16,949 Garden Web Discussions | Growing Tomatoes

Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
west_texas_peg(8a West Cen TX)

We have Ground Squirrels...nothing has worked with them. Have trapped, used pellet gun, flooded their holes (one goes under our house!), and put poisoned bate in their holes. Any suggestions?

    Bookmark     June 12, 2012 at 7:29PM
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
missingtheobvious(Blue Ridge 7a)
    Bookmark     June 12, 2012 at 10:13PM
Sign Up to comment
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
plainolebill(z8 OR)

We've had both the 18" and 24" for about 8 years. They are spendy but there is nothing that I've seen that is nearly as good. We have a limited amount of garden space which also translates into limited storage space or I'd make my own from rewire. These fold flat and I can store all 12 of my cages in an area about 2 foot wide by a foot or so deep.

The 18" cages aren't really large enough for a full sized indeterminant tomato but we grow stupice and some skinnier varieties in these cages.

I can't recommend them highly enough.

    Bookmark     June 12, 2012 at 9:11PM
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
sue_ct(z6 CT)

I use the 24" BUT always grew indeterminates until this year, since I decided to try one determinate. I am zone 5-6 (on the line). I might try the 20" next. I am very happy with the 24" but I am not sure they are REALLY necessary, and if the 20" are less expensive, I am sure they will be fine. I kinda like the idea of having both sizes. :)

    Bookmark     June 12, 2012 at 10:06PM
Sign Up to comment
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
carolyn137(z4/5 NY)

Yes, I've grown it. It's a long red paste variety quite similar to many others of that kind and was first offered by the Tomato Seed Co of Metuchen, NJ, who went out of business quite a few years ago. Tomato Growers Supply reintroduced it a few years ago.

There have to be at least 100 long red paste varieties such as Howard German, Opalka, Sausage and on and on and I've grown a lot of them. I have my favorites but you should grow it and see how you like it.

The fact is that quite a few years ago I and many others switched to using the best tasting varieties for sauce, etc., and that meant NOT using paste tomatoes since most of them are not known for taste, and are more susceptible to BER as well as Early Blight ( A.solani).

But there are some paste tomatoes that I do think have very good taste and I can list them here if you like.

Carolyn

Here is a link that might be useful: Jersey Devil

    Bookmark     June 12, 2012 at 9:08PM
Sign Up to comment
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
qaguy

Like suncitylinda said, I wouldn't be too quick to set them in full sun. They've been in shade, are small and might have trouble with hot weather. Let them grow a bit and slowly expose them to the sun. A bit more sun every few days and you should be OK. Same with planting them deeper. Fill the pot until only the leaves show.

    Bookmark     June 4, 2012 at 10:53PM
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
world_tomatoes

You could have planted those sprouts as well if you wanted too. They prolly would have done fine.

    Bookmark     June 12, 2012 at 6:18PM
Sign Up to comment
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
coconut_head(5b)

And now you know that once again, it was obvious what would happen! Sandwiches!!!!! lol

    Bookmark     June 12, 2012 at 3:55PM
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
lizbeth_pa

Were you pruning and taking out the suckers? That would have helped the situation. Next yr try growing a smaller variety that will not get so bushy. I always stake mine and forget the cages. I then tie the larger branches to the one supporting stake.
You could transplant the pepper plants to another section of the garden. I hope you have good luck w/ good, red, ripe tomatoes! I always go w/ smaller tomato plant varieties anymore!

    Bookmark     June 12, 2012 at 6:06PM
Sign Up to comment
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
coconut_head(5b)

You should invent a compost blower, something like they use to do blown in insulation. As long as the compost is pretty dry it should work fine. If you are the inventing type that is. Otherwise, just use your hands.

    Bookmark     June 12, 2012 at 4:02PM
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
digdirt2(6b-7a No.Cent. AR HZ8 Sun-35)

Good idea about the scoops MTO! By the handfuls works for me as I can work it in with my fingers at the same time. Especially when I can get the grandkids to help.

Otherwise it all depends on what kind of cages you are talking about and what the opening size is. I find that the grandkids' kid-size gardening tools are quite handy for many things adults do in the garden.

Dave

    Bookmark     June 12, 2012 at 5:07PM
Sign Up to comment
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
digdirt2(6b-7a No.Cent. AR HZ8 Sun-35)

From UVM Extension:

For conventional growers, pesticides containing pyrethroids or carbamates (Sevin) are generally effective. On organic farms, rotenone was often used in the past, but it is not ideal because it is has a relatively high mammalian toxicity and its availability has become limited. Other materials often recommended for organic farms include neem or insecticidal soap but recent research indicates that these are not very effective. Other insecticides containing pyrethrins (Pyganic) or kaolin clay (Surround) have worked well in some studies but not others. Good control has consistently been obtained with the organic pesticide containing spinosad (Entrust) but this product is not yet labeled for flea beetle control. Insect repellents containing hot pepper or garlic may also provide some control. If you are an organic grower check with your certifying agent to be sure any material you use is approved for your use.

I use Surround.

Dave

    Bookmark     June 11, 2012 at 5:12PM
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
mrsdlight

I had a bad case of flea beetle on my potato plants. I used neem oil. It worked. I also followed up with a dose of predatory nematodes Steinernema feltiae and Heterohabditis bacteriophora

    Bookmark     June 12, 2012 at 2:42PM
Sign Up to comment
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
ernie85017, zn 9, phx

My roma was similar. Found it at walmart. Someone had deliberately pinched it to have 3 main stems, perfectly spaced. I kept those and have rooted most of the suckers. I never saw this done this way before.

