16,949 Garden Web Discussions | Growing Tomatoes
Have you looked into the Sunset Gardening zones? If that is your last frost date - same as mine is this far south - then you might very well be in a different zone pocket, a micro climate zone that you can use to your advantage. The Sunset zoning is much more thorough and detailed.
I have a great zone 7 pocket here because of the hills and the lake and it can make a big 2 week difference when compared to many of the other gardeners in this same area.
Dave
I'll keep my mouth shut about any such questions in the future.
*****
No need to do that and I didn't realize you were looking for feedback on what additional type of protection to use. Maybe my fault for not reading carefully enough? I don't know.
What I do know is that sharing information and asking questions is the best way to go, as you did, IMO.
Carolyn
Did a quick search and one listed thing was root knot nematodes. I don't know offhand if that is definitely your problem, but solarization of the soil seems to be an effective control of nematodes (one of the few) as well as other soil fungus etc.
this link has a good bit of information about nematodes and solarization.
Here is a link that might be useful: University of Florida nematode info
It most likely IS some sort of problems with your soil but only a professional soil test - available from your local county AG extension office for a few dollars - is going to solve the problem.
Is the leaves the only thing you are adding? If so and since they are almost pure carbon and acidic you could easily be nitrogen or micro-nutrient deficient or the pH could be out of whack. The leaf condition is a good indicator of that.
Nematodes as mentioned is another possibility but you would see the large node clusters on the roots when you pull up the plants.
then from the bottom up the leaves start to get brown and wilt.
Soil borne disease is another real possibility so you'll want to do some research into the common tomato plant diseases. Mass. has a great online university extension website for all sorts of gardening info.
Dave
Here is a link that might be useful: UMASS Ext. - Home Gardening resources
Honestly the ability to extensively rotate isn't all that important unless you have a serious disease problem.
Millions of home gardeners grow in the same garden bed year after year with no problems. Many have no choice. Good soil amending compensates for most problems.
Rathos - if nothing else consider adding some lime to your soil. Not too much. But a little can't hurt and sure could help. My native soil pH is so alkaline that I can't even breathe lime anywhere near it but you sure could with that pH. Just something to consider when you keep in mind that if the pH is actually that far out of whack it would make much difference how much fertigation you use. ;)
Dave
I can definitely taste the difference between an RRR tomato and a beefsteak. One has much more gel and seeds than the other.
And between a red tomato and a yellow or orange tomato, of course I can tell the difference blindfolded. Now between a red and a pink, maybe not. But between a red and a purple, yes also.
I'm sure I could tell differences in flavors/brix/tart apart ,I've become quite the tomato cork sniffer over time and document them each season.
I make notes of growing conditions ,taste test varieties side by side...ect.
but to be honest If I was blindfolded and someone asked me to name that tomato... I seriously doubt I could.
the closest I could get might be .."that tomato has a potato-leaf Brandywine hint to it" or "this tomato has a zippy green zebra flavor" ...lol
and to be honest.... they change season after season anyway.
According to the "All New Square Foot Gardening" book, that will work fine. They use even shallower boxes.
I used 6" deep beds, and got wonderful tomatoes, very productive, from mine. I didn't grow in above ground closed beds, but I can tell you that the roots will grow laterally if they can't grow down, (mine did) and they stood up just fine. I was amazed at the root system when I pulled them in the fall. I used nearly 100% mushroom compost.
I'm building a couple of beds for my mom like yours for a Sun Sugar and a few short determinate tomatoes, Ida Gold, Whippersnapper, and Tumbler. I know she will have to water daily, and I'll add Azomite and Tomato-Tone when planting. I'll add some vermiculite to hers for water retention.
Don't let anyone who hasn't tried it tell you not to try. ;-) It has worked out for others. Keep reading on the net and in books. Good luck and good weather!
I have no problems growing tomatoes in raised beds either.
the big problem I have is trying to grow the tomatoes in the SAME raised beds every year... I grow them In big pots now because the soil in the beds are now infested with wilt from growing the same family of plants every year.
