2022 Garden Thread

[bigealta]

So here a pic of the garden today.. tomato plants are between 4 and 5 ft with a couple branches at 6ft.. we picked alot Saturday.. 1 bag cubanella peppers 1 bag green/red bell peppers 2 bags steing beans 1/2 bag zucchini.. all grocery size bags. the onion are almost baseball size now. 3 heads of Roman lettuce.. lots of production out of my sqft.. my sons doing an outstanding job helping out..

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How has your romaine not bolted yet? my small romaine was already bitter a week ago. in Monmouth county.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

How has your romaine not bolted yet? my small romaine was already bitter a week ago. in Monmouth county.

I shaded the lettuce.. I picked the rest as it will get bitter.. Shading will slow it down.. im done with it until September

 

[clancey]

Active little thread going here. Almost as many gardeners as BK owners in that other thread. Glad I found you.

I have a question about canning. Specifically, where do store all the darn jars? We had been paying about $2 each for new jars up here. Some used canning jars with bands were found at a yard sale for 50 cents each. You know how that ended. I am inundated with empty jars. I have a canner, we have propane, I am happy to fill them with stuff we are going to use - but where do I put them? On many youtube it appears mason jars should not be stacked one on another so a custom shelf unit with fixed height shelves seems inevitable...

My Amish Paste are doing OK, but I was underwatering. They are up to 2 quarts of water twice daily now, next feeding July 3 will be mostly fish meal. Hopefully 18 days later on July 21 I will have blossoms and 48 inch tall plants so I can stop with the nitrogen and feed P, K and Ca. So far first thing in the morning they are standing tall with no staking or string clips, and the already sprouted side shoots should be able to rest on the first horizontal wires of my cages once they get grown out.

Honestly, and this was a risk, they (the Amish Paste) seem a bit nonchalant about my first frost scheduled for Sept 1. My sister in California loves these for diced recipe ready, salsa and catsup, the three things I really hope to can. But we don't have any spare days for them to give me ripe fruit between last frost transplant and first frost harvest. And they are lolligagging. I would feel a lot better today if they were each about 8 inches taller.

I know I am obsessing on them. I am pushing the limits on feeding. I was giving them one gallon once daily with late afternoon leaf curl, but they were both dribbling water out of the bottom of their planters, so I moved to half a gallon twice daily with no drips out the bottom. I am going to try to move to half a gallon each three times daily with the next feed on July 3, but solstice was last week, winter is coming and these guys need to get a move on. I just decided to move to half a gallon each three times daily tonight. I just took the attached, and I still have late afternoon leaf curl even though both have had a full gallon in divided doses with no drips already today.

I know I am rolling the dice on these with my short season (zone 1). I have a little bit of purple staining on the lowest leaves and the stem, but no outright burning from over feeding. I was sweating after the first post transplant feeding on June 16th. I was afraid I may have over fed, but they are doing OK. For me to get ripe fruit, they need to be doing awesome/ excellent.

Winter is coming. This is why I stopped reading the Game of Thrones books before the TV series even started. I have no desire to invade Idaho or Texas, I just want my local ducks in a row.

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If they are almond paste tomato's : What is so special about them--a few of our posters have mentioned them like they are the "worlds best" or something--being sarcastic here--lol...My tomato plants is doing okay but only one flower so far and bushy too--might use my walker to hold it up-lol...Now what about the watering situation poindexter? Do not you have water or something or are you just depending on rain or something--do not understand...(last posting you made)...All your gardens look just wonderful and one more question--"what is bolting"? picture coming of my plants and I am leaving the basil and parsley just go natural among the grass for it looks pretty to me and I will see on the end how much basil or parsley I actually do have--just a experiment here among high grass growing... The last two pictures are the bushes the neighbor gave me? I think one is a box or something (name)..? clancey

 

[begreen]

I shaded the lettuce.. I picked the rest as it will get bitter.. Shading will slow it down.. im done with it until September

I've planted the second crop of lettuce along the east side of our green bean trellis. The thought is that it will shade the plants in the afternoon. I also inter-plant lettuce under our tomatoes where it stays shadier.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

I've planted the second crop of lettuce along the east side of our green bean trellis. The thought is that it will shade the plants in the afternoon. I also inter-plant lettuce under our tomatoes where it stays shadier.

thats smart.. were producing alot right now and my wife has aked us to slow down.. shes been out there a couple times.. she knows there alot.of tomatoes coming her way.. home made gravity.. thats whats up..

