Tomatoes 2021

[WaterRat]

Can't do the composting thing myself but I'm getting some lobster compost from Maine to add into my grow buckets this year.
Cherokee Purples are great from the few I harvested last year... it was a terrible year for tomatoes around here... blossom end rot galore, and not just me, everyone I talked to, just bad tomato weather, hoping this year is better!

 

[jcam222]

Can't do the composting thing myself but I'm getting some lobster compost from Maine to add into my grow buckets this year.
Cherokee Purples are great from the few I harvested last year... it was a terrible year for tomatoes around here... blossom end rot galore, and not just me, everyone I talked to, just bad tomato weather, hoping this year is better!

I had many plants last year that looked fantastic for months but when fruiting started to yellow. Yellow stems and leaves that would ultimately just die off. 2nd year in a row I had that. Cant figure out if it’s a disease or mineral deficiency. My Cherokee Purple last year were delcious.

 

[indaswamp]

I had many plants last year that looked fantastic for months but when fruiting started to yellow. Yellow stems and leaves that would ultimately just die off. 2nd year in a row I had that. Cant figure out if it’s a disease or mineral deficiency. My Cherokee Purple last year were delcious.

Do a soil test for minerals.

Did the yellowing start at the bottom and go up the plant? If so, it was likely blight disease.

 

[jcam222]

Do a soil test for minerals.

Did the yellowing start at the bottom and go up the plant? If so, it was likely blight disease.

Yes usually at bottom first, stems turn yellow and get brittle and will just pop off. Could mot figure out how to stop it last two years.

 

[indaswamp]

Yes usually at bottom first, stems turn yellow and get brittle and will just pop off. Could mot figure out how to stop it last two years.

Then I bet it is blight.
Blight starts at the bottom of the plant and goes up. It is a soil borne disease that attacks the plant when water drops contact the soil and splash onto the plant. Trim the bottom leaves to 12" off the ground as the plant grows and keep the soil covered with a mulch to prevent muddy water from splashing on the plant leaves. Compost, leaves, leaf mould....straw...all good choices. 2-3" thick.....

 

[indaswamp]

and rotate where you plant your tomatoes and nightshade family plants. I would not replant tomatoes where you had blight problems for at least 3 years.

 

[indaswamp]

I mulch with a cover crop that is chop n dropped, then cover that with live oak leaves run through either the mulching mower or my leaf vacuum mulcher...

 

[Fueling Around]

Local organic farmer uses hydroylzed fish fertilizer in 300 gallon totes.
Basically, he can apply it this year to active crop land instead of the 2 year wait for raw fish.
I bought a couple of those totes from him last year to set up for rainwater collection.
I killed grass in the areas where I drained off the rinse water trying to get the stink out of them.

 

[poacherjoe]

Local organic farmer uses hydroylzed fish fertilizer in 300 gallon totes.
Basically, he can apply it this year to active crop land instead of the 2 year wait for raw fish.
I bought a couple of those totes from him last year to set up for rainwater collection.
I killed grass in the areas where I drained off the rinse water trying to get the stink out of them.

If you place the fish deep enough say 15" or more you can plant a tomato on it right away. By the time the roots get to that depth the plant will be able to absorb the nutrients from the decomposed carcass. If you put too much fresh fish the plant will grow like crazy but won't set blossoms for fruit. If that happens starve the plant for water till it starts to look weak and then resume your watering schedule and it will rebound and start setting fruit

 

[indaswamp]

First tomatoes are starting to ripen...

 

[Fueling Around]

I'm way behind you. Killing frost on May 29th ( no plants in the garden) .
Cursing you with blossom end rot. That is a jest.
First fresh tomato out the garden goes for a BLT. Wife gets the end scraps for her salad.

 

[indaswamp]

I'm way behind you. Killing frost on May 29th ( no plants in the garden) .
Cursing you with blossom end rot. That is a jest.
First fresh tomato out the garden goes for a BLT. Wife gets the end scraps for her salad.

Our planting date here is March 15th. I usually start seeds mid January. This spring, we had so much rain and late cool fronts, I waited and put plants in the ground April 10th...almost a month later. Im just now having fruit ripen on the vines. Everyone that planted early had cracking issues to deal with from the rains. We had 23.7" of rain in May....normal for the year is 5-6" in May.

 

[Fueling Around]

Ah yes, cat facing in those wet years.
We have had a whole inch of rain since I got mine planted.
I used to plant around Mother' Day, but since global warming our last frost date has slid 2 weeks.
Now, nothing tender goes in the garden until June.

How much did you get after the latest event?

 

[indaswamp]

How much did you get after the latest event?

9 inches in 4 days about 10 days ago. suppose to get another 2-3" by Sunday. WE avg. 68-70" of rain annually, but we have a 16" surplus right now...

 

[Fueling Around]

Can you send some up here? We are in the driest fall to spring on record

 

[daspyknows]

I have lots of blossoms but only a hald dozen small tomatoes on five plants. The other item I grow in my garden does much better.