Tomatoes in the ground

[Saccopoo]

Finally finished up with planting all my tomatoes for the season. I've been working on this for two weeks and had to cover the ones I put into the ground probably prematurely two weeks ago several times. I'm hoping that any chance of hard freeze is gone at this point and I don't have to worry about it from here on out.

Varieties:
Hybrids:
Better Boy
Big Boy
Early Girl
Lemon Boy
DX-52-12
La Roma II
Viva Italia
Sweet Tangerine
Moscow

Heirlooms:
Mortgage Lifter
Black
Pink Brandywine
Red Brandywine
Brandywine
Big Rainbow
White Wonder
Amish
Black Krim
Green Zebra
Fourth of July
Rutgers
Mr. Stripey
Yellow Pear
Taxi
Chocolate Cherry
Rose Quartz

Peppers also went in with Bells in Purple, Yellow, Red, Orange and Green, along with Thai, Jalapeno, Cayenne, Habanero, Anaheim and Serrano.

[farmerchief]

Sounds like ingredients for a few jars of "Salsa" for the Chiefs tailgate parties! :-)

[Bwana]

I planted tomatoes and peppers last week as well.

[cdcox]

I love tomatoes, but can't grow them.

I'm curious about why so many varieties? I think I'd plant my favorite 2 or 3 varieties and leave it at that. Surely some of those you planted you consider inferior to others?

[teedubya]

Lookin' like a FOOOL, with your tomatoes on tha ground.

[Wilson8]

How big is your vegetable garden? Are you planting multiples of each variety or just one of each? Do you sell or can them? I find that the planting part is easy but the taking care of them as the summer gets hotter is what we struggle with.

[BossChief]

Damn man, you love you some tomatoes.

[Delano]

Sacco, do you save seeds from your heirlooms?
Posted via Mobile Device

[FAX]

We were given some heirloom plants that somebody had grown from seeds. We didn't have room for them in our beds, though, so I had to build a new, raised bed. They're doing very well, so far. But our topsy turvy plant is doing awesome. It looks a little crazy being upside down and all (it's trying to turn itself upright in order to get sunshine which it needs to grow), but it's getting big fast. Real fast.

FAX

[Delano]

We were given some heirloom plants that somebody had grown from seeds. We didn't have room for them in our beds, though, so I had to build a new, raised bed. They're doing very well, so far. But our topsy turvy plant is doing awesome. It looks a little crazy being upside down and all (it's trying to turn itself upright in order to get sunshine which it needs to grow), but it's getting big fast. Real fast.

FAX

On the one hand, you're working with nature, and on the other, you're fighting her.
Posted via Mobile Device

[FAX]

On the one hand, you're working with nature, and on the other, you're fighting her.
Posted via Mobile Device

I've been fighting Mother Nature since the day I was born, Mr. Delano. It's friggin' war. She wants weeds to take over my lawn, make hair grow out my ears, and then slowly kill me. But I have news for her. I'm not going easy. Mother Nature can french kiss my butt. She is a relentless, mean-spirited bitch with nothing but death and chaos on her mind.

Therefore, if one little, crazy, upside-down tomato plant is going to upset her, so be it. Get used to it, Mother Nature. The stores are jam packed with topsy turvy planters.

FAX

[stlchiefs]

We were given some heirloom plants that somebody had grown from seeds. We didn't have room for them in our beds, though, so I had to build a new, raised bed. They're doing very well, so far. But our topsy turvy plant is doing awesome. It looks a little crazy being upside down and all (it's trying to turn itself upright in order to get sunshine which it needs to grow), but it's getting big fast. Real fast.

FAX

I decided to try a topsy turvy this year after reading good reviews and my tomato plant in it is not doing well. Yellow leaves, buds are dying, no new buds. I can't figure it out. I thought it was that it was getting too much water so I cut back on that a bit and even moved it in to a spot with more sun, but it's still not looking too hot. What's the upside down secret?

[FAX]

I decided to try a topsy turvy this year after reading good reviews and my tomato plant in it is not doing well. Yellow leaves, buds are dying, no new buds. I can't figure it out. I thought it was that it was getting too much water so I cut back on that a bit and even moved it in to a spot with more sun, but it's still not looking too hot. What's the upside down secret?

I don't really know, Mr. stlchiefs. This is our first experience with one. We received it as a Christmas gift from some people who come over often, so we kinda had to use it.

All we did was put some potting soil mixed with some good dirt in the container, added some Miracle Grow stuff, and watered the living crap out of it (we've gotten a lot of rain here, too). It gets medium direct sun ... about 6 hours a day. It's doing really well, though. It just looks weird trying to turn itself upright and all. I think (and this is just a guess) that, because it's more or less a hydroponic type of contraption, more water is better than less water and that, of course, means it can take quite a bit of sun.

FAX

[Johnny Vegas]

you didn't mention anything about fertilizer or what kind of soil you're using, stlchiefs.

[stlchiefs]

you didn't mention anything about fertilizer or what kind of soil you're using, stlchiefs.

potting/gardening soil and top soil mix. No fertilizer.

[rambleonthruthefog]

DAMN! i only got 4 roma plants.

[FAX]

Yeah ... I think the yellow leaves might be indicative of some kind of soil deficiency. It probably needs some fertilizer. We use Miracle Grow mixed with water. It works well.

FAX

[Ebolapox]

ari stole my 'pants on teh ground' idea. dammit.

[FAX]

Plants on the ground.

FAX

[Johnny Vegas]

Yeah ... I think the yellow leaves might be indicative of some kind of soil deficiency. It probably needs some fertilizer. We use Miracle Grow mixed with water. It works well.

FAX

yea thats what I'm thinking. No new bud site?! sounds like it needs fertilizer stat. stlchiefs, you'll need something high in phosphorus to promote more bud sites. Get something thats 17-17-17 or 20-20-20 kind of fertilizer. Yellowing leaves could be anything to nitrogen, calcium, or potassium deficiency.

[Groves]

What's the upside down secret?

A little whale oil and it'll be right as rain.

[FAX]

Some people say that egg shells help a calcium problem. I've never done it because I couldn't get the chicken to just stand there by the plant long enough.

They say that bananas have lots of potassium. Maybe you could jam a big banana in your topsy turvy?

FAX

[Johnny Vegas]

haha you got the right idea FAX!! Also ground up coffee beans are a rich source of nitrogen. Great organic alternative.

[googlegoogle]

Grocery store tomatoes are red and awful.

[Crush]

Dead bodies help create the best tomatoes. If you do not believe me, go ask Cameron Diaz or the black A.D.A. from Law and Order: Criminal Intent.

[Saccopoo]

I love tomatoes, but can't grow them.

I'm curious about why so many varieties? I think I'd plant my favorite 2 or 3 varieties and leave it at that. Surely some of those you planted you consider inferior to others?

Tomatoes, at least for me, are the easiest thing to grow. (I've never grown a corn plant worth a shit for 20 years.) But they are also what I concentrate the most on in my garden.

I like trying several new varieties every year in addition to the standards. The DX-52-12 is the defacto standard here in the mountain west. It's an improved version of the Moscow (which, in itself, was a hybrid lab variety) developed for the higher elevations, sandy soil and shortened growing seasons here in the Rocky Mountain region.

