How are Things in the Tomato Patch?

[Charles LaGreca]

I'm growing Cherokee Purple tomatoes in a hanging planter.
(I have mice in the yard.) A few tomatos have grown
but a lot of flowers shrivel and die. Their stems turn
brown just before the flower. I water regularly and
fertilize with Magic Grow. It's good soil I think.
I live in San Carlos, near Lake Murray on the Eastern edge of San Diego. I have photos
but didn't know how to post them.

 

[digitS']

Ducks, I would probably have trouble with very much hay, straw, and pine shavings in the garden. (Is Equi-Fresh biodegradable?) All the manure might give some crops difficulties but tomatoes are a pretty good choice. By 2011, that ground might be in absolutely perfect shape for most anything.


Another San Diegan?

Welcome to TEG, Charles !

Blossom drop is probably the result of the heat and dryness in your corner of the country.

Did you know that I am about 300 miles from salt water and yet directly north of San Diego? Believe it or not, this is the farthest "east" that I've lived. Good thing "western" Montana is just over the hill .

Steve

Edited to add: Also, attempting to answer questions on the forum is a good learning experience - in fact, it is an excellent learning experience! And, once we have committed statements on the "best choice of action" there is this imperative to follow thru in our own gardens. No need to let things slide since, we know better than that!

 

[sparkles2307]

We've gotten 4 ripe tomatoes off the Early Girl which I broke down and got from the nursery...but all the ones I planted from seed (somewhere in the neighborhood of 60 plants last I counted) are about 2 ft tall and loading up with fruits!!!

 

[ducks4you]

digits', I was really worried about the manure burning out my vegetables, too, but I can tell you that I buried it and my worms have been doing their job. (Equi-fresh is made from super dried out pine.) I have been able to see when my plant's roots hit the compost--they just take off. I have 3 1/2 ft tall okra, and my sweet and hot peppers are growing great. My tomato plants were put in later than I wanted, but after weeding around them, I'm finding loads of green tomatos in fine condition.
BTW, my Amish farrier told me that HIS property had been over-manured--didn't know there WAS such a thing, when he moved there. Thanks for the advice!

 

[sparkles2307]

BTW, my Amish farrier told me that HIS property had been over-manured--didn't know there WAS such a thing, when he moved there. Thanks for the advice!

Yeah I didnt know there was such a thing as "over manured" till yesterday when DH told me that a farmer's wheat on our way to work is all laid over because of too much manure...it makes the heads too heavy or something to it cant stand up to a stiff wind.

 

[ducks4you]

I don't think that 3-4 year old COMPOSTED manure presents a problem. THAT is what I tilled up and moved to my raised beds this year. I only have a weeding problem, but by keeping after the weeds, I've been able to remove most of them. By now my plants are tall enought that they are crowding out the weeds that are sprouting.

 

[Whitewater]

Yay, the first Black Krim has a blush! But BOO because there's a teeny weeny white spider living in it and the spider has made a dime-sized hole in the bottom of the tomato!!!!

Poop. Ah well, I have other BK's, which I am sure will ripen *any time now* -- and they don't have spiders in them!

Also I have a 'Bonnie's Best' currently in the windowsill, yep, it showed a blush yesterday!

Both these tomatoes out-ripened the Early Girls that I have on the vine, btw.



Whitewater

 

[journey11]

Finally--ripe tomatoes! (as of yesterday)

So far I'm getting lots of cherokee purple, sweet 100's, one giant pink belgium, a couple persimmon--they're HUGE! I've never seen such a big yellow tomato!

And a few genovese costolutos -- They are fluted and pretty, but it never occurred to me how difficult it would be to skin them for making sauce... ((Anybody ever try pureeing tomato skins in with your sauce or is that a bad idea?))

 

[1chichi]

In my yard, these heirlooms are doing the best.
cherokee purple

german orange strawberry

 

[ducks4you]

, 1chichi !
What's your secret? I've been hearing that the heirloom tomatoes don't do as well as hybreds. Last year, MY heirlooms produced next to nothing, but it was a really bad tomato growing year, so I don't believe that I used the Scientific Method to prove this out.
Your crop is lovely.