The sky is the limit

nhardy · July 23, 2016

Lots of moister this week. It was great for all my plants. My tall in ground indeterminated started to sag over. I had to tie them up with panty hose from the dollar store to keep the going taller. They are 6 ft. tall now and about to escape my home made tomato coop. I think the squirrels will come back this fall for the fruit set beyond my coop.

After the last few years that I have bacteria or septoria attacking my plants. I did not plant any tomatoes for a whole season. No change in results the following year. My poor plants were dead before they my height. I tried everything just to not spray. And finally I gave up and sprayed them with Ortho to protect the plants this year. I added 1.5 bags of garden soil and changed fertilizers. Finally, big healthy tall amazing tomato plants with lots of fruit set. The garden soil and Tomato Tone worked wonders on a small bed where I planted Red Crest Peppers. I picked 5 peppers already. The other area where I have more peppers only had the new fertilizer only. They look just average. The garden soil really jump started my beds this year. So far I'm ahead of the birds this year too. I covered all my berries with shade cloth. I got almost of them for once.

I have gone from half empty to half full feeling by giving up and spraying my tomatoes. Now I can look at other tomato varieties for next year.

kath · July 23, 2016

Glad you are finding what's working to keep you happy with the results of all the hard work it takes to grow your plants and protect 'em from the critters!

kath

WilburMartin · July 23, 2016

awesome - i love it when a plan comes together!

HudsonValley · July 25, 2016

Love the success story! I've got something similar going on with zucchini -- total failure last year, after three attempts. This year, only one plant was lost to vine borers. Managed to use only organic pesticides, but just barely. (Ortho products are on stand-by in the potting shed.)

nhardy · July 26, 2016

I know, I hated using Ortho. I did everything to not use it. But now they are not being defoliated from the bottom up. My excitement has caught on, other family members are now excited to get a normal harvest this year. Even asking for me to grow a few cucumbers next year. Like I have room for them. There is already talk about green tomatoes that will have to be harvested before the first frost. My end of the season the last few years ended way to early with no chance of tomatoes through December. My seasons ended in late Oct. with me pulling sick plants and no extra fruit to put into the basement to ripen later. And all I had to do is give up & use Ortho.

HudsonValley · August 9, 2016

I pulled the trigger, so to speak, today.

The weather forecast for my part of the Northeast is calling for six days of rain, starting on Wednesday. Many of the plants are just setting fruit again after enduring a month-long heatwave... I'd rather save them than risk further problems. I have only the tiniest, mildest of regrets!

Gardeneer · August 9, 2016

In our neck of the woods, things are different : Not much rain, no high winds, no storms.. everything is calm but COLD. How cold for early August ? Within this past week ( including tomorrow ) our highs have been in 68 to 71F. And so far this summer our night lows have been in high 50s. Of course the night lows last just for a few short hours but that is still not tomato loving temperature.
PNW has a unique weather pattern unlike anywhere else in the US.

greenthumbomaha · August 9, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by HudsonValley

Love the success story! I've got something similar going on with zucchini -- total failure last year, after three attempts. This year, only one plant was lost to vine borers. Managed to use only organic pesticides, but just barely. (Ortho products are on stand-by in the potting shed.)

It's a banner year for zucchini here too. No problems inground, yet and they are in the area. I did loose two container plants in brand new potting mix to the borers last week as they were about to produce females. What chemical are you having success beating them with?

In my younger years I'd buy time by burying the stems if borers attacked. Sucks getting old!

- Lisa

b54red · August 9, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by greenthumbomaha

It's a banner year for zucchini here too. No problems inground, yet and they are in the area. I did loose two container plants in brand new potting mix to the borers last week as they were about to produce females. What chemical are you having success beating them with?

In my younger years I'd buy time by burying the stems if borers attacked. Sucks getting old!

- Lisa

I don't know what they are using to beat the vine borers but I found a solution about 5 years ago and it has worked like a charm since. I just dust some Sevin on the lower part of the main stem and every time it gets washed away I reapply it to the stem. It doesn't bother the bees at all and the borers never get started until I get sick of squash and quit applying the Sevin to the stem. I use a little bulb duster and it doesn't take but a minute to apply it to the base of all my plants.