I do save seeds from the better plants and put into the ground several from the best of the seed starts. I also order a few new varieties of heirloom seed packs every year. You never know which one ends up being your favorite. Might as well try as many as you can in order to get that end of the rainbow, pot of gold if you can. So far, for me, the Green Zebra has been my favorite. Doesn't can for shit, so you have to eat them fresh, but holy mother of all things tasty, they are good.

I'm trying Mortgage Lifters this year based on the favorable comments that this strain has received here, although from what I hear, they don't have the acidity to preserve properly. Sounds like a good fresh mater though.

I like trying a lot of varieties simply because they are so different in terms of taste, acidity, etc. They all cook different, can different, etc. I make a ton of salsa every year (I'll make five or six batches in a season using 100+ tomatoes in each batch), make my own BBQ sauce from scratch, and just through using tomatoes in everyday cooking. I try to can an immense amount of tomatoes just by themselves so I can have that taste in cooking deep into the winter months.

I hate mass produced hydro store bought tomatoes. Bad scotch, bad tequila, bad tomatoes. It's easy to tell the difference between bad and good with such things.

[Ugly Duck]

I have some heirloom seedlings ready for planting... its gonna rain tomorrow so it'll be soon after that. I'm gonna dry farm them... lowers the yield & fruit size, but ups the flavor many-fold:

Brandywine
Pink Brandywine
Yellow Brandywine
Black Krim (from the Black Sea in the old Soviet Union)

[Saccopoo]

I have some heirloom seedlings ready for planting... its gonna rain tomorrow so it'll be soon after that. I'm gonna dry farm them... lowers the yield & fruit size, but ups the flavor many-fold:

Brandywine
Pink Brandywine
Yellow Brandywine
Black Krim (from the Black Sea in the old Soviet Union)

The Krims are awesome. Stunning fucking tomato. They are one of my staples at this point. You should branch out from the Brandywines though. All of the varieties are very similar in taste.

My Brandywines have been my best producers over the past three years, almost doubling the output of the hybrid varieties, and I've saved seeds from a Brandywine/Old German cross pollination that happened three seasons ago that is, for the past two seasons, been incredible in terms of the fruit flavor and output.

[tooge]

I dont have as many as you do, but I have 12 plants and the varieties are
Mortgage lifter
better boy
brandywine
sweet girl
sweet 100
goliath
Got them in about 2 weeks ago. Looking good but its been cool and lots of rain.

[MOhillbilly]

Yeah ... I think the yellow leaves might be indicative of some kind of soil deficiency. It probably needs some fertilizer. We use Miracle Grow mixed with water. It works well.

FAX

could be fungus, not enough sun,not enough water, bonemeal & 3-13 for fertilizer.

Common tomato diseases.

http://aperfectgarden.net/Tomato%20Diseases.htm

[MOhillbilly]

The Krims are awesome. Stunning ****ing tomato. They are one of my staples at this point. You should branch out from the Brandywines though. All of the varieties are very similar in taste.

My Brandywines have been my best producers over the past three years, almost doubling the output of the hybrid varieties, and I've saved seeds from a Brandywine/Old German cross pollination that happened three seasons ago that is, for the past two seasons, been incredible in terms of the fruit flavor and output.

How do you keep the cross true?

[Simply Red]

I think it's beautiful to be one w/ nature, I love tomatoes, I love vegetables, I love Jesus.

[boogblaster]

Nice to hear you have some of the old true breeds .. damn hybrids don't produce plus the seeds are dead .....

[MOhillbilly]

Nice to hear you have some of the old true breeds .. damn hybrids don't produce plus the seeds are dead .....

hybrids dont produce? i beg to differ.

[seclark]

we've got blooms on all 4 topsy turvy plants...grew a lot while i was gone last week. if we could get some sun and warm weather, they'll really go to town.
sec

[Simply Red]

Nice to hear you have some of the old true breeds .. damn hybrids don't produce plus the seeds are dead .....

Thanks.

[MOhillbilly]

ive eaten salad out of the garden since last thursday.

[Simply Red]

ive eaten salad out of the garden since last thursday.

I love lima-beans, they're EASILY my favorite veggie. Or wait, are they a fruit? whatever, i love them, all of them, 'speckled'/babys/fordhooks etc...

[MOhillbilly]

I love lima-beans, they're EASILY my favorite veggie. Or wait, are they a fruit? whatever, i love them, all of them, 'speckled'/babys/fordhooks etc...

i put out two lima bean starts that the kid brought home from K science class. Thinks he is big shit.

[Ugly Duck]

You should branch out from the Brandywines though. All of the varieties are very similar in taste.

Took your advice about expanding my variety (although I do love me some Brandywines). Picked up Stripped German & Pineapple. Don't know anything about them - just saw two plants for sale & grabbed 'em. Don't even know if they do well in wine country... we get some hot days in the summer, nights are cool with fog rolling in from the beach in the morning. Don't wanna confuse the poor plants. Those Krims from the Crimean Peninsula in Russia love it here... dunno how something called "pineapple" will do...

[Groves]

I love lima-beans, they're EASILY my favorite veggie. Or wait, are they a fruit? whatever, i love them, all of them, 'speckled'/babys/fordhooks etc...

Both. The pod is a fruit the plant is a legume, which is considered a vegetable.

[Simply Red]

Both. The pod is a fruit the plant is a legume, which is considered a vegetable.

See there, I's smart!


http://i43.tinypic.com/m82pz4.gif

[journeyscarab]

Should you have blooms this early or should they be removed?

[MOhillbilly]

Should you have blooms this early or should they be removed?

yes. if the climate is right you could have tomatoes by now depending on what zone.

[journeyscarab]

yes. if the climate is right you could have tomatoes by now depending on what zone.

Here in the KC area. I always thought you knocked the early blooms off so the plant can continue to grow but maybe I am doing it wrong.

[LaChapelle]

Some plants are like some animals and people
they just expire for reasons only known to them and God
no emotional attachment needed just replace the plant

[Rausch]

Some plants are like some animals and people
they just expire for reasons only known to them and God
no emotional attachment needed just replace the plant

...

[HemiEd]

We were given some heirloom plants that somebody had grown from seeds. We didn't have room for them in our beds, though, so I had to build a new, raised bed. They're doing very well, so far. But our topsy turvy plant is doing awesome. It looks a little crazy being upside down and all (it's trying to turn itself upright in order to get sunshine which it needs to grow), but it's getting big fast. Real fast.

FAXWe had one of those upside down plants last year. Our growing season is real short, and we have too many trees to allow any spot to get enough sunlight.
We got two tomatoes off of it last year.

[MOhillbilly]

Here in the KC area. I always thought you knocked the early blooms off so the plant can continue to grow but maybe I am doing it wrong.

you pinch the runners off if they are an indeterminate variety and you dont have alot of room. Some people do this anyway because they think it will give them heavier tomatoes.
Ive seen it done but never used this method.

video-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgmJDwjUZwU

[MOhillbilly]

Some plants are like some animals and people
they just expire for reasons only known to them and God
no emotional attachment needed just replace the plant

yup.

[MOhillbilly]

OP, Hybrids and Heirloom Plants


When reading about gardening there is often reference made to the terms "OP (Open Pollinated)", "Heirloom" and "Hybrid". These terms are often misused and more often misunderstood. The problem comes mainly from the fact that except for the term "OP", the other two have no absolute definition. I will explain.

