Why Suz? You got a problem?? Let's hope not.
General Discussions - 2010 - Chapter 32
Here's a link to the NC State University page showing a few pics of Early Blight, with one good close up: http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/fletcher/programs/plantpath/2006-11-tomato-disease/index.html
Oh my, no! My plants are the most beautiful and LUSH that I've ever seen. ish I'd taken the time to pinch them back early, but I think there'll be a scillion tomatoes! This seems like the perfect tomato growing year, too- hot and not too wet. (In fact, I really wish we'd get some, but I water every day, so . . .)
I've already gotten 5 beautiful zucchinis (not letting them get as huge as I did last year, but still a good size) and 3 healthy crookneck squash . .
Looks like I'll have green beans in a week or two and can't wait for my first tomatoes! My whole property is ringed with blackberry bushes and they're almost ripe- mmmmmmm! I see a blackberry pie in my near future!
Suz, what are you talking about pinching back??? Not your tomatoes!! Is that what you do?
I got my first 2 Black Prince tomatoes! Hard to tell when they would be ready, but they are yummy. Haven been eating zucchinis, cucumbers and have some melon action going on. Can hardly wait for that Crenshaw to get ripe, it is about the size of a large grapefruit now and there are 2 small ones too. Have 1 of 3 cantaloupe plants with 3 melons on it, not quite baseball size, and several tiny baby watermelons, including one the size of a large lime. Do you guys put anything under the melons so they are not sitting on the stubby straw?
Now, I have never grown melons but I would think it better that they be sitting on the "stubby straw" with air going on around underneath them than on the dirt "mud" and getting that flat yellow spot on the bottom.
Don't know, just my opinion.
I put straw under mine to keep them clean
I use tuna fish cans. Both ends open, the melons stay off the ground, but don't stay wet. The cans were on straw mulch, tho
Happy dance , It rained at two o'clock am and is still drizzling a bit
So Sally, when it drizzles like that, does it cool things off? i.e. Our temps are down in the 60s and raining. Or drizzling. We actually have had a few days in the 70s so far. It will warm up after the 4th. It's like that every year here. Rains thru the 4th and then it turns nice. Fine with me.
It keeps the forests wet and discourages the tourists and fireworks. All the counties around us fireworks are illegal. Sure wish ours was.
Oh, yeah , it's down in the 80's today.I've just laid around and slept , sooo good.
Fireworks, with the exception of sparklers, 1/8" and those that they call snakes, are all illegal in Iowa. That is unless it is a City, Fair board or certain other entities. Just not for the general public but We still see and hear a lot of it going off that isn't any of those exceptions.
I guess there are a bunch of law breakers around.
All anybody around here has to do is go across the line to SD and buy what they want. Once in a while they get caught and loose the fire works and pay a fine.`
It's too early here for ripe tomatoes though mine have some large marble sized maters.
Checked my thermometer awhile ago and it was setting on 70 . I have caught up on my sleep , sure feel s good .
This county is nothing but forest so you would think they would make them illegal. But you see, the county commissioners are all in the south end of the county where the town is and they don't have that many forests close to them and they want the tourists business even if they burn down the rest of the county.
I'm going to have a ripe tomato within a week or 2 if it gets warm. It has the size, just not the color. OR FLAVOR.
I'll take some of that heat Sally.
Jnette- I know it's always suggested to pinch the early growth back on tomatoes, but if mine were any heathier, I don't know what I'd do with 'em! Wish I'd get some nice big green tomatoes, though- I'm ready for my fried tomatoes! I get an average of 3 to 4 squash per day (which I'm finding new recipes for, and bartering them with my friend who will then share her acorn and butternuts with me).
As far as melons, I direct my squash and melon plants over wooden pallets, which keep them off the ground and allow better air flow.
It's so painfully hot and dry here right now- the hottest June in recorded history, and no rain for 2 weeks . . . high 90s every day . . . makes me a little concerned for the August ahead.
Hope you're all well and happy, and eating well from your gardens!
Namaste.
