Answers to your gardening questions (by those in the know!)

neko

I've had one of those plants you call 'Old Timer" since around ... let's see (doing quick calculation)... : early 1980s?
I think it's impossible to kill them! I keep forgetting I have it, forgetting to water it & look after it properly...
Anyway, your post prompted me to go & check on it. And what do you know (!): despite the shocking heat & my criminal neglect, it's still alive! Surprised

Looking rather unwell, but alive. I just gave it a good drink. I will try to be kinder to it in future!

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Msolga a number of my vegetable gardening friends say they have had trouble with tomato fruiting this year. some are speculating that its too hot. although I find it hard to believe.

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dadpad wrote:

Msolga a number of my vegetable gardening friends say they have had trouble with tomato fruiting this year. some are speculating that its too hot. although I find it hard to believe.

I've actually been wondering the same thing (about the heat), dadpad. I had to move my plants (in pots) to a more shaded & sheltered position during the past few days. Just couldn't keep them moist enough. (BTW, I now have a few little blighters on the go! Very Happy

) I was visiting the home of another keen tomato grower a couple of days ago & noticed that there was considerably less fruit than in previous years, & none was ripe yet. He grows his in the garden, unlike me. It seems strange, January & no ripe tomatoes yet!
Another thought: the weather has been very changeable: from extreme, moist heat, to dry & windy, to cool days ... Doesn't stay the same for too long! Maybe the tomatoes are confused by it? :wink:

Oh! Another thought! There were considerably more bees around during the spring than there are now. Maybe a pollination problem?

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Are your plants constantly wilted ?
My experience re the tomato is that it thrives in sweltering heat -- high heat + humidity-- and still remain vigorously bushy,concluding that its moisture expiration is a major characteristic trait to consider, by which reproduction (fruit development) is probably hampered by the plant's survival efforts while experiencing overly dry heat exposure. Something to consider at least, as it's just a guess.

Christmas cactus doesn't store well while left neglected in the garage over the winter, I've sadly learned. Being so attached to Oldtimer, I pay it closer attention to the extent of maintaining a comfortable indoor humidity over winter, like, say, fifty percent. It gets only rain water, and only enough to keep the potting mix damp so as not to flush out any essential organic matter through the pot. A bit of fish emulsion fertilizer added to its water once in awhile keeps it happy.

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neko nomad wrote:

Are your plants constantly wilted ?
My experience re the tomato is that it thrives in sweltering heat -- high heat + humidity-- and still remain vigorously bushy,concluding that its moisture expiration is a major characteristic trait to consider, by which reproduction (fruit development) is probably hampered by the plant's survival efforts while experiencing overly dry heat exposure. Something to consider at least, as it's just a guess.

Hi neko

No, they're not constantly wilted, though I've had to water them a lot more this season, due to the intense heat. Strangely enough, they seem to be doing better now in partial shade. The spot they were in is very hot (& often exposed to wind), for most of the day. Usually my tomato plants love it there, but this year they have been drying out very quickly. Anyway, there are quite a few "cherries" developing now, though I suspect they might be smaller than usual.

I was wondering about something I posted yesterday, about bees & pollination. Thinking later, I think I've got that wrong - tomato plants don't require pollination. I can't recall bees buzzing around them at all! Anyway, there are a lot less bees around this summer. They were thriving in spring, though!

The intense heat has affected quite a few of my garden plants: my silverbeet (chard) is rather stunted & struggling a bit. (Something I didn't think was possible! They usually thrive, even when neglected.) Just now I noticed that the feijoa has dropped quite a number of its developing fruit. The remaining fruit is not looking too terrific, either - small & stunted. (I wish watering was not so much of a problem!) My chives & parsley plants are are looking quite delicate ... nothing like previous years. I use them very sparingly in the kitchen now, so there'll be some left for next time. And as for my "lawn"! Ha, forget it! Big patches of baked dry earth, hard as concrete, between the green patches. It's just they way things are these days. Watering lawns is an absolute no no in these drought conditions. Luckily it's not a huge area.

On the credit side (!), my (potted) chillis are having a great time & my native bushes & plants look pretty pleased with themselves. Luckily, I have lots of them! So it's not all doom & gloom. Very Happy

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Mind if I ask how deeply you set the plant ? Here's the savvy tomato grower's tip:
I usually wait until the store lets its stock go at clearance prices, at which time the seedling is quite tall, and set it into the ground all the way up to the first leaf stem or higher so that only foliage shows when the planting hole is filled. This may mean it'll be down almost a foot or so, where the soil's going to stay moist. The buried length of stem sends out additional roots. The plant also benefits being set in a shallow basin to hold water long enough to soak in and reach those lower roots.

More roots + deeper depth = a plant better braced for the heat of summer.

Maybe you knew this already.

-- to the the casual reader-- it works.

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neko

My two tomato plants self-seeded from last year's bumper crop. I let them grow quite a bit before planting them in their permanent pots (containing good potting mix mixed with lots of mushroom compost.) When they were looking a bit unhealthy I gave them a hit of Charlie Carp (fish fertilizer). I guess I could have waited even longer, till the roots were even stronger, but they seemed "ready" to be planted. I've never used plants that I've grown from seed before.

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tomatoes can be goofy. If you left them self seed you have healthy "street tough" plants but they are never the varietal that you had last year. One thing thats bad on tomatoes is wind and spotty incomplete watering. We always add about a 1/2 c of Epsom salts cause tomatoes are heavy feeders of magnesium. I only use composted sheep manure (obvious reasons) and apply it during the growing season where its used as a mulch as well as a fertilizer.
Sounds like many of your veggies are being heat strained. When I lived in central Calif the summers were so damn dry and hot that I never ever got the secret of having a healthy garden without constant watering. So I gave up and grew xerophytes like cactus and rosemary .