 

[bigealta]

home made gravity.. thats whats up..

yup!

 

[begreen]

Our tomato surge will be late this year. More like September.

 

[DuaeGuttae]

Our tomato surge will be late this year. More like September.

I’m growing some more tomatoes from seed inside right now in the hopes that the new plants will produce for me in September if it’s cooler by then. We’ve had no surge so far this year, only a trickle, and that may be drying up, too.

Our tomatoes in the garden have been hit by hornworms. Thankfully we’ve been catching them pretty small the last couple of days, but I’m sure there are more that we’re missing. I’m planning to get a black light tomorrow and go out in the dark if I have the energy and see if it helps me spot more.

We used up most of our fresh tomatoes today in a sauce to top some polenta that my nine year old made. I have a few more different ones ripening on the counter, but there aren‘t many more setting in the garden at this point. I’m eagerly awaiting any sign of blush on my Taiga tomatoes (the big hearts). They are green when ripe, but I do expect a color change.

 

[Poindexter]

I did trim the first truss off each of my two tomato plants yesterday. It took me a few days to recognize what they (the flower bearing trusses) were. Since they appeared in the first 30 days after transplant I went ahead and whacked them. I am growing the determinant variety, looking for 3-4 feet bush height and only at 24-30 inches tall right now.

Still haven't fed them from scheduled feed in July 3. They look dry, but they are in damp dirt. I have backed off the watering to 2 quarts each plant once or twice daily. Growth has slowed down and they have a LOT of leaf curl.

Wild fire smoke has thinned out a little bit in the last 36 hours or so, my truck was casting a shadow on the road beside me while I was driving around today. Whichever kind of UV light it is that gets blocked by clouds and wildfire smoke, Amish paste seem to like that kind of UV light.

I will likely go ahead and feed them tomorrow at 21 days since the last feed with some nitrogen, but plenty of K and P and Ca.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

I’m growing some more tomatoes from seed inside right now in the hopes that the new plants will produce for me in September if it’s cooler by then. We’ve had no surge so far this year, only a trickle, and that may be drying up, too.

Our tomatoes in the garden have been hit by hornworms. Thankfully we’ve been catching them pretty small the last couple of days, but I’m sure there are more that we’re missing. I’m planning to get a black light tomorrow and go out in the dark if I have the energy and see if it helps me spot more.

We used up most of our fresh tomatoes today in a sauce to top some polenta that my nine year old made. I have a few more different ones ripening on the counter, but there aren‘t many more setting in the garden at this point. I’m eagerly awaiting any sign of blush on my Taiga tomatoes (the big hearts). They are green when ripe, but I do expect a color change.

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I do a fall planting for the greenhouse also. I dont start from seed. I take cuttings off existing plants from the garden. I bring them inside and root them in cups of water. In 2 weeks or so, there ready for the large containers. My cuttings are usually 12 inches and over, with some flowers.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

this is 10 days after cuttin.. another 5 days and ill pot them up.. at 15 days your at seedlings stage..

 

[DuaeGuttae]

this is 10 days after cuttin.. another 5 days and ill pot them up.. at 15 days your at seedlings stage..

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Those cuttings are looking great, Woodsplitter67, as were the rest of the photos of your garden that you posted earlier. I will admit to being envious of the bags of produce you’re pulling in.

I’ve done tomato cuttings before and think it is a wonderful technique. (Last year I supplied my neighbors with 22 new plants from cuttings, I believe). I’m only doing two varieties from seed right now. One of them I don’t have in my garden this year but decided to give it a place for fall. The other is a variety that I am growing currently, but I saved seeds from it. I wanted to test the germination of the seeds, so figured I might as well grow them into seedlings while I’m at it. It sounds odd, but I don’t want my transplants ready too soon this summer. I need the heat to leave so that I don’t end up with the same pollination problems that I’m having now.

I do have a small Taiga tomato plant growing from a(n accidental) cutting in my garden. I didn’t even root it in water first. I just stuck it in the ground right next to one of my ollas, and it’s been staying alive even in the 100 degree heat.