Suz, I don't know what you are talking about, "pinching early growth back on tomatoes"? I have never heard of that. I have been growing tomatoes all my life and have never pinched a tomato. Now maybe you are talking about taking the "suckers" off? LOL, now that is up for debate. About half the people do and the other half don't. That is just a matter of opinion. I don't.
For some reason my tomatoes are the healthiest this year than before also. I have a couple of tomatoes with quite a few on them but they are the plants my sister gave me. She grew them in her greenhouse until they were ready to plant out. So they are quite a ways ahead of mine. But, it has been so cold and wet here I am amazed mine are even growing. It is just barely warm enough for a bee or two to be out. So, I stick my finger in each flower to pollinate them. LOL Everyone laughes at me. My bil used to laugh at me for doing that and then a year or 2 later I found out he was telling my sister to do it too.
I would never bother with melons. Our season is just too short. We just barely get into the 70s once in a while. This year is the pitts as far as heat goes. It just might all of a sudden turn real hot on us. One thing I have to say tho, is that I haven't had any spider mites, a few aphids. That's it.
Jeanette
Suzan, how many squash plants do you have? You must have several, if you are getting 3-4 per day... ?
Jeanette, my tomato plants are kickin' butt and taking names over here too. Fabulously gorgeous shape!!! I am pinching off the flowerheads on my Viva Italia though, I want the plant to grow more before it thinks about setting fruit. It's a determinate variety so I am thinking a little more plant growth will = more tomatoes. I hope. =)
:) K
That is so weird. Someone else said that about pinching tomatoes. I can't imagine that. Other than taking suckers off. I know some people do that. I never do tho.
I must be way out of the loop, too. The only time I've ever heard of removing flowers was when transplanting.
I can't even do it then.
wimpy, wimpy, wimpy :(
K let us know if it works. That is a totally new one to me.
My daddy would let the main stem get half a dozen "sets" on it and break the top out . He let the suckers grow until they did the same , then break them off . He did this on about a third of his toms . The plants didn't get as big, but the toms were always bigger than the ones he just broke the suckers out of . I've never tried it but will put it on the menu for next year . I'll try one plant .
LOL Digger, you don't sound like you've got a lot of faith in that system. I don't even take the suckers off. I figure the more the merrier. May not be as big, but more. You know, now days each tomato is hybridized and they all have their own sizes. So, if you want a beefsteak and then do all that to make them bigger, you will have to cut a slice in half to fit your sandwich. So what is the point?
Right now my beefsteaks are about the sise of tennis balls and getting ripe . Beefmasters are doing great .
Thats a darned small Beefsteak Sally!!
I don't have much faith in the labels on toms .. In my B S , I have one that is thick and gnarly,not growing much and only set three toms so far . it is putting out more blooms in the top , but it is not a B S .In the past , I've gotten Better Boys , but they weren't . Does any one else have this problem ?
I have done something to my camera , my pictures won't load . I was loading the other day and had something on my mind so just before the first window came on , I hit browseand it won't load at all now . I'll have to get it by a camera store and have it checked .
Hey Jeanette right about now I'd really go for any home grown tomato that size, as long as it was ripe. Right now I think I have one or two about the size of a ping pong ball. No not ripe just hard as a rock and green as grass.
But I still have some canned tomato chunks left so have to be happy with that.
But I have carrots and potatoes ready, and have squash coming on.
Didn't get any beans planted or I would be having green beans now too. What cucumbers I see are still barely recognizable as a cucke. kind of tiny bump where they are forming.
Hey I used to pinch off the suckers but just don't find the time now.
I have only tied up one tomato plant so far and there are a couple more ready to be tied up. Guess I need a couple more irons in the fire, Right?
Digger I too have a twisted gnarly thick main stem on one of mine. didn't label them this year so not sure what is either.
LOL, you are right Russ. Any size but if it were bigger you would have to share it with Barb. If not you are going to have to hide behind the outhouse and eat it before she finds out.
I have 2 plants that my sister gave me that she grew in her greenhouse and they are loaded. One about 4 or 5 inches across that is trying to ripen. However it is one I have never heard of, and when I query it it says it is not great on flavor. The other is San Marzano which is good for sauce and salsas.
