Topic: Tomatoes

[duh]

Your right it is a bunch of work.  I bought one of those test kits but I couldn't make heads or talkes of it so it's still sitting in its case. 

I keep promising my flowers that I'll call the extention coop and get some information on my soil and find out what my sport evergreen bush is.  Of course I haven't done it yet.

I'm using grass clippings as a mulch this year.  It's the first time for this.  I've pulled the grass away from the base of the plants a couple times to check and it seems to be working ok. 

And I love the price of grass clippings mulch lol.

[Pharmerphil]

1 tablespoon of Epsom Salts per foot of tomato plant, worked into the soil around the base of your plant, and you'll have no problems with blossom end rot.

[Jim]

Will that help now Phil or should I have done that at the beginning of the season?  I had much rather do that as spray calcium on the plants even though that does work.

[duh]

I understand what you are saying about the clay.  Dianna and I started out with nothing but clay to work with.  Last year I was able to add a little compost to the soil and this year I was able to make my clay about 50% compost.  And the difference is amazing.  When the soil drys out it doesn't become like cement and pulling weeds is easy compared to how it used to be.  Plus now I can get the shovel into the soil.  It is great.  Make gardening so much easier.  Plus I don't have as much problem with the water running off.  And since I'm gardening on a slope that is a biggy.  Do i sound like a compost fan?  Well yes I guess I am.

[duh]

the first tomato is orange yeahhhhhhhhh.  How it is ripening when there are no leaves left on that branch I have no idea but I'm not going to complain.  I would love it if these plants manage to come back.

By the way I finally called the coop.  They don't come out and visit anymore.  But you can go to them.  Which is great as long as you have a car and a plant that will travel.  I don't on either count so that ends there usefulness to me.  Sorry that was a bit cranky.  But it's like everything else anymore.  Even the places that are suppose to help do as little as humanly possible.  OK, I'm done venting now.

[Dianna]

I am crossing fingers, eyes, and toes that the plants do a comeback for you, Duh! Congratulations on your first ripening tomato! 

I was so afraid of BER that when I saw two good-sized green tomatos on the vines, I picked them and brought them in the house. I put them in the kitchen windowsill and they are ripening.

Jim applied the calcium stuff to the tomatos and they are looking much better now.  Maybe I can leave the rest out there to let them get red there! 

by Duh:

Even the places that are suppose to help do as little as humanly possible.

I understand what you mean. The people that need the help that is supposed to be available to them, can't get it, but the ones who don't can always manage to find a way to get it. It is a crazy world we live in...

[duh]

That true unfortunately. 

I walked out this morning before church and there were two more that were turning orange.  I'm so excited.

I couldn't water this morning because I'd have gotten soaked.  But I'm getting ready to head out there now.

I hope they are looking good.

I too have everything crossed.

[Pharmerphil]

sorry Jim for the delay, we add epsom every two weeks throughout the season.
It can also be added to your soil in the spring prior to planting.
Yer plants will lub ya fer it!

[duh]

I managed to pick two tomatoes woohoo.  Then I sprayed with the copper spray.  the tomatoes and peppers are close together so I don't harvest the tomatoes after I spray.  Don't want to posion myself lol.

I'm disappointed with the taste.  They didn't strike me as sweet at all.  Oh well there is still the one Sweet 100 plant.  It might have nice sweet tomatoes.

Any suggestions for a hybrid disease resistant tomato, sweet taste and determinate?  Not picky am I lol.

[duh]

A bunch of my tomatoes are orange.  I think they will be ready to pick tomorrow.  That means I won't spray the copper spray today I'll wait until after I harvest. 

Well I certainly can't complain about the harvest I got loads of tomatoes this year.  Even if the plants look embarrassingly sickly.

[Dianna]

by Duh:

I got loads of tomatoes this year.

I know you are excited, Duh! Are you going to have enough to can any of them? 

[Jim]

Our plants are the same way Duh.  Some of the plants don't look so hot, but others are thriving.  They all seem to be loaded.  They are turning slowly though.  I can't get Dianna to leave them on the vine for them to get completely red as she is afraid the birds or something will decide to take a bite and ruin it. 

We ordered some plants this year from a Gardeners Choice catalog and we have a couple of tomatoes on those plants that are huge.  Can't wait for them to get ripe.  We are checking them every day.

[Pharmerphil]

Pholks, once in about 1979 I had 70+ tomato plants.
All of them had Excellent looking tomatoes on them, they were going to be ripe just in time for the following saturday, when the farmers market was held...
Let's back up here about 2 weeks...
Hey Phil, my friend asked...Would you like 16 - 3 week old bannie roosters?

Ya know, it took two of those roosters to make a meal
We had chicken dinner 8 times

[Jim]

Yep, don't blame you one bit.  Them dang chickens can mess up a garden if you don't watch em.

We have a neighbor that has guineas and we shewwww them away from the garden when they get close.  They aren't known to eat anything but they do scratch and can tear up things that way.  Don't mind if they wander around the property because they eat bugs and ticks and are fun to watch.

[duh]

hens ok roosters not ok.  Those silly creatures can't tell time and I'm a light sleeper.  I've been known to eat capon with a big smile.  I'm grouchy when my sleep is interrupted.  Now where are Dianna's mags?