Let's start with the term "OP" or Open Pollinated. Plants that are "OP" will produce fruit with seeds that can be regrown to produce plants like the parent plants. The only requirement is that the pollen that fertilizes the plant must be from itself or another plant of the same variety. Using a tomato as an example, when an "OP" tomato like a Marglobe produces tomatoes after being pollinated by itself or another Marglobe the seeds within that tomato can be used to grow another generation of Marglobes like their parent plants. This allows you to continue to grow a certain variety of plant by collecting seeds from it. This is true as long as the flowers of an "OP" plant are pollinated ONLY by plants of that variety. Another type of tomato's pollen in a Marglobe tomato would produce a tomato with seeds that if planted would grow up a plant unlike a Marglobe in some ways since the seed would have characteristics of both parents for the most part. This is called "Cross-Pollination" or crossing one plants genetic code with another. Plants produced by cross pollination would be called "Hybrid".

"Hybrids" are plants that are created by "Cross Pollination". In other words two different varieties of a plant are grown in close proximity and the result from pollinating each other is a new variety of that plant. So if you grow two different "OP" plants in a small enclosed area, the result would be seeds that showed some characteristics of both parents, not an exact copy of either parent. "Hybrids" often produce a seed that is sterile and will not grow. "Hybrids" that do produce a viable seed may or may not produce a plant that is even like either of the parents. Genetic crossing is an inexact science and trial and error is the rule not the exception.

"Heirloom" plants are "OP" plants that have been grown in their variety for long enough period of time to be declared "Heirloom". The term is not a scientific term, but instead a gardener's term used to describe a certain history of the plant. It was coined since many families of older days would pass seeds down from one generation to another like they would pass a ring or piano down. The seeds are prized possessions of many families. An "Heirloom" plant has to be an "OP" type seed for the obvious reasons but the time it has existed and grown is debated. Some groups only consider it an Heirloom after 75 years while others have settled on 50 or even as little as 25. The point is that Heirloom is pretty much synonymous with OP, but with the added point that it has been around a while.

Now for the confusing part. Some heirlooms are actually Hybrids in a technical sense. The Marglobe tomato has been around for nearly 100 years now. It is technically a Hybrid since it was created in 1917 by the USDA by crossing a Marvel tomato with a Globe tomato. The offspring of this cross produced a viable seed that grew a copy of itself with characteristics of the parents and a few extra good things that were the result of genetic crossing. The Marglobe was the first tomato that was resistant to Fusarium and Verticillium Wilt. Quite a big hit back then and since then the Marglobe has been parent to many tomato varieties with good disease resistance. In fact the Marglobe is the United States' most popular canning tomato for about 75 years now. The Marglobe and many other plants were developed by cross breeding, but since they were able to reproduce their kind generation after generation, they have been called "OP" now and since they have done it for a while many are also now considered "Heirloom".

Summary" "OP" means you can save the seed and then regrow the same crop as long as it was not cross pollinated.


"Hybrid" means a cross breed that will probably not produce seed that would grow a plant like it came from and more often than not grow any plant worth growing.


"Heirloom" is basically an "OP" that has been around long enough to pass the test of time.

Bonus Info:

You also hear a lot of reference to "GMO" seeds. This refers to "Genetically Modified Oranisms" or plants that were produced by splicing the genetic material of various things (Not always plants, but frogs, goats, bacteria, virii, insects, etc.) by laboratories into plant genes to change the organism in ways to obtain changes that one could only dream of before. They have used frog DNA from a frog that doesn't freeze even at 0 degrees to make some plants more tolerant of low temps for example. The sky is the limit with GMO technology, and the highs and lows of potential successes and failures are seriously debated.

[Ugly Duck]

Nice write-up, MOhillbilly... thanks. I'm just a mater newbie who got sick of the storeboughts with the tough skins and the no-flavor. I figured the Heirlooms were around before we cross-bred & GMO'd tomatoes into the abominations that we buy in stores today. And now I know... the ...rest... of...the ...story...

[FAX]

Thanks, Mr. MOhillbilly. Fascinating stuff. I learned a great deal.

After reading that, it strikes me that I have no idea what these "heirlooms" are that I planted. The girl told me that there were several different varieties, so I guess I'll be cross-pollinating the entire group of plants and creating something that won't grow from seed next year. Or, maybe it will. I'm going to save some seeds to try. Any best practices on how to save tomato seeds?

FAX

[Saccopoo]

You rock Mo. Good article. Rep.

[Saccopoo]

Thanks, Mr. MOhillbilly. Fascinating stuff. I learned a great deal.

After reading that, it strikes me that I have no idea what these "heirlooms" are that I planted. The girl told me that there were several different varieties, so I guess I'll be cross-pollinating the entire group of plants and creating something that won't grow from seed next year. Or, maybe it will. I'm going to save some seeds to try. Any best practices on how to save tomato seeds?

FAX

I'll use a paper coffee filter to save the seeds. Squeeze the tomato and the seeds into the filter press it out and let it dry. Peel it open when you want to start the seeds in subsequent years.

[Stewie]

My garden is going berserk with all this rain. I can't wait! I just add organic material and plant... pH is the most important part of any garden. If the pH ain't right the nutrients aren't available to the plants no matter what you try to do.

[MOhillbilly]

My garden is going berserk with all this rain. I can't wait! I just add organic material and plant... pH is the most important part of any garden. If the pH ain't right the nutrients aren't available to the plants no matter what you try to do.

Mines goin crazy aswell though i wish itd dry out just long enough for me to till again. Forcast doesnt look good so screw it, ill just plant what i have left wet.

[Stewie]

Mines goin crazy aswell though i wish itd dry out just long enough for me to till again. Forcast doesnt look good so screw it, ill just plant what i have left wet.

I got my beans in last week when the soil had barely dried and then it was another round of days of rain.

[Great Expectations]

We are using mushroom dirt in our garden for the first time this year. Last year some neighbors of ours used it and had an amazing garden, their vegetables were gynormous.

We don't have any weeds and already have a few green tomatoes. A few days of sunshine and we should have some ready to eat. I picked some arugula yesterday, this mushroom dirt is amazing and fairly inexpensive considering we didn't have to add any fertilizer outside of the dirt.

[rwalke10]

Know anything about the Mortgage Lifters? I picked up some of these this year, but hadn't heard of them before...any info would help--Thanks

[MOhillbilly]

I got my beans in last week when the soil had barely dried and then it was another round of days of rain.


tilled lastnight but the east side of the big plot was still clumpy(downhill slope). looks like blue skys from sat. on so i didnt wanna push it.

[MOhillbilly]

heads up

http://www.tomatogrowers.com/

[Buehler445]

I got some tomatoes, bell peppers and jalapeños in. This is my first go around with the garden so I'm very much a n00b.

It's an old hog pen, so there should be decent fertility there. I tilled strips where I would plant and left the portions that will not be planted. I layed in some composted cow manure in before I tilled. Then I laid some dripline in. After all that, I put hay down over the whole thing to keep weeds out and moisture in.

It's the best I can do. Any suggestions (midstream)

[MOhillbilly]

I got some tomatoes, bell peppers and jalapeños in. This is my first go around with the garden so I'm very much a n00b.

