That should be good. Fish emulsion has nitrogen but there are different ones. Was the middle number higher or lower than the first? It's good now if the middle number is higher. That's the same as adding more bone meal. I checked my tomatoes today - many still very slow to set since the heat wave. They are just starting to flower heavily again so I think they may set better. Many of us are facing the same problem this year. Fortunately we love fried green tomatoes! LOL
General Discussions - 2011 - Chapter 35
I had such gorgeous blossoms on those tomatoes. Some had huge double flowers on them. I could have made a beautiful bouquet for the house with them. As it was, I cut a lot of the leaves, suckers, and almost anything that wasn't producing off. Blossoms that didn't have any tomatoes on them had to go. Big branches and one even half the plant. There is no point trying to get them to grow fruit now. They wouldn't even be big enough to bother with for fried.
Anyway, this way the strength will go into finishing off the tomatoes that are on there. I hope. I only did that to half of them and will do the same to the rest one of these days. I do actually have one small tomato that is orange. Don't know why. :0)
Well where is everybody? Are you all still canning? Tired from canning? On vacation? What's going on? Connie, Kent, Russ, what are you doing?
Gosh, I still don't have any ripe tomatoes. A lot of big green ones but nothing ripe, or even near ripe and today we probably won't even get into the 70s!!
Russ, did you get enough tomatoes for Gary too? LOL
Sorry to hear your tomatoes are still not ripening! How frustrating! Would it help to bring some in and let them ripen indoors?
I am finally getting a few on some varieties but it is very slow here in the NE as well. Temps have dropped to 70's and 50's-60's at night. Now we are having tons of rain so the leaf diseases are running rampant! I think my garden would be great for students to visit who want to see what various leaf diseases look like! Some plants the leaves are turning brown-black and drying up, others are yellow with big blotches, and others are yellow with tiny brown dots. I keep removing the dead leaves so some plants look a little peculiar being so bare. I have never had such a variety of leaf problems. The tomatoes seem unaffected so far - just exposed!
I have determined that I will plant only one tomato plant per bale next year so that they have more space for air circulation. The alfalfa bales are smaller than the straw bales so putting two in each one caused too much crowding. I found last year that when I replaced a dead tomato plant with an eggplant everyone was happy. Three tomato plants have died already from leaf and stem disease leaving the tomatoes hanging: Amazon Chocolate, Grappeli d'Inverno and the Principe Borghese. I am sad about the last two since I planted them to make sun dried tomatoes. Well better luck next year. Don't know what hit the last two but some kind of wilt killed the Amazon - never had that before. This has been a super crazy summer weather wise so nothing should surprise me. They certainly are not enjoying being drowned in all this rain! At least the tops of many plants are green and flowering but that will only be good for getting fried green tomatoes!
Jeanette; my tomatoes have just started and now they are ripening just a little faster than we can slice them for BLTs.I have Mr. stripeys, Ammana paste, big boy, a yellow one that my daughter gave me and Rutgers. I will soon be able to pick enough to can a quart or two at a time. Gary's are ripening too so I may be selfish for a while. lol
I need to be out there digging potatoes , a few hills at a time. Nothing major until sometime next month, so they will keep over winter!
Well, we have been getting tomatoes for a little while. Darn heat moved in but the rain didn't so they don't look as good as last year...(and we couldn't get them started at first last year lol). I have enough to make a mess on my counter but not getting enough for canning. Maybe before long...fingers are crossed!!
Glad to hear your tomatoes are getting big, Jeanette. Keeping my fingers crossed for you too. I kinda stumbled upon that thread you had going and thought about jumping in but I left ya alone HA!!! Told Hubby that when he goes to water make sure he shakes hands with those tomatoes lol!!! Hey, if it will work we will do it:))))))))
Connie
Jeanette: gardening is slowing down some from the gangbuster days of the past month. 150+ quarts of tomatoes and sauce canned and many squash casseroles frozen.
Many bushels given away.
Peppers are off the hook this year.
I've been especially delighted with my new (for me) Ghost Peppers (bhut jolokia). About as hot as you can get.