    Bookmark     June 12, 2012 at 1:22PM
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
ernie85017, zn 9, phx

My roma was similar. Found it at walmart. Someone had deliberately pinched it to have 3 main stems, perfectly spaced. I kept those and have rooted most of the suckers. I never saw this done this way before.

    Bookmark     June 12, 2012 at 1:26PM
Sign Up to comment
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
missingtheobvious(Blue Ridge 7a)

I had a bad experience with Burpee some years back. Sweet potato starts arrived nearly dead (dry). Most of the soil for a potted astilbe had escaped from the pot; the pot was loose in the box, not secured in any way. The astilbe was way too tiny, and I don't remember if it survived.

I will buy seeds from Burpee if it's something I can't get anywhere else, but not plants.

    Bookmark     June 12, 2012 at 12:46PM
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
carolyn137(z4/5 NY)

I only ordered plants from them once, and actually it's
the ONLY time I ever ordered plants from anywhere, but I was mad.

They had introduced what they called Red Brandywine Hybrid, this back in the 90's and I'm sorry, but I don't like OP heirlooms being converted to hybrids, and especially back then b'c it was the first time it happened.

So I ordered seeds and a 6 pack of plants, started some from their seed, started plants from my heirloom Red Bandywine and put out a few of their plants.

There was absolutely NO difference in my RB plants as compared to their supposed hybrid.

They changed the name several times and I think ended up calling Buck's County Hybrid.

I agree with the suggestion to buy plants from Darrels website Selectedplants.com it comes right up when you GOogle it. Prices are reasonable as compared to many other plant sites I know and packing and shipping are very good indeed. And a huge selection, but of course at this time of the eyar I have no idea what he might have left. You can e-mail him off his website about that or I think he may even give his phone number as well/

Another place with a good reputation is SSE ( seedsavers exchange). Go to the PUBLIC catalog at seedsavers.org and take a look. Not as many varieties as Darrel usually has, but plants are good as are prices and shipping.

Carolyn, who thanks you for tweaking her memory about her one time plant buying experience. LOL

    Bookmark     June 12, 2012 at 1:23PM
Sign Up to comment
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
terrybull

i've gotten lots of round bk's and the squatty ones.

    Bookmark     June 12, 2012 at 11:11AM
Sign Up to comment
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
missingtheobvious(Blue Ridge 7a)

On the recent Indigo Rose thread, Carolyn mentioned "cupped leaves" (her April 9 post, about halfway down):
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/tomato/msg0322301318384.html?15

That's all I know.

    Bookmark     April 18, 2012 at 10:46AM
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
dickiefickle(5B Dousman,Wi.)

What has happened to your plants since you first post ?

    Bookmark     June 12, 2012 at 12:14AM
Sign Up to comment
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
Kerosene

It could be that the tent isn't getting enough air flow, I have some hydro stuff going on in the tent too, so humidity could definitely be an issue. BUT all the other plants in the tent (mostly chillis) are doing really well.

I'm growing in a tent because it's winter in Australia.
Game plan is to move things out of the tent as soon as the weather permits.

    Bookmark     June 11, 2012 at 7:30AM
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
missingtheobvious(Blue Ridge 7a)

I'm growing in a tent because it's winter in Australia.

Okay, it's winter and they're indoors. But an indoor tent would seem to be overkill. I assume you put the tomatoes in the tent to share the hydro lights?

Anyway, humidity is not the friend of tomato plants once they've sprouted. Why not add one of the little 5" fans? Mine were cheap but are real workhorses.

Lovely short stems: I assume they're dwarfs.

    Bookmark     June 11, 2012 at 3:40PM
Sign Up to comment
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
west_texas_peg(8a West Cen TX)

I am growing Guernsey Island for the first time this year. It is a neat looking tomato and a lil bit larger than a cherry with great flavor.

    Bookmark     June 10, 2012 at 12:05AM
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
lorimcp2006

It's pretty late for a response now, but Ildi is a good yellow oblong shaped cherry tomato that all my friends like and I think kids would too. So you could mix that one in with a red, etc. I also love black cherry, so that would make a good 3 way mix
Did you ever find any at the farmer's market? I like the idea of mixing 3 plants together, might do that and sell at the market next year.

    Bookmark     June 11, 2012 at 1:52PM
Sign Up to comment
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
missingtheobvious(Blue Ridge 7a)

Just to be clear, the "first two photos" I was referring to were the first two in Lesuko's most recent post, not the first two when counting from the top of the thread.

    Bookmark     June 10, 2012 at 3:56PM
Thank you for reporting this comment. Undo
Lesuko(5, Boulder CO)

Thanks Carolyn and everyone.

I am now seeing leaf curl/roll on my cherries. Humph. I rarely use chemicals and if I need to it's something organic. So, no roundup. And I doubt my neighbors are using it too- though I'll ask. No manure and my straw bales are from last year which didn't seem to cause any problems to plants- and I only just mulched yesterday (We're late but were putting in an irrigation system).

I have flowers but no fruit forming yet- that I can see. Of course I don't know if our 95 degree saturday rendered the buds pollenless? If thats what happens when it gets too hot- when they can't fertilize.

At a closer look, some plants are curled on top, some in the middle. It's not consistent. I guess I'll wait some more to see what happens. It's going to be hot this year so I imagine it will stress my plants out even more.

Thanks again!

    Bookmark     June 11, 2012 at 1:46PM
Sign Up to comment
© 2015 Houzz Inc. Houzz® The new way to design your home™