It's an old hog pen, so there should be decent fertility there. I tilled strips where I would plant and left the portions that will not be planted. I layed in some composted cow manure in before I tilled. Then I laid some dripline in. After all that, I put hay down over the whole thing to keep weeds out and moisture in.

It's the best I can do. Any suggestions (midstream)

feedsacks/newspaper under the mulch. Did you check the PH on your patch of dirt?
manure nutrient chart
well shit that didnt work, give me a sec...

http://www.rainyside.com/resources/nutrient.html

[Buehler445]

feedsacks/newspaper under the mulch. Did you check the PH on your patch of dirt?
manure nutrient chart
well shit that didnt work, give me a sec...

All the damn dirt in the damn county is pretty basic. It's at my parents house, which is down in the valley, the dirt is pretty goddamn yellow, and just overall shitty, but like I said, we raised hogs on the dirt for I think 5 years, so hopefully that will add some value to the dirt.

[MOhillbilly]

All the damn dirt in the damn county is pretty basic. It's at my parents house, which is down in the valley, the dirt is pretty goddamn yellow, and just overall shitty, but like I said, we raised hogs on the dirt for I think 5 years, so hopefully that will add some value to the dirt.

yikes! wouldnt count on it. doesnt sound like very loamy soil. You cut a ribbon?

[Over-Head]

planted an herb garden m'self.LMAO
AK-47
Northern Lights
Purple Haze
White Widdow
and a cross bred mix of Jack Hore/Kush

[Buehler445]

yikes! wouldnt count on it. doesnt sound like very loamy soil. You cut a ribbon?

Most of the soil around is silt loam, but it is pretty alkali. I guess it probably isn't terrible, but the yellow dirt is kind of shallow.

I looked on our mapshots program and it is Bridgeport loam.

I may be overstating things. Compared to the dirt out of the valley, this dirt isn't all that good. But most of the dirt in the county is very good dirt. I'm not all that worried about it. Mom has had a garden down here for years, and she makes it work.

Are you thinking the dirt is going to be iron deficient?

[tooge]

thinned out the baby bok choy last night. It was really good with bacon pieces and garlic in the bacon fat. First from the garden this year.

[MOhillbilly]

Most of the soil around is silt loam, but it is pretty alkali. I guess it probably isn't terrible, but the yellow dirt is kind of shallow.

I looked on our mapshots program and it is Bridgeport loam.

I may be overstating things. Compared to the dirt out of the valley, this dirt isn't all that good. But most of the dirt in the county is very good dirt. I'm not all that worried about it. Mom has had a garden down here for years, and she makes it work.

Are you thinking the dirt is going to be iron deficient?

without knowing what any of that means i would assume after running hogs on it that long it would be calcium deficient and high in nitrogen.

[Buehler445]

without knowing what any of that means i would assume after running hogs on it that long it would be calcium deficient and high in nitrogen.

To be fair, we quit running hogs on there in 95, I think, so it should be mellowed out. And the composted manure we put on composted for a year (IIRC), so it isn't hot.

[MOhillbilly]

To be fair, we quit running hogs on there in 95, I think, so it should be mellowed out. And the composted manure we put on composted for a year (IIRC), so it isn't hot.

Did you put any fertilizer down?

[Buehler445]

Did you put any fertilizer down?

We put composted cow manure down.

[MOhillbilly]

We put composted cow manure down.

id still throw some 3-13 or 3-17 on each plant. Teaspoon each. JMO.

[Buehler445]

id still throw some 3-13 or 3-17 on each plant. Teaspoon each. JMO.

I'm not familiar with those products. Fill me in?

[MOhillbilly]

I'm not familiar with those products. Fill me in?

commercial grade fertilizer the 13/17 refers to the % amount of phosphorus, nitrogen, potassium in the mix. its what damn near everyone uses north to south. If you knew your PH level you could add or detract what was needed to make the soil more or less acidic as needed, between 4-7 is the basic guideline on soil ph.

edit- had a truck. But anyway this will explain ph better than i can. if you dont wanna screw w/ it just sprinkle a teaspoon of 3-13 around each plant and abit less 3-17.
i paid i think 10$ for a 50# bag and spead it over the yard and garden then kept some in reserve for spot fertilization. This is how i learned to do it from dad & grandpa.

http://soil.gsfc.nasa.gov/soil_pH/plant_pH.htm

[Ugly Duck]

I won't amend or fertilize my soil... stuff just grows crazy huge around here. Its old but undisturbed black adobe that is so rich in nutrients that plants often exceed 2X their advertised heights. If I amend the soil for better aeration, roots find it too easy to build an extensive network and plants get all gargantuan and unruly. I also withhold water as much as possible to get plant size down to manageable. I abandoned some hybrid-tea rose bushes 12 years ago along the back fence... never sprayed or pruned or watered 'em. Now they are 8-ft monsters covered in blooms. I figure tomato plants would grow too big like all the other plants do... so I'll treat 'em mean & hope they don't go humongous on me.

[Buehler445]

commercial grade fertilizer the 13/17 refers to the % amount of phosphorus, nitrogen, potassium in the mix. its what damn near everyone uses north to south. If you knew your PH level you could add or detract what was needed to make the soil more or less acidic as needed, between 4-7 is the basic guideline on soil ph.

edit- had a truck. But anyway this will explain ph better than i can. if you dont wanna screw w/ it just sprinkle a teaspoon of 3-13 around each plant and abit less 3-17.
i paid i think 10$ for a 50# bag and spead it over the yard and garden then kept some in reserve for spot fertilization. This is how i learned to do it from dad & grandpa.

http://soil.gsfc.nasa.gov/soil_pH/plant_pH.htm

I get it. That's the same shit we apply to our farmland in liquid form. Except it is listed as N-P-K. Do you get that from the co-op or what? I guess I haven't seen any plant stores carrying commercial fertilizer.

EDIT: I are dumbass. Looked at some osmocote, and it is similar. I'm picking up what you're throwing down.

I'm not concerned about Phosphorous. Conditioned cow manure has a fuckload of phos in it. I would be nitrogen deficient if anything. I may put down some osmocote I bought if the plants start looking nitrogen deficient.

Thanks for the help, Mo.

[Stewie]

I won't amend or fertilize my soil... stuff just grows crazy huge around here. Its old but undisturbed black adobe that is so rich in nutrients that plants often exceed 2X their advertised heights. If I amend the soil for better aeration, roots find it too easy to build an extensive network and plants get all gargantuan and unruly. I also withhold water as much as possible to get plant size down to manageable. I abandoned some hybrid-tea rose bushes 12 years ago along the back fence... never sprayed or pruned or watered 'em. Now they are 8-ft monsters covered in blooms. I figure tomato plants would grow too big like all the other plants do... so I'll treat 'em mean & hope they don't go humongous on me.

Nutrients are only available in the right conditions. That's easy to fix. If you can grow huge veggies w/o amendments you're lucky. I wish I didn't have to think about how to grow anything. I'd just sprinkle seeds and feed 100s.

[FAX]

Dang. I'm starting to feel really sorry for my topsy turvy tomato plant. He's growing like crazy, but he's twisting himself all around trying to turn his leaves right-side-up so he can get some sun. He's ... all contorted. It's like he's being tortured. I don't think this is right.

