Re: Tomato Tuesday 2012

Goosegirl 5/8/2012, 1:54 pm

PeonyLover wrote:I'm building it myself with the power tools I got for Valentines day (don't judge-think of how much he loves me giving me things that he knows I could use to dispose of a body with-Trust )

Judge?! HAH! We're right there with ya! Got a whole thread about this!

https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t11216-some-women

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GG

PeonyLover 5/8/2012, 2:22 pm

Thanks Goosegirl. That post rocks and describes me well. Tools for V-day, Plants for Mother's day. I wear a wedding band, but my actually ring- while very beautiful is not practical (high setting catches on everything) I joked about selling to buy a green house. Laughing

I was serious, but just testing the waters-I found the line. Hubs got a bit ticked-and told me to send him a link to one I like around Dec. 15th- LOL At least I found someone who loves that I accept who I am and i'm cool with that. After all I did buy him (tech geek) high end graphics cards for his computer for x-mas, a 47 inch TV which he uses as a monitor, and he's getting a solid state hard drive for Father's day. Gifts should make one happy, not impress other people. I've learned that with age.

Goosegirl 5/8/2012, 2:49 pm

PeonyLover wrote:Thanks Goosegirl. That post rocks and describes me well. Tools for V-day, Plants for Mother's day. I wear a wedding band, but my actually ring- while very beautiful is not practical (high setting catches on everything) I joked about selling to buy a green house. I was serious, but just testing the waters-I found the line........... Gifts should make one happy, not impress other people. I've learned that with age.

After the 4th time I busted my wedding ring at work within 2 years (originally my mom's, antique, delicate, high-profile) Hubby said "Go pick what you want". I got a low-profile sturdy garden-variety (pun intended!) ring that even I have not been able to destroy!

We don't get each other gifts - if we want something and can afford it, we get it. So far, I generally stick to hot pink stilettos and power tools!

GG

Goosegirl 5/8/2012, 8:23 pm

First time out in the big wide world! It is cool and overcast. I will bring them in, I will bring them in, I will bring them in,.......

Tomato Tuesday 2012 - Page 3 Pict0056

Can anyone set an alarm to remind me? Shocked

GG

Help Rooster! This is supposed to be on TT 2012 - North & Central Midwest! :scratch:

**RoOsTeR** 5/8/2012, 8:55 pm

Gotcha! And don't forget to bring in the maters Very Happy

**RoOsTeR** 5/8/2012, 9:07 pm

Mine for the week:
Tomato Tuesday 2012 - Page 3 IMAG0016-1

One from last week for comparison:
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Goosegirl 5/8/2012, 9:26 pm

RoOsTeR wrote:Gotcha! And don't forget to bring in the maters

THANKS ROOSTER!!! Going out to get them right now!

GG

PS - how many keggers did you have to raid (or throw) to collect all those Red Solo's? Tomato Tuesday 2012 - Page 3 311672

laurainwinona 5/21/2012, 9:06 am

I love this thread! From reading it I figure out all the stuff I'm doing wrong. I have 2 each of Amish Paste, Beefsteak and Cherokee Purple tomatoes. And basil and green pepper. I wanted to get them into the SFG last week, but the lettuce and radishes in those squares are being very slow. I repotted after waiting too long, and everything perked up until I put them outside to harden off. I guess I shouldn't have put them in the sun....lost the Cherokee Purples. Embarassed

The rest look sad, and the peppers turned white and shrivelled up. Keeping them inside again...hopefully they will look better in a few days. I also used potting mix (supposedly organic) because I didn't have any leftover Mel's Mix. But the "potting mix" turned out to be lumps of clay and sand. No wonder my plants are sad!!!! The Amish Pastes look OK but all the rest are pretty sad. I may wind up buying plants like I did last year after my seedlings died. Sigh. Rolling Eyes

Goosegirl 5/21/2012, 1:30 pm

laurainwinona wrote:I may wind up buying plants like I did last year after my seedlings died. Sigh.

I feel your pain! Altho' I did better this year, my seedlings still did get a bit of sun scald during the hardening off process. I am saving my 2 patches of volunteer tomatoes just in case I need to replace any of the intentionals!

GG

**llama momma** 5/21/2012, 2:04 pm

I'm finding that lightweight burlap from the garden store can be a transplants' best friend. I didn't harden things off properly, just one day in the shade then straight into the box. It's been sunny and mid 80's, the boxes get 14 hours sunlight. Burlap is very gauze-like and lets in sunlight yet shades the relentless bake factor. It is clothespinned onto the critter cage.

Goosegirl 5/21/2012, 2:15 pm

llama momma wrote:I'm finding that lightweight burlap from the garden store can be a transplants' best friend. I didn't harden things off properly, just one day in the shade then straight into the box. It's been sunny and mid 80's, the boxes get 14 hours sunlight. Burlap is very gauze-like and lets in sunlight yet shades the relentless bake factor. It is clothespinned onto the critter cage.

Good to know! I may just try that next year, since my hardening off skills definitely leave much to be desired!

