. Good Luck!
I'll be gone the whole weekend. I gave them a good soaking this morning. I'll give them another right before I leave. I think I'll go ahead and cover with a light sheet. It couldn't hurt.....or could it? Nancy
My tomatoes aren't in pots. They're in raised beds and get a deep watering about once a week by soaker hose and once a week by hand (I like to water everything by hand once a week in order to see if I have any critters or yukky things!)
Nancy
On the counter out of sun or heat. If you want a few more quickly try the paper bag if you want, but I bet they don't taste as good. Ripening is just something that takes time and I think its the time that allows the taste to fully develop. If I get the chance I may try the one on the plant and one from the same plant on the counter at first blush to compare them for myself just because I have never done it. I wouldn't even try that if I were having varmit trouble, though. If you really want to settle the matter, take 3 from the same plant, put one on the sill, one in a bag and one in a cooler place on the counter. Wouldn't take long to see which you like best. :)
Thanks, I have a good place out of the sun, splitting the difference more or less.
Stupid squirrels. I am having to really rush in the mornings now, my department was downsized, an low and behold I have to come in early to have enough coverage. Also very very depressed about loosing a coworker.
This will make it easier than the bags.
Hey timmy, it says pics, as in PLURAL. Wheres the rest? LOve your pictures, please post more when time.
I second that!