2023 season in my suburbian rain gutter bucket garden is off to a much better start! Some new observations makes me reconsider the conclusions drawn last year.
Timing was similar to last year as in post #24 above, with seeds planted mid-april, ultimately put into buckets early June. I did not dump the bucket soil, instead, refreshed it with about 10-20% mixture of Sunshine #4 (lowe's promix equivalent), a little kellogg garden soil, 1/2 cup espoma garden tone, 1/2 cup dolomite lime. two weeks in I added 1/4 cup espoma soil acidifier and mulched with kellogg gromulch. I did not make a fertilizer ring/strip this time.
About two weeks into planting, my HOA's mow and blow squad sprayed green stuff all over the sidewalks, and on questioning, this was herbicide. Hmmm. My bucket garden is below street level, between houses.
We've had least amount of sun this spring/summer since I can remember, overcast daily, almost all day. Maybe 1-2 weeks total sunlight since May. WTF California?!
This year I'm growing maglia rosa, kenneth's piennolo, marzano fire, taiga, and a few dwarf varieties (saucy mary, kokaboora cackle, and metallica).
Observations:
Vine growth has been fairly vigorous, most plants are nearing 2ft height after only 4 weeks in the buckets. Not as much crazy vigor/mutant growth as 2020 and last year (2022). Way more flowers, and so far no blossom drops. The very first blooms to develop on nearly all the tomatoes were fused mega blooms. Kennth's piennolo was first to set fruit 2 weeks after transplant, and Karen O's Taiga was next at 3 weeks. No leaf curling or other oddities noticed early on.
24 hours after the HOA squad's herbicide, the thinner and wispier tomatoes (marzano fire and ken's piennolo in particular) demonstrated curling, twisting, and odd growth. All the dwarf varieties began scrunching their new leaves. HUH. Interesting correlation.
2.5 weeks now after the HOA spraying (total 4.5 weeks since transplant to buckets), everything looks to be returning to normal. I have many flowers, and instead of ever 3rd leaf growth they are following almost after every new leaf. No pics this time, my camera having focus issues for some reason.
Theory:
I'm revising my theory a bit as to what's going on, but will hold off making conclusions until later in the season. I'm trying to curb my enthusiasm to keep from being disappointed, though so far things are best they've been since I started in 2020.
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