I tried a couple last year just to try and .. they died in the middle of the season while the ones in my big containers grew wonderful !
this year I'll be solarizing the beds ..although other plant familys did just fine
I am now a firm believer in crop rotation and not building any spot specifically for one type of plant every year
No reason you couldn't use them just like any other trellising material for anything that climbs. But IMO they are way too expensive to use - even for tomatoes - so I sure wouldn't want to waste them on beans or peas or cukes when there are so many less expensive, and likely better, alternatives available.
Dave
Branches, leaves or fruit touching the soil are more susepteble to soil contamination diseases. Many of those diseases, once on the lower leaves can grow and more quickly spread up the plant. Plant stems can still be infected but they are less likely because of many factors: surface hairs, available plant sugars, faster drying, etc. You could pinch off leaves but clipping creates a lesser wound.
In addition to what others have shared here ... your plants look great! At 5 weeks and with the bits of yellow, you may want to fertilize very, very lightly. This link may help as your re-pot.
Here is a link that might be useful: Re-potting tomato seedlings
julia42, I don't think you have a stem borer, but in case anyone would like to know about them, here are a couple of links:
Photos and info on page 3: http://www.btny.purdue.edu/Pubs/vegcrop/VCH2009/VCH508.pdf
More info on the bug here, but not tomato-centric: http://ipm.ncsu.edu/ag295/html/stalk_borer.htm
I had a stem borer once, about a foot above the soil. There was a small entrance hole, and the stem above that point stayed narrow and never got much longer. After a few weeks I just cut it off.
Actually, I think I may have found the culprit. Let me know if you think I'm way off.
I found a few flea beetles in the vicinity of the hacked plants. I have a pretty heavy straw and leaf mulch around them, and my guess is that larvae in the mulch hatched and chewed at the stems for a while. I've found pretty minimal leaf damage, but I've read they can damage stems too... I may go pick up some DE.
Another thing that produces leggy tomatoes is too warm of temperatures at night. Tomatoes need temps below about 63 F at night to grow properly. but of course they should also be above say 55 at night. Your problem might be light conditions AND temperature.
For your not ripe tomato problem as summer draws to a close, you need to stress your plants a little about 2-3 weeks before your frost date. I do that by shutting the water off on them. Tomatoes are really pretty drought tolerant plants and over watered tomatoes will tend to grow vines well but the fruit will not ripen as quickly. Alternatively you could also cut the meristems (the growing tip of the tomato branches). That tells the tomato to hurry up and put their energy into the fruit and not into plant growth.
You may have too much fertilizer/nutrients in your soil. You will have a similar problem with too much N, that is green tomatoes that don't ripen or vigorous vines that produce little fruit. Finally you might try some earlier varieties.
Thanks for the replies. I did try that method of picking and bringing inside, but it didn't get the best result. Also, around the middle of September when I picked them, I think they were getting blossom end rot as well as they were splitting. I believe the splitting was caused by the fact that our hottest days of the year were in September.
If you want a lot of uniform tomatoes this is it. Well worth growing, especially to can for stewed tomatoes, whole tomatoes, juice or salsa. I would prefer a dryer paste tomato for my thick Italian sauce, though.
Last year, I must have had at least fifty pounds of of one plant, then, the plant actually made a start by leaning over and rooting a branch, I had a whole another plant and another batch!
It's a very nice determinant. I messed up my seeds this fall and lost them or I'd be growing a couple this year.
Hi Angela,
I always try to grow Sun Gold, and this year my favorite local place is ordering seeds just because I asked, so I almost feel obligated to buy more than 1 package (well, I'll see how many seeds are in a pack). Anyway, I would be happy to send you a few Sun Gold seeds for an equal amount of seeds, your choice, whatever you have extra of. How many were you thinking you wanted?
Julie - Do you know that there are two kinds of Porter. The first one is often referred to as a cherry. INfact Bonnie Plants (re) named it a few years back and was selling the plants as Porters Dark Cherry. It is a pinkish color and a little bit oval. Porter improved is more round, and larger. Both were developed in TX and are notoriously good for heat. I am growing Tommy Toes this year too but it is the first time for me. Have heard good things about it, Linda
Hi Linda--Thanks for answering. The variety I grew last year was supposed to be the cherry type Porter. They were a good size for a single sandwich, but too big to eat in one bite. Those and Sioux were the only plants to produce much until it got cooler in the fall.
I think I will try the Tommy Toes this time, along with both of those varieties.