 

[DuaeGuttae]

I did trim the first truss off each of my two tomato plants yesterday. It took me a few days to recognize what they (the flower bearing trusses) were. Since they appeared in the first 30 days after transplant I went ahead and whacked them. I am growing the determinant variety, looking for 3-4 feet bush height and only at 24-30 inches tall right now.

Still haven't fed them from scheduled feed in July 3. They look dry, but they are in damp dirt. I have backed off the watering to 2 quarts each plant once or twice daily. Growth has slowed down and they have a LOT of leaf curl.

Wild fire smoke has thinned out a little bit in the last 36 hours or so, my truck was casting a shadow on the road beside me while I was driving around today. Whichever kind of UV light it is that gets blocked by clouds and wildfire smoke, Amish paste seem to like that kind of UV light.

I will likely go ahead and feed them tomorrow at 21 days since the last feed with some nitrogen, but plenty of K and P and Ca.

I know that there are different philosophies on this, but since moving to Texas I tend to grow my transplants big. I even let them flower before I set them out if they want, though I do try to time it so that doesn’t happen. For determinate varieties, I try not to take off much more than the foliage below the first flower truss. Last year I had a mix up on varieties and pruned one of my determinates the same way that I would have an indeterminate. I’m pretty sure that hurt production on that plant for the season. I did way more than take off one flower truss, though.

Not having any idea that we were going to have record-breaking heat and drought this summer I planted only one determinate variety this year. That one has done the best for me since it got lots of fruit set before the temperatures were quite so extreme. I have started more seeds inside for that and another determinate in my collection for fall. I still have hopes of preserving some tomatoes for the winter. We’ll see.

 

[DuaeGuttae]

I’ve been pondering fall cucumbers for a while now, and I’ve just decided to try cloning some of my existing suckers into plants. I’ve never done that before, but @Woodsplitter67 ’s post about tomatoes got me thinking. I’ll try to give a report on how it goes.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Half of the interest in gardening is trying new things.

 

[Dan Freeman]

You are so right, Limestone.

Long day today. We spent the morning digging more of the new pond, and then I spent about 3 hours splitting wood. I'll sleep well tonight!

 

[Poindexter]

Saturday morning picture. I fed on 07-07, good wallop of nitrogen along with P-K and Ca. Still watering each plant with two quarts of water three times each day.

Sunrise was 0333 this morning, sunset will be at 18 minutes past midnight tomorrow - so the plants have more time to process this water than they might if they lived somewhere south of here.

Each plant has a small truss started. I am thinking about pruning the new single truss off, current plant heights are 31 and 33 inches. Also thinking about pruning off the lowest side branch on each plant.

My thinking is in another week both plants should be well over 36" and I will then let them sprout all the trusses.

 

[Dan Freeman]

Food Forest Pond Progress:

Little by little...using the jackhammer definitely helps break up the clay soil with all the shale in it, but it takes its toll on my shoulders. Then, digging the soil out is not easy since every shovel bit hits rocks. :grumbling: The summer heat and humidity is not helping!

Here is where we are at as of today:

After digging today, I screened about 50 gallons of clay dirt through my hardware cloth sifter to get the larger rocks out. I will need to do about another 80-100 gallons. I will use the sifted clay to add back to the pond at about 2" deep to cover the jagged shale before I put down the pond underlayment and then the pond liner.

Tomorrow is supposed to be a bit cooler with less humidity, so I will get another bit done.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

Saturday morning picture. I fed on 07-07, good wallop of nitrogen along with P-K and Ca. Still watering each plant with two quarts of water three times each day.

Sunrise was 0333 this morning, sunset will be at 18 minutes past midnight tomorrow - so the plants have more time to process this water than they might if they lived somewhere south of here.

Each plant has a small truss started. I am thinking about pruning the new single truss off, current plant heights are 31 and 33 inches. Also thinking about pruning off the lowest side branch on each plant.

My thinking is in another week both plants should be well over 36" and I will then let them sprout all the trusses.

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What fertilizer are u using.. whats the n,p,k and.how often

 

[Poindexter]

What fertilizer are u using.. whats the n,p,k and.how often

I am using fish meal for N, it is labelled 8-6-0.

For Calcium bone meal, labelled 3-15-0, on the back label it is 18% Ca.

I am also feeding Kelp meal, labelled 1-0.1-2.

When I fed on 06-17 I kinda winged it on the measurements based on 25 gallons of soil per plant with all three of those.