FAX

[googlegoogle]

planted an herb garden m'self.LMAO
AK-47
Northern Lights
Purple Haze
White Widdow
and a cross bred mix of Jack Hore/Kush

You need to share the wealth.:clap:

[cabletech94]

i've always used year old cow manure for my 'maters. there's nothing better in the world.

on a slight hi-jack note here, I've planted potatoes for the first time this year and the plants are HUGE. anyone have any tips on ensuring that I will have usuable taters later this fall?

[Over-Head]

You need to share the wealth.:clap:
Goes for $300 a bag, but i'll cut ya a CP discount of 20% ;)

[Bwana]

Goes for $300 a bag, but i'll cut ya a CP discount of 20% ;)

To the shed! ;)

http://www.usefilm.com/images/5/5/0/1/5501/1408440-medium.jpg

[Over-Head]

To the shed! ;)

http://www.usefilm.com/images/5/5/0/1/5501/1408440-medium.jpg
Mine's insulated thank you! :harumph:

[Bwana]

Mine's insulated thank you! :harumph:

On a side note, you need to get busy with crossing a tomatoe plant and some kind of quality weed plant of your choice. You could eat the tomatoe's and sell the weed. I'm telling you, you would make millions.

http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ezdfyY2GxTltQM:http://www.clker.com/cliparts/6/0/6/0/1245694766439408861johnny_automatic_tomato_plant.svg.hi.png (http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.clker.com/cliparts/6/0/6/0/1245694766439408861johnny_automatic_tomato_plant.svg.hi.png&imgrefurl=http://www.clker.com/clipart-29009.html&usg=___Lkw8MDlurtz9-KszQG2xhdfN_4=&h=594&w=342&sz=71&hl=en&start=3&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=ezdfyY2GxTltQM:&tbnh=135&tbnw=78&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dtomatoe%2Bplant%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26tbs%3Disch:1) + http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:mJC6KA3R4A7OZM:http://www.marijuana-seeds.net/maleinflowering.jpg (http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.marijuana-seeds.net/maleinflowering.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.marijuana-seeds.net/malefemale.htm&usg=__y7-rf_Z3noGeLkpLV_vuTVsmvX8=&h=640&w=480&sz=55&hl=en&start=9&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=mJC6KA3R4A7OZM:&tbnh=137&tbnw=103&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dmarijuana%2Bplant%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DX%26tbs%3Disch:1) = http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:6Yz8f_tfBAnrpM:http://ladyprogress.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/jpg%3Fw%3D300%26h%3D225 (http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://ladyprogress.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/jpg%3Fw%3D300%26h%3D225&imgrefurl=http://ladyprogress.com/&usg=__ySGJPJEkfOhzyu0upOt0IlUuVkI=&h=480&w=640&sz=218&hl=en&start=6&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=6Yz8f_tfBAnrpM:&tbnh=103&tbnw=137&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dlots%2Bof%2Bmoney%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26tbs%3Disch:1)

[FAX]

$300? How big is the bag?

FAX

[MOhillbilly]

heads up late blight on the loose. http://www.rodale.com/tomato-blight?cm_mmc=DailyNewsNL-_-2010_06_17-_-Top5-_-NA

FTR you used to be able to buy copper sulfate in 5# pales for algea blooms. If you use this product understand that its extremely hard on invertibrates and the renial systems of quadrupeds so keep it away from pets esp. canines. Its great for chickens though, cleans out the gut.
if you have sick baby chicks run a teaspoon per 5 gallons of water every other day untill you see improvement or cull.
Super hard on Bees!

Anyway if you wanna go the organic route itll save you $ to buy it in the bulk copper sulfate, than it will buying the 16oz spray.
i prefer that oldtime hate but i know you hippys like the organic shit.

Oh and hows everyones crop coming along????

[MOhillbilly]

By Goonybird....

10 Organic Garden Aids

Epson Salt Spray: 2 ounces of salt per 2 gallons water.
Benefits: Helps with Black Spot, Mildew, Wilt and Rust

Mineral Oil Spray: 3 parts oil per 100 parts water.
Benefits: Helps with Aphids, Codling Moth, Leaf Roller, Mealybugs, Scaled Insects, White Fly

Beer: Stale or mixed with molasses
Benefits: Helps control Slugs

Tomato Leaves Spray: Crush leaves and soak in water for a couple days. Strain then spray.
Benefits: Grasshopper and White Fly control

Soap Spray: 2 TBS soap flakes dissolved in 1 quart water. *Don’t use detergents.
Benefits: Aphid control

Basil: Plant in pots and place around patio or deck
Benefits: Repels flies and mosquitoes

Rosemary, Mint, Thyme: Plant near cabbage
Benefits: Repels cabbage worms

Nasturtiums: Plant near cucumbers, melons and squashes.
Benefits: Repels squash bugs

Summer Savory: Plant near beans
Benefits: Repels bean beetles

Radishes: Plant near cucumbers
Benefits: Repels cucumber beetles

[mlyonsd]

heads up late blight on the loose. http://www.rodale.com/tomato-blight?cm_mmc=DailyNewsNL-_-2010_06_17-_-Top5-_-NA

FTR you used to be able to buy copper sulfate in 5# pales for algea blooms. If you use this product understand that its extremely hard on invertibrates and the renial systems of quadrupeds so keep it away from pets esp. canines. Its great for chickens though, cleans out the gut.
if you have sick baby chicks run a teaspoon per 5 gallons of water every other day untill you see improvement or cull.
Super hard on Bees!

Anyway if you wanna go the organic route itll save you $ to buy it in the bulk copper sulfate, than it will buying the 16oz spray.
i prefer that oldtime hate but i know you hippys like the organic shit.

Oh and hows everyones crop coming along????

Finally put mine in the ground on May 31st. I started Celebrity's and Roma's from seed. This is only the second year I've started my own so I'm new to it.

Because I live on the top of a hill in the SD plain I get plenty of wind. I wrap the cages in plastic and it seems to have worked. Plants are getting stronger and are almost ready for the plastic to come off. Large threat of heavy storms through the weekend so I'll wait to remove it next week.

[Groves]

Oh and hows everyones crop coming along????

Just got in from my wind-destroyed tomato trellis. I didn't have it secured enough to withstand the storm last night.

Before then it was all my toms going gangbusters, all tied up nice, all trained nice.

The trellis blew on top of my spice garden and took out my dill.

Also just found out that my neighbor accidentally mowed over several of my small blackberry plants.

The curse of man is alive and well.

I assume some tomato plants will survive if you just unfold the stalk and tie it up again?

[Stanley Nickels]

Tomato plant has a few blooms right now.. no fruit yet.
I've got two snap pea plants in the ground, one pod on one of the plants.
Cucumber plant has huge leaves but isn't crawling up the protective fence.. no idea what to do there.
Bell pepper plant is growing straight up at a pretty good rate, but I have no idea whether there's fruit growing
Lost two tomato plants during the process (not sure why) and something dug up my jalapeno plant. Bet that critter had a nice night in whatever plant he calls a toilet! :)

How do I replant these veggies next year? Save some seeds? When I stated earlier in the thread that I'm a n00b at this gardening business, I mean EXTREME n00b. I grew up in apartments or small backyards. never really done the gardening thing; but, I'm motivated

[MOhillbilly]

Finally put mine in the ground on May 31st. I started Celebrity's and Roma's from seed. This is only the second year I've started my own so I'm new to it.