The ones I started from seed are doing real good, healthy, lots of blossoms and just starting to set fruit. Brandywine, but I have always found they don't put out many toms for each plant. Don't think I will grow those any more.
My beans aren't doing much. The peppers are better since I put Diatomaceous Earth around dthem the other day so the slugs leave them alone. and my lonly little cucumber is just that. Not much to speak of.
I also have a messed up tomato plant and it is an Early Bush Beefsteak. Have you ever heard of it? Suppose eto be good for our area. 60 day which is only 3 more than Early Girl. But that plant is a mess. I got a mole hole right next to it early on and shoved dirt back down it so don't know if that had anything to do with it or not. The one right next to it is huge.
Oh well, hate to say it, but glad you all are not any better off than I am. Makes me feel better. LOL, sorry.
Jeanette, I guess I would say never be sorry, We all have some bad with the good. and even if it is a bad year, for some things I'm still thankful, because it could always be worse. I was out weeding the new strawberries. I looked around, most everything is looking great. That is something to be thankful for, considering that the goats were out in the garden, for I don't know for how long. They done a lot of munching on all different things. I didn't see anything that they killed.
Not sure how my one apple tree will do, they did prune it pretty good.
It may make it have a longer trunk than I was expecting. lol
One thing I discovered though, somehow I mislabeled the butter tub that I saved squash seeds in. I have butternut squash where I thought I was planting acorn squash. I hope I didn't plant any too close to any of my melons. I could wind up with some funny tasting melons. ha ha I've never tried fried melon before????????
It sounds like you may have tomatoes before me. I had some early girl, that just died I don't really know why but had to replant. Think I may try rig up a row cover for them next year, as I really suspect spray that drifted from somewhere. So my toms will be a little more expensive this year.
Did you plant enough tomatoes for Gary and the elderly Russ? And to can also? It finally got up to 81 here today and I had a drs appt. so could not enjoy it with them. But had to go to the city and it was in the 90s there of course with all the cement and pavement.
you really are lucky the goats didn't eat any more than they did. BTW, that goat must not have been pregnant huh? I have not heard of any little ones. Or any milking going on. I would think it would be cool to have some goat milk for cheese.
I really like goat milk but I just don't have the time to get them tamed down enough to get them to stand still for that. The only way I think that would happen is if I were to bottle feed a couple babies. Start from that point and they would think I was a pseudo mom or something.
No didn't work that time, no babies. I think I have them sold. If so that will be it. I want a little more freedom, to go when I want and maybe stay a while.
Nope Gary has his own tomatoes. I tilled up an area for him. He talked about putting in some melons but all I've seen so far are 8 tomatoes and 4 peppers. He said there should be enough peppers that I should be able to have all I want too.
I'll have enough extra tomatoes, I think, For my favorite shut in. Not as many as I have in the past but she really appreciates Barb and my visits. As well as the veggies.
I just got done weeding my potatoes and a little more where the melons will be running to. Had to peal my clothes off as they were soaked. Had my shower and feel human again. Think I lost 10 lbs. lol.
Tomorrow is another day, I will need to mow again. I'm filling in for a neighbor that has always mowed at the church. He got pneumonia an got really down. sounds like he is doing better now as he is talking like he wants to continue when he gets shed of it.
He is in his 80s but he likes to be doing something.
Guess I better shut up and go get some rest. lol
Well, it is good that he can do it. He needs to have something.
I am sure that the woman enjoys your visits more than the vegies. Not that she would give them back. LOL
Animals do tie you down. We have 2 dogs and just will not leave them at the kennels. So, what is next? We stay home.
