Sunday, June 30, 2013

Are tomatoes aquatic plants now?

Well, we had another tropical storm and little drizzle just about every day.  After treatment there is plenty of yellow foliage but am sure it is overwatering by Mother Nature  as we had 16" over the reuglar rainfall so far.
 Plants are getting extra nutrition by adding some top dressing compost and bat guano with  beneficial microbes. Am sure it is last treatment for the season of fertilizer as our season is short.
So far septoria is at bay. Will keep an eye for it. Tomatoes are behaving in determinate way, although am happily seeing bees buzzing and lots of yellow flower as well as greenies toms. Not one broke color yet though.

Sunday, June 23, 2013

Septoria

Dealing with what I think Septoria is, used copper spray yesterday. There is one or two green toms on about half the plants. Hoping the weather will keep dry. Ordered some Actinovate and potassium sulfate for the future. Reading like crazy on all fungal and bacterial issues, there should be some beneficial stuff that can be introduced into the garden to deal with it.

Thursday, June 20, 2013

Garden update

Used milk and baking soda to cover the leaves, so far so good. Weeded and pruned bottom leaves. I just might get Sungold by July 4th this year as well but next year all cherry- grapes will have to be started earlier. Noted one green tom on Black Krim and forgot to look at second plant. Some leaves still look curled so I will stay away from doing anything else for now and just let weather take care of things. Will need trellises in a week and some plants are reaching over 4th tier cages.

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

New green tomatoes seen!

So as of today Amazing chocolate WOW has about 6 green toms and regular one has about 2 seems like really prolific variety!
Green toms are seen on Gypsy-both plants, Black Vernissage, Paul Robeson, Sungold- both, Truffle- both, Green Frost, Banana legs, Roman Candle and  HHHS. Black Krim has couple buds that look like they took.
 San Marzano is going away next year and will be replaced by San Marzano Redorta.
 Ildi and Gold nugget seems stalling and they should be far far ahead by now... Ildi was original seed and GN was mine.
Bed closest to potatoes got early blight signs, so leaves are taken off and watered with milk and baking soda treatment. We will see.

Friday, June 14, 2013

Paul Robeson

HHHS almost reaching his 4th cage tier

physiological drooping leaves from too much water

healthy Azoychka in bloom
Green tom on Amazing Chocolate

Am glad this rain was not anything special. Have few droopy toms but most of them  look just fabulous. Found another green tomato on WOW Paul Robeson.
My initial thought that I could create some kind of spreadsheet what is good and not so good for Skokie plots might not be useful for anyone but me. Looking at other people plants I am coming to thinking it is more about what you do with soil and your timing and less about variety...
Paul Robeson fist tom

Saturday, June 8, 2013

And the winner is!!!!!!!

Amazing Chocolate  from wall of water,  planted  out about May 1 does have 2 green tomatoes going!!!! Mucho excitement!
So far I have seen mixed reviews regarding what season this tom will belong to but looks like wall of water moved it into earlier group.
 Oh yeah and first potato bush has started to bloom today, I got some early and some mid variety from Menards, need to check with Ann what those special toms from Baker creek are doing.

Sunday, June 2, 2013

 I guess I should be happy that there are only few plants blooming now because we are in the long haul of the rainy days with tons of humidity. I have to see if anything left on Amazing Chocolate pollen so I can still shake it a bit. Temps are also dropping below 60 at nights. Mmmm....