I knew I wouln't do this right.

My first year at this is quite the learning experience.

I planted my maters at the right time, but I think I got confused about the "vining" part from ansfg. Long story short, I have only 2 tomatoes growing on a 6 foot tall plant. I have since quit "trimming" everything except for suckers, I'm hoping more of these blooms quit wilting and actually turn into something.

THEN, yesterday, my only 2 maters look like this on the bottom Lady at the nursery said it might be from watering inconsistently? I will work on that from now on, and bought some organic mater plant food. I'm hoping the plant still has time to bear ok maters? Or should I pull it and quickly get a new one in?




THEN, since I bought too many in 4 packs back in spring, I gave some to our inlaws who planted them in rows, and they are flat out KILLING mine! I haven't picked a pepper, zuke, don't have a cuke over 1 inch, I thought it was going well but I think I'm "trimming" things too much and stunting their growth, is that possible?






Im using store bought Mel's mix, plenty of sun, I would think I'm not watering enough but my inlaws are going straight from rain (not much here lately) and she's been pulling cukes for weeks now.

I think I'm trimming too much as well. Also only have a few tomatos per plant. But I also have blight on my maters and trimmed a lot because of that. One of my cukes has been blooming like crazy for 3 weeks, but only male blossoms. Another not blooming at all. Only one variety is bearing fruit.

The bottom of that mater looks like it could be the start of blossom end rot, but looking at the color, it may ripen before major damage. Uneven watering and lack of calcium are causes. Check the 'mater food to see if it has some calcium in it. If not scratch in 1/4 cup powdered milk and epsom salts and water well.
This is my first summer SFG. Had a fantastic spring garden last year and a great fall/winter garden due to the mild winter we had. My spring garden was not as good this year, but still respectable. I blame the ups and downs of the unusual weather patterns we had this year. And maybe I didn't put enough replacement compost in my squares.

Hang in there. As you said, this is a learning experience.
Kay
FYI, there is a SFG teacher associated with NC State.

My rules of thumb with normal healthy indeterminate tomato plants.
Pinch out the suckers.


and don't prune anything above the fruit or flowers


Step by step, how to prune tomato plants. <~~~Click

Unless there is blight and then I prune any infected part of the plant I see. But I will only take 1/2 of a leaf stem if it is not showing infection. It is a different process when you are battling disease.

As to the little scar at the bottom of the tomato, it may be a natural occurrence of the variety you have planted and it doesn't look like blossom end rot to me. It just looks like a blossom scar.

Found my answer to the determinate/indeterminate question (sorry for asking when it had already been answered). Anyone else looking, here's the link: https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t3013-tomatoes-determinate-vs-indeterminate

I'm just curious: Is ncst8guy still around? Haven't seen anything in about a year.

camprn wrote:My rules of thumb with normal healthy indeterminate tomato plants.
Pinch out the suckers.
and don't prune anything above the fruit or flowers
Step by step, how to prune tomato plants.  <~~~Click

Wow, very helpful info, & just in time. Thanks! camprn