Because I live on the top of a hill in the SD plain I get plenty of wind. I wrap the cages in plastic and it seems to have worked. Plants are getting stronger and are almost ready for the plastic to come off. Large threat of heavy storms through the weekend so I'll wait to remove it next week.

Early Sunglow is a early variety (63 days) of sweet corn that will shade you young plants from wind and sun,this variety is a shorter type that you can plant closer(6in or so).
I put acouple rows of silver queen hybrid about 6-8 ft from my tomatos to shade them in late summer seeing how it gets to 7ft in aug. I also put my rows running east to west cause as the sun tracks across the sky later in the year my yard trees will give more shade than in early spring. to much heat will bring on the blight in late summer.

[seclark]

got 6 to a dozen on each plant except the cherry tomato plant...it's got dozens on it and a couple are starting to turn.
sec

[MOhillbilly]

Just got in from my wind-destroyed tomato trellis. I didn't have it secured enough to withstand the storm last night.

Before then it was all my toms going gangbusters, all tied up nice, all trained nice.

The trellis blew on top of my spice garden and took out my dill.

Also just found out that my neighbor accidentally mowed over several of my small blackberry plants.

The curse of man is alive and well.

I assume some tomato plants will survive if you just unfold the stalk and tie it up again?

man that sucks. if they arent broken just resecure em. My best one that laid over i saved and its 5ft tall now. If you can find cattle/hog panels and t-post make a all weather trellis. you might spray and prune for early blight after a week or so. I dont like any leaves touching the bare soil. If you had em mulched already youll be better off.

[MOhillbilly]

Tomato plant has a few blooms right now.. no fruit yet.
I've got two snap pea plants in the ground, one pod on one of the plants.
Cucumber plant has huge leaves but isn't crawling up the protective fence.. no idea what to do there.
Bell pepper plant is growing straight up at a pretty good rate, but I have no idea whether there's fruit growing
Lost two tomato plants during the process (not sure why) and something dug up my jalapeno plant. Bet that critter had a nice night in whatever plant he calls a toilet! :)

How do I replant these veggies next year? Save some seeds? When I stated earlier in the thread that I'm a n00b at this gardening business, I mean EXTREME n00b. I grew up in apartments or small backyards. never really done the gardening thing; but, I'm motivated

go back acouple pages and there are post on saving seeds, but make sure to read the article i posted on the diffrence between hierloom & hybrids and cross pollination. Its important to get that down 1st if you want them to come true next season.

[MOhillbilly]

got 6 to a dozen on each plant except the cherry tomato plant...it's got dozens on it and a couple are starting to turn.
sec

ya ive got buy loads of em. no ripe ones yet.
harvested leaf lettuce(2),radish(2),sweet peas(1). brussels didnt make it leaflopper took em out. Peppers are soso. got a nice row of carrots,green onions(almost ready) and pole beans coming on and an insane amount of yellow squash and zucchini. Couple rows of early corn. Gonna plant some late hybrid corn and fall taters if i can find the seeds. The thought of peas & new potatoes for thanksgiving turned the light on.

went over and spent the morning pickin a oldtimers brain, he already had ripe ones on the vine & looked to be hundreds of green ones coming on. Pissed me off. He said 'MO dont try to compete with me i have a greenhouse'. Hes known me since i was 5 so i think he said that to strike a nerve. it worked, old fart ill show him.:)

[Groves]

I've never done potatoes. If you find the right seed for planting late, let me know. Or if you need someone to go in to make a better price.

[boogblaster]

already eating radishes lettuce potatoes and just picked first 4 tomatoes ..

[bevischief]

I've never done potatoes. If you find the right seed for planting late, let me know. Or if you need someone to go in to make a better price.

My first year for potatoes, Lowes had a variety pack, growing like weeds. So far my tomato and pepper plants have survived the monsoon of the last week here in KC.

[MOhillbilly]

I've never done potatoes. If you find the right seed for planting late, let me know. Or if you need someone to go in to make a better price.

ill let you know. Gonna hit somo up tonight.

[ModSocks]

Looking like a fool with your tomatoes in the ground!

[tooge]

I've picked loads of blueberries, raspberries, potatoes. Lots of maters, but still green. Beats got taken out by rabbits and cabbage taken out by worms. Carrots look good, sweet onions look good, peppers look good. zuchini and cucumbers are a bit slow this year for me. Plants are good, but just now flowering

[MOhillbilly]

I've picked loads of blueberries, raspberries, potatoes. Lots of maters, but still green. Beats got taken out by rabbits and cabbage taken out by worms. Carrots look good, sweet onions look good, peppers look good. zuchini and cucumbers are a bit slow this year for me. Plants are good, but just now flowering

dont trip my ground squash is just now blowin flowers. what varaties of blueberries did you plant?

[tooge]

dont trip my ground squash is just now blowin flowers. what varaties of blueberries did you plant?

ya know, I'm not sure. I got the plants about 4 years ago at the farmers market here in town for $10 each. they seems to get more berries every year. I do know they are different varieties, cuz the berries are much larger on one and they taste a tad bit different too.

[Stewie]

I had a bumper crop of tomatoes, peppers, and beans this year... but most of all carrots. I pulled up about 1 lb. of carrots today and threw them in the crock with a chuck roast and potatoes. Mmmm.... mmmm... good!

[Buehler445]

Mine did OK. They got beat to hit by hail driven by 60 MPH wind. Then all the friut got eaten by tomato beatles that I couldn't seem to kill. After the beetles moved on, CHRIST they produced a lot.

My cucumbers did really well too. Mrs Buehler445 said they were done after the hail. I told her they have some roots and good fertility, give them some miracle grow and a lot of water and see what happens. They bounced back nicely.

My peppers didn't do shit. I think my soil may be too high in PH. I'll lay down some more composted shit and try again, but I think it may not work.

After it freezes, I'm going to til in the mulch and put on a bunch more composted cow manure. That should get me some good organic matter in the soil for next year.
Posted via Mobile Device

[HonestChieffan]

Im ready for next season. Finished spreading horsepoop and sawdust used for horse bedding and deep tilled the entire garden with tractor mounted tiller. Next year is gonna be the year of the garden.

[Delano]

Mine did OK. They got beat to hit by hail driven by 60 MPH wind. Then all the friut got eaten by tomato beatles that I couldn't seem to kill. After the beetles moved on, CHRIST they produced a lot.

My cucumbers did really well too. Mrs Buehler445 said they were done after the hail. I told her they have some roots and good fertility, give them some miracle grow and a lot of water and see what happens. They bounced back nicely.

My peppers didn't do shit. I think my soil may be too high in PH. I'll lay down some more composted shit and try again, but I think it may not work.

After it freezes, I'm going to til in the mulch and put on a bunch more composted cow manure. That should get me some good organic matter in the soil for next year.
Posted via Mobile Device

Ever had your garden soil tested by your extension office? It's easy to overkill with additives.
Posted via Mobile Device

[beach tribe]

You should spread your draft strategy all over them.

"Ka Ching!!":D

[Buehler445]

Ever had your garden soil tested by your extension office? It's easy to overkill with additives.
Posted via Mobile Device

No. But it is alkali soil and the best way to combat that is with phosphorus and organic matter.
Posted via Mobile Device

[Ugly Duck]

I have so many dang tomatoes I can't eat 'em all. My wife brings bags of 'em to work just to give away. Ate so many BLTs I got sick of bacon. Now I just put giant, fat slices on bread with mayo, salt & pepper. Greek salads with double tomato every night. There's dozens of Black Krims & Pineapples & Brandywines ripe on the vine right now. Gonna plant fewer plants next year....

