Planting updates

Today I planted two 'Black Brandywine'. These plants were 1 1/2 ft tall. One actually broke in 1/2 so it will be an experiment in growing plants that are cut in 1/2. I use oscmocote on both.

I also put a planter of basil together...both lemon and regular. I put the planter under the pergula to see if I will have better luck with basil there. A capful of oscomote was used on these also.

Two weeks ago I put in some bush cucumbers. They are in the back row so may not be getting enough sun.

Updates from the new plantings from the beginning of March. The bush early girls are doing great. They already have 3 inch green fruit. I am quite suprised. The bush goliath are fairly pathetic. The big difference between these plantings is that the early girls went in the planters right away...the goliath were on the patio for two weeks before getting put into the ground. I am about to take the goliaths out.

The moral of that story is "If you buy plants, then put them in the damn ground.

I found a little mold on the melon leaves and hit them with the ortho disease. It seemed to take care of it but the leaves are yellowing.

Next to garden projects will be:
1. Move all herbs to the pergula/patio so I can gather them easier. That will also free up some earthboxes.
2. Plan the summer garden. I am mainly thinking of using cherry tomatoes. I will see what else.

Strange Garden Growth: Last summer I tried sweet potatoes and beans. I did not get much from either. Now....the plants are back. The sweet potato plant is now growing again and bean plants are popping up all over the garden.

New Tomato Plantings

Two weeks ago I bought some Bush Early Girl and Bush Goliath plants from the farmers market. I planted the Bush Early Girl three weeks ago with some Oscomote(sp?). They seem to be over a foot tall and wide now.

I planted the Bush Goliath in the place of the old Bush Beefsteak. The Bush Beefsteak plants had dried out to brown twigs. The new plantings used Oscomote also. ( 1 1/2 capfulls per the bottle instructions).

Also, the rest of the plants got the usual dose of Miracle Grow and Epson Salts.

Tomatoes - Five Varieties

After 120 days, it is time to compare the varieties....

For the most part, I got fruit from all and there was not a huge difference in the fruit color or size. I have yet to do a real taste test difference.

At this point, I am going to try to get another set of fruit out of each plant. I am doing this by stripping out the dead leaves. Below are before and after pictures of each.

Sample Before and After stripping of dead leaves.

Bush Beefsteak (purchased from Farmers Market)

Thin stalks with some flowers

Homestead (purchased from Home Depot)

Huge plant with lots of flowers and some small fruit

Husky Red (purchased from Farmers Market)

Thick stalks with few leaves and no new flowers

Big Boy (purchased from Home Depot)

Large plant with lots of flowers

Bush Early Girl (purchased from Farmets Market)

Thick stalks with few leaves and no new flowers

Tomatoes...too many to deal with

So the neighbors came by....















So now I have lots of tomatoes. And the neighbor may can some for me.

New Plantings...Seeds

I have two ready planters so I went ahead and am trying some seeds.

In one...Marketmore 76 and teh Arkansas Little Leaf cucumbers.

In the other...Sugar Baby watermelon and Hales Best melon.

We'll see what happens.

Tomatoes....finally after 105 days...

One week ago, the tomatoes turned red. Or at least pink. It was the Husky Red and Bush Early Girl. That makes 105 DAYS. So much for the 60 day window. I don't know if the cold was an issue or not.

Also... the tomatoes still haven't fully ripened. They are still a little hard but my wife keeps picking them. So far the fruit is around 2 to 3 inches for both varieties and we have gotten around 10 fruit so far.

I also put down 1/3 cup epson salts and 1/8 of miracle grow today.

Two Month Update

Cukes gone byebye. The aphids, or whatever, were too much. I cut them down.

But the tomatoes are doing nicely. I have an abundance of green ones, the largest 3 inches in diameter. I did not check which ones were the big producers yet. But hopefully, some will started getting the red color soon.

The peppers are acting pepperly and coming in fine. I think I have some green peppers, habaneros, and jalapenos.

The weather has been kinda cold and I have done nothing to protect the plants. The low temp got to around 40 degrees.

I went by the farmers market guy and asked him a little about the tomatoes and should I pinch any of the small ones off. He said no need. He also gave the following advice:

1. Mix 14-14-14 Ozmocote(sp?) in with the soil at planting. It gives time released fertilizing over the life of the plant.

2. It is better to use a small amount of liquid fertilizer often than a large fertilizing more infrequently.

3. In my planters, use 1/4 Epsom Salts every month.

So, today I put in the reservoir of each planter 1/3 cup Epsom with around 1/8 cup of Miracle Grow.

We will see if some of the smaller tomatoes grow up better.