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Old July 4, 2008   #10
feraltomatoes
Tomatovillian™
 
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Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Home=Napa Valley/ Garden=Solano County
Posts: 245
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Finally got to the computer after a LONG week.
The smokey air was terrible, going to be a smokey summer since it is only beginning.

As far as stressing your plants for fruit it can work but can will usually cause more problems like locking up nutrients and causing blooms to drop.
Looking at Ray's tomatoes I would say they have not been stressed at all but given an even diet of water and nutrients.
Those fields of commercial tomatoes in your area use about 200-400 pounds of fertilizer per acre. (which has almost doubled in price in a year)

Since your plants are already in the ground apply liquid fertilezer at 30% strength once a week. (five gallon bucket with small hole drilled in bottom, MG is rated at 1 tbs per gallon so add a tbs. to the bucket and put about 3 gallons of water=about 30% dosage. Let it slowly drip from the hole so it goes deep in the ground, shallow fertilizing makes shallow roots=problems.
You need to build a factory for the fruit and if your tomatoes are exposed to the sun around hear you can be in trouble.

Look at your leaf length(20inches or better), color(green not yellow), the way the leaves a cupped(are they liking the sun or hiding from it?)

Can you post some pics?

Thinking mid August for Norcatt would be better as this year is alot later then normal.
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Brad Gates-Wild Boar Farms
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