[ChiefGator]

I have so many dang tomatoes I can't eat 'em all. My wife brings bags of 'em to work just to give away. Ate so many BLTs I got sick of bacon. Now I just put giant, fat slices on bread with mayo, salt & pepper. Greek salads with double tomato every night. There's dozens of Black Krims & Pineapples & Brandywines ripe on the vine right now. Gonna plant fewer plants next year....

Buy a bunch of ball jars and bottle em. Diced tomatoes. Tomato sauce. etc...

I'm just a proponent of the lost art of bottling.

[Simply Red]

I wish I had a garden. That's a fun hobby. Nothing beats fresh grown veggies. :)

[Rasputin]

This is why I don't plant tomatoes...
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[BigOlChiefsfan]

For those of you w/some space ready for next year...plant a few dozen spinach seeds and some kale. They'll get a running start this fall, and while they'll look like crap this winter they usually 'winter over' and start growing again a lot earlier than you might expect - say late Feb/early March. You can have the first salad in town. At one time Lenexa and Olathe had a ton of Belgian farmers who mostly grew spinach for the Spinach cannery over in Lenexa. While it doesn't always work in fimbulwinter conditions, I remember being shocked at how well spinach wintered over.
Bok Choy and other oriental greens also grow well now - some of the mustard-family plants will go from seed to table still. If your garden center has them available, you can plant pre-started cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, onion plants, etc...most of the brassica will keep growing til hard freeze. Google 'fall garden' and read up on some of these, it's a good time to save a little extra money...and I always liked putting fresh home grown veggies out at Thanksgiving.

[BigChiefFan]

I've picked loads of blueberries, raspberries, potatoes. Lots of maters, but still green. Beats got taken out by rabbits and cabbage taken out by worms. Carrots look good, sweet onions look good, peppers look good. zuchini and cucumbers are a bit slow this year for me. Plants are good, but just now flowering

Where did you get your seeds from?

[Saccopoo]

After a cold, wet June (we had snowfall in the valley in the beginning of June), my tomatoes regressed in July, where we had four weeks of 90-95 degree days and no moisture. Absolutely minimal bud sites. Out of all the tomatoes I planted, I got approximately 60 full sized tomatoes. Horrible year for the garden this year. Everyone I talked to out here in SLC suffered pretty much the same fate.

Oh well, not much you can do when Mother Nature throws you a curve, and you've just got to look forward to the next season.

[Groves]

Ate so many BLTs I got sick of bacon.

I call shenanigans!

Seriously, squeeze the guts of a few of them black krim in a cup for a few days, then dry em on a newspaper and send those seeds to me. You can fit a lot of seeds in a #10 envelope, eh?

[Ugly Duck]

This is my first year growing tomatoes.... do they stop ripening when the nights get cool? Mine are just sitting there on the vine green as can be. Wutsup wit dat?

[Extra Point]

This is my first year growing tomatoes.... do they stop ripening when the nights get cool? Mine are just sitting there on the vine green as can be. Wutsup wit dat?

When does it ever freeze in OAKtown, UD?

[Ugly Duck]

When does it ever freeze in OAKtown, UD?

Not sure if it ever gets frosty in Oaktown. I'm in the North Bay & we'll get a few nights of frost in deep winter... nothing near that yet this year. It did snow one night a couple of years ago. So... should expect my tomatoes to perk up, or do they just quit ripening in winter?

[googlegoogle]

Grow them indoors and impress me.

[Smed1065]

When does it ever freeze in OAKtown, UD?

Sun is most factor for red tomatoes.

[Delano]

Not sure if it ever gets frosty in Oaktown. I'm in the North Bay & we'll get a few nights of frost in deep winter... nothing near that yet this year. It did snow one night a couple of years ago. So... should expect my tomatoes to perk up, or do they just quit ripening in winter?

If the day lengths are too short, they'll stop fruiting. At that point you can pull the green fruits and place them on a window sill that receives lots of sun.
Posted via Mobile Device

[Buehler445]

Not sure if it ever gets frosty in Oaktown. I'm in the North Bay & we'll get a few nights of frost in deep winter... nothing near that yet this year. It did snow one night a couple of years ago. So... should expect my tomatoes to perk up, or do they just quit ripening in winter?

Days got too short. Mine had a metric fuckload when it finally froze.

If the day lengths are too short, they'll stop fruiting. At that point you can pull the green fruits and place them on a window sill that receives lots of sun.
Posted via Mobile Device

I've heard you can pull them, individually wrap them in newspaper and it will do a better job, but I don't know. I've never done it.

[Ugly Duck]

Thanks, folks. I'll just pick 'em & see what happens...

[Ugly Duck]

OK... the frost last month killed all my plants dead. Now I have to start all over. We're having an early Spring in the North Bay, temps in the 80's, the roses are blooming & the new crop of ticks have hatched. I'm ready to get some seedlings & stickem in the ground, but there's nothing to stick! There's no dang seedlings in the shops yet. I do have some seeds, but I haven't attempted to germinate any yet. Dunno if I should try that or wait till some seedlings show up. Anybody know when the shops on the Left Coast start to stock tomato plants?

[googlegoogle]

New nebraska indoor tomatoes not bad from the grocery store.

[MOhillbilly]

bump

[RockChalk]

bump

when should I start planting tomatoes outside?

[MOhillbilly]

when should I start planting tomatoes outside?

anywhere from 4/20 - 5/15 for missouri north,mid, & south. zones5b, 6a & b , 7a.

http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/hzm-sm1.html

[BigMeatballDave]

anywhere from 4/20 - 5/15 for missouri north,mid, & south. zones5b, 6a & b , 7a.

http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/hzm-sm1.htmlDude, are you some sort of Horticulture Extraordinaire? :)

[Saccopoo]

OK... the frost last month killed all my plants dead. Now I have to start all over. We're having an early Spring in the North Bay, temps in the 80's, the roses are blooming & the new crop of ticks have hatched. I'm ready to get some seedlings & stickem in the ground, but there's nothing to stick! There's no dang seedlings in the shops yet. I do have some seeds, but I haven't attempted to germinate any yet. Dunno if I should try that or wait till some seedlings show up. Anybody know when the shops on the Left Coast start to stock tomato plants?

I'd recommend several different varieties that appeal to you from a decent seed catalog and start them indoors. Doesn't take much space or effort. Once you figure out which varieties you prefer, start harvesting the seeds from your strongest plants and then just do seed starts from those from there on out. Baker Creek (www.rareseeds.com) has a very nice variety of heirloom seeds, and there is usually people in your area who produce seeds for purchase from varieties that tend to do better in your specific environment.

I just started my seeds yesterday. I use the little HydroFarm Hot House for the seed starts.

[MOhillbilly]

http://www.hydrofarm.com/pb_detail.php?itemid=1899


First year using it?

[Ugly Duck]

OK... got some seedlings in the ground (Mar 22). Last year I only planted heirlooms, this time I planted some Better Boys & Big Beefs. Not because I know anything about them, but because their seedlings were only a buck & I was impatient to plant something. What can I expect out of them in a Mediterranean climate with only 6-7 hrs of sun?

