[QUOTE=RayR;486392]"No fungal problems or bug problems at all." ???? In Alabama? That can't be real!
Is there a dry desert climate somewhere in Alabama?
For real! I tell you when I saw the area they had tried to clear to plant, I thought no way were they ever going to get anything to grow. They got some of the weeds out, but the soil was still filled with vines and feeder roots from trees and they just plopped stuff in the ground and darn if it hasn't grown and flourished and they are harvesting like crazy. Glad somebody is anyways.
Almost makes me want to pack up my plants and move them to his area.
Thank you for the information. I appreciate it. Think I'll just keep on with my regular program of the TT and Epsom Salt. I am now wondering if it isn't so much his foliar feeding as what he has going on under the soil. Besides all the weeds and such they pulled they have dug out a heck of alot of different metals from where pieces of old equipment was tossed and buried. They even dug up all rusted one of them old huge ships anchors in that area.
In spending more time talking to them, when I was telling them about fighting Grey Mold and other problems and how I was using Bill's bleach spray and the copper, they told me that were using sulfur instead of copper on their plants. Says he goes out there every so often and just dusts his plants with some sulfur product of which I don't recall the name. Something I hadn't heard of before.
Quote:
Originally Posted by b54red
Starlight are you in north or south Alabama? It makes a huge difference in disease pressure. I only foliar feed to get rid of a deficiency like iron deficiency. I can't see much benefit in increasing the time the leaves stay wet unnecessarily in this humid climate but if it works for him then great.
I also had big bushy plants til about 3 weeks ago and then every thing changed almost overnight. I have noticed over many years that the first heavy disease pressure usually hits my plants about the time the first fruits are ready to pick and all of the plants are loaded down. I think maybe the stress of carrying a large load of fruit weakens the plants natural resistance to diseases. Purely anecdotal but an interesting observation to me. Right now I have a bed of plants that were set out about 5 weeks ago and they have been pretty much disease free while the older plants in the very next bed have been having a hard time of it. I don't think it will be too long before they start having problems too since many of the plants in the newer bed are getting some decent fruit set despite the heat, humidity and rain. I'm sure they would be doing much better if the rain would stop and I could give them a good dose of TTF.
Bill
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I'm in the middle but I am also in the big depression area of the backside of Ft. Benning. If you look at a map of the state line between Ga and AL and see the point that kinda juts out. I am right about in that area. I follow Columbus, Ga weather. I'm 10 to 15F hotter usually in the summer of their figures and that much colder in the winter. Lots of heavy fog and mists in the mornings and the dew is terrible.
Today is the first day in a while with no rain or thunder, but they said maybe to expect some later tonight. I hope it does hold off. I have cuts on my arms and legs and my back is sandblasted where we didn't even get a two minute warning before 60mph straightline winds came through and made a major mess.
My plants were doing pretty good too, but like you say these weeks of unending rains everyday is taking a major toll on them. I'm going out first thing in the mornings and gently shaking all the plants to try and get excess water off the leaves. Then I go back out later when sun has warmed the plants a bit and shake again to try and get some pollination going on.
I think you have something with your observation. I am actually surprised that I have been able to keep everything going good for so long. First time ever with the tomatoes. I just keep hoping I can harvest what is out ther now.
I have a bunch of plants in 4" pots to try and set out for a fall crop. They are not hardened off yet. I have them under shade, of course the flea beetles are having lunch on them . So far they are looking good and no signs of Gray Mold and they are only a few feet from the main crop. I know I need to get them moved, but I am almost afraid too.
Normally here by now we have had water restrictions and fines out for a month. Not this year. It's hard to figure out what to do. One day it's 100+ and the next down in the 70's. Actually had to put on a sweater Sat morning it was chilly out.
I'm hanging in here and learning and gaining more knowledge and experience as I go along and getting some tomatoes, so even with all the problems, I feel happy and blessed.