Bill

imp · August 9, 2016

Been a rough year on the tomatoes here, but the squash have gone totally berserk, which is a new level when you are talking squash! I can't even wade into the plants too far and I know some are going to be seed ones as there must be ones I am missing. The plants are huge, lush and make me itch like mad after I get halfway through trying to root down enough to look for more squash to pick.

I still have about 5 outlets for squash, so hope they keep taking them from me!!

I did try a new one to me, from Baker Creek Rugose Fruiliana (sp?), like a bigger super warty crook neck that tastes wonderful, so it will be grown again. I haven't been sharing those.-

July 23, 2016	#1
nhardy Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: St. Louis Posts: 82	The sky is the limit Lots of moister this week. It was great for all my plants. My tall in ground indeterminated started to sag over. I had to tie them up with panty hose from the dollar store to keep the going taller. They are 6 ft. tall now and about to escape my home made tomato coop. I think the squirrels will come back this fall for the fruit set beyond my coop. After the last few years that I have bacteria or septoria attacking my plants. I did not plant any tomatoes for a whole season. No change in results the following year. My poor plants were dead before they my height. I tried everything just to not spray. And finally I gave up and sprayed them with Ortho to protect the plants this year. I added 1.5 bags of garden soil and changed fertilizers. Finally, big healthy tall amazing tomato plants with lots of fruit set. The garden soil and Tomato Tone worked wonders on a small bed where I planted Red Crest Peppers. I picked 5 peppers already. The other area where I have more peppers only had the new fertilizer only. They look just average. The garden soil really jump started my beds this year. So far I'm ahead of the birds this year too. I covered all my berries with shade cloth. I got almost of them for once. I have gone from half empty to half full feeling by giving up and spraying my tomatoes. Now I can look at other tomato varieties for next year.

July 23, 2016	#3
WilburMartin Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Mississippi Posts: 169	awesome - i love it when a plan comes together! __________________ "Ain't nothin' in the world that I like better than bacon and lettuce, and home-grown tomatoes." - Guy Clark (RIP), "Home-Grown Tomatoes"

August 9, 2016	#7
Gardeneer Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: NC - zone 8a - heat zone 7 Posts: 4,909	In our neck of the woods, things are different : Not much rain, no high winds, no storms.. everything is calm but COLD. How cold for early August ? Within this past week ( including tomorrow ) our highs have been in 68 to 71F. And so far this summer our night lows have been in high 50s. Of course the night lows last just for a few short hours but that is still not tomato loving temperature. PNW has a unique weather pattern unlike anywhere else in the US. __________________ Gardeneer Happy Gardening !

August 9, 2016	#10
imp Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Wichita Falls, Texas Posts: 4,832	Been a rough year on the tomatoes here, but the squash have gone totally berserk, which is a new level when you are talking squash! I can't even wade into the plants too far and I know some are going to be seed ones as there must be ones I am missing. The plants are huge, lush and make me itch like mad after I get halfway through trying to root down enough to look for more squash to pick. I still have about 5 outlets for squash, so hope they keep taking them from me!! I did try a new one to me, from Baker Creek Rugose Fruiliana (sp?), like a bigger super warty crook neck that tastes wonderful, so it will be grown again. I haven't been sharing those.- Last edited by imp; August 9, 2016 at 11:26 AM.

July 23, 2016	#2
kath Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: zone 6b, PA Posts: 5,664	Glad you are finding what's working to keep you happy with the results of all the hard work it takes to grow your plants and protect 'em from the critters! kath

July 25, 2016	#4
HudsonValley Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Hudson Valley, NY, Zone 6a Posts: 626	Love the success story! I've got something similar going on with zucchini -- total failure last year, after three attempts. This year, only one plant was lost to vine borers. Managed to use only organic pesticides, but just barely. (Ortho products are on stand-by in the potting shed.)

July 26, 2016	#5
nhardy Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: St. Louis Posts: 82	I know, I hated using Ortho. I did everything to not use it. But now they are not being defoliated from the bottom up. My excitement has caught on, other family members are now excited to get a normal harvest this year. Even asking for me to grow a few cucumbers next year. Like I have room for them. There is already talk about green tomatoes that will have to be harvested before the first frost. My end of the season the last few years ended way to early with no chance of tomatoes through December. My seasons ended in late Oct. with me pulling sick plants and no extra fruit to put into the basement to ripen later. And all I had to do is give up & use Ortho.