(Also sticking a Pink Brandywine & a Margold in the dirt today).

[Easy 6]

I'm gonna let it get just a lil warmer, but i cant wait to get'em going. I've been pouring all of the water from my turtle & fish tank water changes in the same spot all winter long.

That ground is gonna be sooo fertile, its bound to be a huge & productive plant.

[Ugly Duck]

i cant wait to get'em going.

I jumped the gun a wee bit. Planted 4 Better Boys in the front of my house last week. Then my neighbor told me that Better Boys tend to get ginormous around here - Better Boy holds the production record of 342 lbs of tomatoes on one plant. Way too much bush for the front of my house. So I just dug 'm up & put some Black Krim in their place. Been raining so much around here the wet adobe is like digging in black peanut butter that sticks to the shovel. Gonna be a long, muddy day....

[shirtsleeve]

It didn't get above freezing here all day today. It was 9 above last night at the house (by a lake). We've had snow twice this week. I plant tomatoes the end of May. The very end. Growing season ends about a week after Labor Day.

[Ugly Duck]

It didn't get above freezing here all day today. It was 9 above last night at the house (by a lake). We've had snow twice this week. I plant tomatoes the end of May. The very end. Growing season ends about a week after Labor Day.

You in Alaska?

[Over-Head]

hummmmm what strain of ...*tomatoes* am I gonna plant this year :hmmm:

[shirtsleeve]

You in Alaska?

Northwestern Mass. About as far north and west in this state to still be in this state. About an hour east of Albany NY. It did get above freezing late today. Its 33 now, but the sun is going down.

[WV]

hummmmm what strain of ...*tomatoes* am I gonna plant this year :hmmm:

Special Tea plants for you huh!

[Buehler445]

Snowed here most of the day. Guess I'm not working in the garden today.

[Over-Head]

Special Tea plants for you huh! Salad fixens ;)

[Ugly Duck]

Done planting just in time for the weather change. It finally stopped raining & we have a string of days in the 70s coming up. Cost me almost $40 for these seedlings, but at least we don't need potting soil or fertilizer round here. I'll make the $40 back in tomatoes that I won't have to buy from the store....

Heirlooms
Pink Brandywine
Brandywine (2)
Red Beefsteak (2)
Belgium Giant
Mortgage Lifter
Marglobe
Mr. Stripey
Black Krim (2)
Black Prince

Hybrids
Husky Cherry Red
Big Beef (3)
Better Boy (4)

[MOhillbilly]

Duck you coulda just cut the runners on your hybrids.

[Ugly Duck]

Duck you coulda just cut the runners on your hybrids.

You sayin I don't know what I'm doin? Well... you're right. Never grew a hybrid before (this is my second season doin maters). Don't know what to expect from a hybrid. Actually just finished digging up 3 of those Better Boys (doh!). Replaced 'em with 2 Brandywines, a Mortgage Lifter & a Belgium Giant. The Heirlooms did just fine last season & I'm afraid that the Better Boys will get too big & unruly. Gonna try pinching & pruning to keep the plant size down & the mater size up. http://www.tomatocasual.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/07/biggest-tomato.jpg (record 7 lbs 12 oz from Oklahoma)

[MOhillbilly]

You sayin I don't know what I'm doin? Well... you're right. Never grew a hybrid before (this is my second season doin maters). Don't know what to expect from a hybrid. Actually just finished digging up 3 of those Better Boys (doh!). Replaced 'em with 2 Brandywines, a Mortgage Lifter & a Belgium Giant. The Heirlooms did just fine last season & I'm afraid that the Better Boys will get too big & unruly. Gonna try pinching & pruning to keep the plant size down & the mater size up.


Alot of people who grow indeterminate tomato plants will "pinch the runners".



I tie my runners up cause i have room & that's the way i learned it.

[Simply Red]

Bump for Ugly Duck.

[tooge]

got mine in yesterday. 17 plants. several varieties. Mountain spring, cherry, sweet 100, better bush, Rutgers, roma, and a few Brandywines. I also got eggplant and all my pepper types in.

[Mr_Tomahawk]

None here yet. But my 2.5 year old son planted his first Tomatoe Plant last weekend. He waters it twice a day and asks me why there aren't any tomatoes yet. :-)

[Stewie]

My tomatoes, peppers, etc., are going crazy. With the recent rains they're very happy. My weather station rain gauge shows 17.65" of rain so far this year. It needs to dry out for a while and let the plants get a good sun-soaking.

[Ugly Duck]

My tomatoes, peppers, etc., are going crazy.

I was wondering if others were feeling the same... its going to be a good year! Planted on Feb 24 & things were growing slowly, but now are going wild like your plants. So far there are 250+ tomatoes hanging plus a buncha cherry tomatoes, some of which are already getting ripe. We probably feel it here first in California cuz of the early planting season, but it looks like it'll be a good year in the garden this time around!

Brandywine
Giant Belgium
Big Rainbow
Cherokee Purple
Caspian Pink
Costluto Genovese
Amish Paste
Big Beef
Supersteak
Early Girl
Jetsetter

[MOhillbilly]

I've saved a monster amount of bacon over the fall/winter. 70-80 pounds worth.
Couple hundred heirloom tomatoe plants and a nice bed of romaine.

[stonedstooge]

Getting a good rain on my tomato plants that are about a foot tall now. Started them from seed this year so I'm kind of excited to see how they turn out. So far so good. I've got Better Boy, Beefsteak, Delicious and Large Red Cherry plants agoing

[HonestChieffan]

Not a thing planted in garden due to wet/rain. Blueberry crop will be record. Asparagus awesome.

Amish market will be our garden. Never before have we had no garden.

[stonedstooge]

Not a thing planted in garden due to wet/rain. Blueberry crop will be record. Asparagus awesome.

Amish market will be our garden. Never before have we had no garden.

Damn that's too bad. I live on the Missouri River bottom and about half of the row crops aren't even put in yet. Lots of corn growing though

[ghak99]

I live on the Missouri River bottom and about half of the row crops aren't even put in yet. Lots of corn growing though

It's ugly just about everywhere. I just rolled through the second 15 hour day with a good 3 more to go before we're done. Most of the corn here looks horrible and some guys have still not started on beans yet. I HATE springs like these!:cuss:

[Buehler445]

Not a thing planted in garden due to wet/rain. Blueberry crop will be record. Asparagus awesome.

Amish market will be our garden. Never before have we had no garden.

I'd have to go a long way before I was too wet. I wish I had those problems.

[HonestChieffan]

I'd have to go a long way before I was too wet. I wish I had those problems.


From record drought to record wet. I know a number of guys who have zero corn planted, many have just a small amount. Should see major progress this week if these rains miss us. Yields will be way off. Pastures are lush. But look better from the road than they actually are. Drought last summer hurt grass big time.

[dmahurin]

I've got tomatoes, beans, peppers, corn, radishes, and garlic in. The corn is doing terribly but everything else thriving. First year I've done a garden. Beginner dumb question: how long does garlic take? It sprouted in the fridge, I took the bulb apart, planted each clove about 8 inches apart and the stocks have more then doubled since they've been. No clue when I should harvest.

[MOhillbilly]

Picked 440 pounds on Monday.

[stonedstooge]

Picked 440 pounds on Monday.

Sounds like you got some serious canning to do