I planted my onion and aegeratum seeds in flats this weekend. When the seeds sprout Ill set them out in a "bucket bench" in our mud room nect to a strong outside light. The mud room is never really warm. I keep it about 58 and its perfect for growing young plants. We are having a spell of 60 degree weather so our winter hasnt really started yet.

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I use the same fertilizer that the rest of the garden gets, a soluble plant food applied from a watering can. I usually reach for the tub of 20-20-20 if it's available; if not, then the one closest to it.

http://yahoo.shoptoit.ca/ss/media/7852000/7852093.jpg

I have space for only a couple of plants and don't even bother staking them. For the two of us, we get more tomatoes --good ones,too--than we can use. It's an acceptable tradeoff for the subdivision dweller such as myself.

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I grew 8 tomato plants and had over 900 large tomatoes that we used to eat and make sauces. When we were away, (most of the summer) our helpers picked tomatoes and kept some for themselves , so that number is on the low side.
Sheep manure is ell balanced when composted in a straw matrix. AND I always put the tomato plants in a heavy duty circular cage made of old woven wire fencing (totally on another plane of strength than those flimsy garden cages which will dump over in the first big rain)

I put a cage of at least 3 1/2 ft in diameter and about 6' high. It has slots that one can reach inside to pick. We always remove the lower leaves so that there is a maximum of air circulation. Weve tried experimenting with supplemental feeding and it really didnt make much difference.

Tomatoes are only enjoyed fresh. We are in the middle of the winter "tomato" offerings at market. Weve canned, frozen, and dried enough tomatoes that we havent needed to buy any yet.

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farmerman wrote:

tomatoes can be goofy. If you left them self seed you have healthy "street tough" plants but they are never the varietal that you had last year. One thing thats bad on tomatoes is wind and spotty incomplete watering. We always add about a 1/2 c of Epsom salts cause tomatoes are heavy feeders of magnesium. I only use composted sheep manure (obvious reasons) and apply it during the growing season where its used as a mulch as well as a fertilizer.
Sounds like many of your veggies are being heat strained. When I lived in central Calif the summers were so damn dry and hot that I never ever got the secret of having a healthy garden without constant watering. So I gave up and grew xerophytes like cactus and rosemary .

I actually hadn't planned on the self-seeded variety, farmer - they just grew themselves & looked so happy & healthy that I thought: "Well, why not?"
They're actually doing as well as anyone else's at the moment. (Not a great year for tomatoes! Sad

) And yes, the extreme heat this summer is making it hard to keep up with adequate watering. It is not only my tomatoes that are feeling the stress, lots of other plants are, too. (Like a furnace outside today. Momma mia! Shocked

)
You mentioned Epsom salts. Now, given that I've grown mine in (big) pots ... would that still apply?
Oh ... & my rosemary bushes (& many natives) are flourishing! Very Happy

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neko nomad wrote:

I use the same fertilizer that the rest of the garden gets, a soluble plant food applied from a watering can. I usually reach for the tub of 20-20-20 if it's available; if not, then the one closest to it.

I have space for only a couple of plants and don't even bother staking them. For the two of us, we get more tomatoes --good ones,too--than we can use. It's an acceptable tradeoff for the subdivision dweller such as myself.

Ah, thanks for reminding me, neko!

Soluble plant food!

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neko nomad wrote:

Here's how the garden looks today; not much
to look at now, but you'll see as spring arrives
how much the plants I set out this year will
add to the scene. There will be new irises ,
crocuses,and a new peony to add to the floral
tapestry.

Neko - what on earth is all that white stuff? Did you run amok with some sort of white mulch? Rolling Eyes

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margo wrote:

Neko - what on earth is all that white stuff? Did you run amok with some sort of white mulch?[/color]

Nah, I'm guessing it's some sort of new wizz-bang, miracle fertilizer, margo. :wink:

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Relax, it's only snow. I figured the garden would benefit from its insulative quality -- really cold temperatures coming upon us-- so I summoned up a moderate fall. How?, you ask. Well, a long time ago I came across a magical barbecue grill.... stay tuned to this channel for the next episode in the Itinerant Rainmaker serial.

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msolga wrote:

It seems strange, January & no ripe tomatoes yet!

Nya nya ne nya na.

I have just picked my first ripe tomatoe.

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dadpad wrote:

msolga wrote:

It seems strange, January & no ripe tomatoes yet!

Nya nya ne nya na.

I have just picked my first ripe tomatoe.

What, only one! :wink:

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msolga wrote:

....I was wondering about something I posted yesterday, about bees & pollination. Thinking later, I think I've got that wrong - tomato plants don't require pollination. I can't recall bees buzzing around them at all! Anyway, there are a lot less bees around this summer. They were thriving in spring, though!

You learn something new every day.: I was just listening to a gardening talkback segment on ABC radio just now & the topic of bees & pollination came up. A "tomato expert" cleared a few things up. In response to a caller's question about tomato flowers wilting, dying & not producing fruit, she said: one of the reasons for this is lack of pollination from bees (which are scarcer than usual for summer) & recommended pollinating plants with a paint brush to ensure they fruited. She also talked about various ways (like growing Lavender bushes in the garden) to attract the bees.

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I picked two ripe cherry tomatoes today, dadpad! :wink:
Delicious!

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I hope eoe sees this. It's my indoor plants' water supply-- the cistern, if you may--
being topped up with snow I brought in off the driveway.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v188/nekonomad/nekonomad703A.jpg

Oldtimer in particular, shown here in a larger pot after it was tipped from
the table last week by Miss Molly (notice the new damage), benefits
from this collected water.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v188/nekonomad/nekonomad704A.jpg

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