Waiting for the 2nd planting of squash and zucchini. First time I've ever did a 2nd planting.
Tomatoes are smaller now and the vines are starting to droop some since I have gotten slack about tieing them up on the trellis.
Some wilt and blight are taking a 2nd hold on the tomatoes, but still looking a lot better than most of my neighbors' plants. Glad I planted as many of the Better Boys and other hybrids that I did.
I'm cutting way back next year on the heirlooms.
Dang, Kent!!! How in the world do you eat those things????? If you like those, I have scotch bonnet seeds on hand :) I need lots more tomatoes for juice and sauce. Sure would be nice to can some up. How many plants did you put out this year? You got an awesome amount of tomatoes.
Connie
Gardadore, I started cutting the leaves and unproductive parts off of my tomatoes around the first of this month. I think that did help some. I have not had any problem with diseases, maybe that is why. Because they did get air thru them..
As long as it doesn't affect the fruit, I guess it doesn't matter. Maybe mentally. LOL But, you might try that.
It doesn't sound like anybody but Kent has had enough ripen to can. How many plants did you put in Kent?
Russ, you don't really count because you weren't here during the most important part of the year for the plants. Next year.
Well, due to my part of the country and short season, I don't really feel too bad, 'cause I am counting on a couple more weeks at least to ripen. If I don't get that, then I will feel bad. If I get that, then I might consider my year semi successful.
Jeanette
Cool enough here this morning to have a light jacket on when I went outside for my coffee and cigarette . Morning ritual . Glad the crops came in for most everyone . I have a little volunteer Beef master in the compost pile but only a conversation plant .
My dil planted 80 toms and 87 quarts of toms , sauce , soup base so far and still pickin . (some for me when I get over there this weekend )
Connie & Jeanette: I planted about 150 tomato plants. Lost 30 + - heirlooms pretty quick to wilt. After that they did well.
I grow the Ghost and Habanero Peppers just to give away. Too hot for me.
I just may try some Scotch Bonnets next year, too!
I've got a small squash on my 2nd planting. They are looking good.
I may have mentioned this before, but this is the 1st year I didn't put ANY pesticides on ANY plant. Good bugs took care of the bad bugs.
Kent
That's a lot of tomatoes Kent. When did you say you are retiring? Is this a practice run for your retirement? LOL Sounds like you are practicing. When are they puting in the greenhouse?
Connie I think Kent has big plans. Jeanette
No big plans. :-)
btw, how's the hummingbird scene at everybody's place?
I have 3 feeders on the front porch and have to refill them every other day! Got at least a dozen flying and chasing each other all the time!
For a while there I was going thru a half a gallon of hummer food every other day. But, it is turning so cold now that I think they may be heading South. Not using it so much now.
It is still only 47 degrees out there and it is 7:30. The weather people did say it is suppose to warm back up this week. High 80s to low to mid 90s this week. We'll see. A woman was telling yesterday that she had frost the night before. She is about 50 miles East of us. Can you believe frost already?
No wonder I am not getting any ripe tomatoes.
"Connie I think Kent has big plans. Jeanette" Sure sounds like it lol!!! I hope you plants hang in there long enough to harvest some ripe ones, Jeanette. We finally got enough to ripen at the same time for 7 quarts of juice. Hey, that beats none :))))))))) More are starting to turn so we are hoping...
Tell that frost to stay away for a little bit longer!!!
Connie
You had to ask about the hummers Kent. A baby hit my window so have been nursing it back and finally got it to eat from a straw and fly a bit around the bathroom so decided out in the big wide spaces was better for it than living in a dark shoebox. Took a couple days. Just took it out this morning.
Jeanette - good deal!
Kent, are you and your family ok? Were you in any place near where Irene was? How did you weather the storm? Good I hope. I suppose all of you folks in your jobs have to work and then worry about your home situation later huh?
Well lets hope that the storm heads out to sea and stays there. Burns itself out. Jeanette
Jeanette: sorry, been offline for the last few days.
All is well.
No issues with Irene, thank the Lord!
Let's start a new chapter - Go to Chapter 36 - http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1217880/