Hey Russ how many goats do you have? We have 3 and 2 horses and do manage to let themselves out occasionally, especially this last late spring when they could see the fresh weed grass behind our RV. Once they had their fill of that, they started running around. We, upon occasion, have been up at 3 in the AM after waking up to the sound of munching on the palms outside my bedroom window. Fortunately those were the days before growing veggies. With our huge Hispanic population here, the only ones interested in buying goats are those who want to barbeque them. We bottle fed our first 'grand-kid' and she just wanted to spend the day in my lap. Only took her a short time before she learned to lap it up! I learned how to give shots on her too after a neighbor dog attacked her and she got an infection. We are not so close to the other 2. It is actually easier to get someone to take care of the livestock than the 3 house dogs. The cat and bunny are easy enough too, but those dogs are S-P-O-I-L-E-D.
So, does the butternut squash cross with the melons? My melons and squash bales are all next to each other as such:
_______________________
l Bu l Watermelon l Ca l Whoee, should have had my teenager do that diagram. I am too retarded!
l tte l 2 plants l nt l The other 11 bales down the side have other stuff, of course.
l r l____________l al l
l nu l l ou l
l__t-3_l l_pe2l
l Zu l l Cr l
l k l l en l
l es l l sh l
l -2 l l aw l
l l l -2 l
l_____l l____l
QG I am afraid so, If they blossom at the same time, they can affect the flavor. Long time back, one of our neighbors had cucumbers run over into his melons. He finally fed the melons to the pigs.
That is the basis for keeping a great distance between melons and cukes and squash. You may be okay if you train them to run in opposite directions. Not sure on that. With a few less bees now, who knows.
I only have 2 goats. They are about 1 and 1/2 years old. We had 4 nannies, which give us 6 kids sold off the 4 nannies and 3 kids. Roasted the one ( wither ). So now just have 2 little does. I may try again but for now. they aren't productive enough just having only one or two. I want to try to get away some this next year. " hopefully"
Have raised rabbits in the past, talk about productive, they are.
Two does and one buck can more than keep meat on the table for a family of 2. However they need more care than the goats.
But they certainly supply all the material you need for the compost. lol
Russ, we are planing to take off next year in June or so to go camping on the Arkansas River in Colo . for a month or so . If you find a sitter for the pets , and it's closer to you , maybe you and Barb can join us for a few days . Still have room for you in Texas this winter. hugs
What is all this with Russ Digger, I wanted to go fishing in Texas. And camping? Wow, Russ you better grab it quick 'cause she'll move on to someone else. LOL Sounds great. You all would have fun.
Sally, how are those tomatoes doing? You know the Black Russian seeds you sent me sure are strong growers. Speaking of which, I had better get down there and water. Suppose to get to 95 today. It is hot enough right now it might make it.
Jnette , I invited Russ and Barb to join us in Tex summer before last , right after you . You like to fish and he was going to make a long trip to include getting by to see Kent . The tire blowing up put a stop to that . Any of my D G friends only have to dmail me when they are going to be in the area ,for a get together. I've met great friends all the way to Tex , in Miss and La , and a great bunch in south Tex for hamburgers and beer at Bubba's in Houston . When are you and D H coming ? I would love to get to Oregan to prospect for gold in several areas . Used to have a brother in law in Rogue River , but he passed away . What a treat to visit them and cut Christmas trees off the side of the mountain for the nursing homes in the area .I love adventure , new places and good friends to share it with. So , when are you coming . lol
Sally I was teasing you!! Come on!! LOL, I might get to Texas after I'm gone. Not likely. The Rogue River in Oregon is gorgeous territory. You should see it in the summer too. And the Oregon coast or the Washington coast for salmon fishing. Off the charter boats. You would enjoy it.
Girlfriend , I knew you was kidding , . Sorry if I sounded rough . I've been all through that area 30 years ago . Would love to get back . Might do that in the next coupla years , and we can get to meet at last . Once your invited to my house , Your always invited. Don't know anything about salmon fishing , you can teach me .I just wish I could invite all my D G friends to a big reunion . Wouldn't that be wonderful , but most live so far away , like you .
Colorado certainly sounds closer. Though I would have to check as to more exact town location. You know going across Nebraska takes forever lol.
I'm just guessing that both Colorado and Texas are pretty close in time and distance.
Going to look at a map. Something tells me I better think about fixing up a camper of one kind or another. I'll have to give that some serious thought.