For 07-07, I got out a measuring cup. I used 3/4 cup of all three of those for 20 gallons of dirt, mixed it up in a bowl, and it looked like a LOT, so I split that 2 1/4 cups of fertilizer between the two plants, 1 1/8 cup each plant.

I prepared the soil with PLENTY of Rock Phosphate (0-3-0). Also in the dirt before the plant, I cultured about a pound of soil bacteria into a pastuerized gallon water with molasses, in a five gallon bucket with a bunch of pieces of hardwood lump charcoal too small to use in my grill. Added more water to cover the charcoal, and fed that brew some fish meal and green sand on day three. Probably a gallon of colonized charcoal in each pot.

I am feeding every two to three weeks, on day 17 since the last feeding if everything looks like growers on Youtube have in Iowa. My plants haven't looked anything like the Amish Paste tomato on youtube since about June 20th.

I am pretty sure I should prune the new trusses and the bottom two branches to encourage branch growth at the top, but I am not confident I should do that, so I haven't.

 

[Poindexter]

@Dan Freeman , looks to me like you could be almost done digging. How many more barrow loads of dirt do you think still need to come out? That's going to be nice to have finished for sure.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

I am using fish meal for N, it is labelled 8-6-0.

For Calcium bone meal, labelled 3-15-0, on the back label it is 18% Ca.

I am also feeding Kelp meal, labelled 1-0.1-2.

When I fed on 06-17 I kinda winged it on the measurements based on 25 gallons of soil per plant with all three of those.

For 07-07, I got out a measuring cup. I used 3/4 cup of all three of those for 20 gallons of dirt, mixed it up in a bowl, and it looked like a LOT, so I split that 2 1/4 cups of fertilizer between the two plants, 1 1/8 cup each plant.

I prepared the soil with PLENTY of Rock Phosphate (0-3-0). Also in the dirt before the plant, I cultured about a pound of soil bacteria into a pastuerized gallon water with molasses, in a five gallon bucket with a bunch of pieces of hardwood lump charcoal too small to use in my grill. Added more water to cover the charcoal, and fed that brew some fish meal and green sand on day three. Probably a gallon of colonized charcoal in each pot.

I am feeding every two to three weeks, on day 17 since the last feeding if everything looks like growers on Youtube have in Iowa. My plants haven't looked anything like the Amish Paste tomato on youtube since about June 20th.

I am pretty sure I should prune the new trusses and the bottom two branches to encourage branch growth at the top, but I am not confident I should do that, so I haven't.

The reason Im asking is that your plants are not as green as they could be. They are nitrogen starved. Tomatoes are a vine and a heavy feeder. You should be feeding every 7 to 10 days but if your doing it this way your nitrogen requirement will be less. Its better to foliar feed this plant also..

 

[Poindexter]

Thanks @Woodsplitter67

I can certainly give them more nitrogen.

Also, I am pretty sure I found early leaf mold just now, fairly wide spread on both plants. I went a head and pruned off the new truss and the two lowest branches on each plant. I will give them some more nitrogen now.

Link that looks the most like my plants: http://www.tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=33454

 

[Woodsplitter67]

Thanks @Woodsplitter67

I can certainly give them more nitrogen.

Also, I am pretty sure I found early leaf mold just now, fairly wide spread on both plants. I went a head and pruned off the new truss and the two lowest branches on each plant. I will give them some more nitrogen now.

Link that looks the most like my plants: http://www.tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=33454

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if you keep your nitrogen levels up youll get less disease. I ues a combination of organic in the garden but use a synthetic fertilizer also.. for the tomatoes im using a cheap 15-30-15 I double the amount of water to make it a 7-15-7 and feed evey 7 to 10 days foliar im using roughly 2.5 gallons on 14 plants. I feed roughly 4 days before a rain so it has time to absorb. This is the cheapest way to feed is to buy a higher analysis fertilizer and cutting it to half or less.

 

[Dan Freeman]

@Dan Freeman , looks to me like you could be almost done digging. How many more barrow loads of dirt do you think still need to come out? That's going to be nice to have finished for sure.

I'm down 24 inches on the side with the blocks (from the tops of the blocks), but only down about 12 inches on the other side. I want to go down at least 30 inches on that side, 36 if I don't hit the shale ledge that runs under the area.