GG

**llama momma** 5/21/2012, 2:27 pm

So are mine! I need to do things easy if gardening is gonna stay fun and not frustrating.

Side note- I have 64 of 80 squares planted. First I stalled to make sure Mother nature would not throw another frosty night, now its so bleeping hot I'm scrambling to get things started at sunrise cause its too bleeping hot outside before noon.

Goosegirl 5/21/2012, 9:33 pm

I hear ya on the weather. Today is our last average frost date (we have not had a frost in well over a month). Tomorrow's forecast is 91!

GG

**RoOsTeR** 5/22/2012, 8:01 am

Our temps are supposed to hit 92 today GG Shocked

way to early to be seeing those temps. Our nights are still pretty cool dipping into the 40's and 50's.
I've been trying to harden my plants off for the last week or so. It's been a really slow, up and down process with the weather we've had lately and my work schedule. But slow is good maybe? Anywho, I do hope to get at least some of my tomatoes in the ground today. I think for the most part they are doing good. There is some yellowing on the lower leaves and maybe they need a shot of something or just need to be in their new home...I'm open for suggestions Very Happy

Tomato Tuesday 2012 - Page 3 IMG_20120522_053955

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**walshevak** 5/22/2012, 8:49 am

It's amazing how fast a tomato will fill up one of those cups with roots. I'll bed they have used up most of the nutrients in the cup and need wide open MM.

Kay

**RoOsTeR** 5/22/2012, 8:50 am

walshevak wrote:It's amazing how fast a tomato will fill up one of those cups with roots. I'll bed they have used up most of the nutrients in the cup and need wide open MM.

Kay

That's kinda what I'm thinking. They're hungry Laughing

quiltbea 5/22/2012, 9:51 am

@Rooster....I think the nutrients have been all used up in those cups. They need feeding.

Here's some of my newly-transplanted tomatoes outdoors this morning:

Tomato Tuesday 2012 - Page 3 05-20-11

Above: My experimental Pasquebot Romas, left planted shallow, right planted deeper. Its only been 5 days.

Tomato Tuesday 2012 - Page 3 05-20-12

Above: 2 Green Zebras, 2 Red Zebras. Since its hard to tell when green zebras are truly ripe, I planted them beside red ones so when the reds are ripe, I know the greens must be, too. How's that for using the old brain box?

Tomato Tuesday 2012 - Page 3 05-20-13

Above: Two of my 4 potted determinates, Taxi and Chico III this morning.

I have others but didn't photograph all of them. Its an overcast day and the plants are loving it.

1airdoc 5/22/2012, 10:08 am

It's odd, but all of my tomatoes got a bit yellow when they were about this size, and then they greened up nicely after about 2 weeks without any intervention on my part. This happened with the plants I purchased and the plants I grew from seed, even though they were planted at different times.

Goosegirl 5/22/2012, 10:20 am

Mine started turning yellow and getting leggy, so I started the hardening off process to get them in ground with some nutrients. Then they got sun scald, so they were a nice gray color when they got in the ground. Now, after 1 week in the ground they are greening up and starting to take off!

GG

**RoOsTeR** 5/22/2012, 10:27 am

2 Green Zebras, 2 Red Zebras. Since its hard to tell when green zebras are truly ripe, I planted them beside red ones so when the reds are ripe, I know the greens must be, too. How's that for using the old brain box?

Now that is smart! Like a Star @ heaven

quiltbea 5/22/2012, 10:39 am

I find that, in general, tomatoes take several days to get aclimated to their new home and can have yellowing leaves for a few days and even look a little puny after transplanting outdoors. It seems to be normal sometimes. They green up just fine later.

Goosegirl 5/22/2012, 3:09 pm

RoOsTeR wrote:

Looks like Roxie has already been up-potted from her red solo, and then some! tongue

GG

**walshevak** 5/22/2012, 4:49 pm

After a week of cool, windy weather where I had some blossom drop, the weather is warming up again. 81* today I do have a number of maters growing on almost all of the plants and they are blooming like crazy.

Kay

dixie 5/22/2012, 5:13 pm

I have one tomato ripening!!

I overdid it again, but it wasn't really my fault. I ordered free seeds from Winter Sown & they had lots of varieties I had never tried that sounded interesting, plus I had to plant plenty of my tried & true favorites. I planted several different paste types, oxhearts & pinks. They are in all stages of growth, some just beginning to bloom all the way to medium size fruit. Some of the vines are almost as tall as the corn. MM sure is wonderful.

Another thing, bush varieties are anything but bushy in MM. Mine are falling all over each other, even though I pruned them to one stalk.

I can a lot of tomatoes, so there won't be any waste.

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laurainwinona 5/25/2012, 9:39 am

Llama mama, thanks for the tip about the burlap....I'll have to try that.

One thing I'm curious about, maybe somebody can help me with this....how do we know when the hardening off process is done and the tomatoes are ready to be planted? Do they look a certain way or do we generally harden off for a set period of time or do we just guess?

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