JUNE 2013 New England

CC did you look in the disease forum for the link to tomato diseases?

camprn, your garden is looking good. My pole beans are also just emerging now, but still waiting for the bush beans. Thank goodness we are getting a little sun to warm up the beds so they don't rot in the ground.

CC, looks like your tomato problem might be bacterial leaf spot??

I can't take the leaves off coz it's on most of them, even if only one dot.  Fortunately they are in their own box so if it's a disease then the other boxes have less of a chance of contracting it I hope.

camprn wrote:CC did you look in the disease forum for the link to tomato diseases?

Yup, checked it and it's not there.  Also, looked online and in the 'Rodale's Vegetable Garden Problem Solver' and didn't find it there either.  

dvelton, Bacterial Leaf Spot doesn't really fit as the color is wrong and the fruits aren't spotted, but I suppose it could be. Guess I could send the photo to the extension office and see what they say.

I'll let you know what happens.  Heading to bed & book now coz I just got the '...Answer Book' from the library and can't wait to read it!

Nite nite,
CC

CC, also look at Septoria leaf spot, although it usually starts on the lower leaves.

dvelten wrote:CC, also look at Septoria leaf spot, although it usually starts on the lower leaves.

+1. Suggestion is remove all affected leaves, dispose of them into the rubbish and disinfect your shears as dvelten has suggested elsewhere. Do not hesitate! There is no good reason to do so. If you can visit your extension service agent tomorrow do so.
http://giantveggiegardener.com/2011/03/15/master-gardener-tomato-disease-sheet/
Is this the only affected plant?

Wow, everyone's gardens are looking great!

I wish I could say the same about mine, though; these temperature extremes aren't good for my toms & peppers.

We had a forecast low of 37 last night (it was 38 when I went out at 6 to work in the yard this morning), so at 8 PM yesterday, I made a bunch of milk-jug cloches for the peppers that were in the ground, but the determinate toms that are in 5-gal buckets had to fend for themselves. I was able to bring in the yet-to-be-planted indet. toms that I've been getting in the ground today, but after they're all in, it's anybody's guess as to what's going to produce if these cold nights linger for much longer...isn't tomorrow the first day of summer?

Molly, I'm with ya and feeling the same! Seems I am so, so far behind! BUT, tomorrow is summer. YEAH!

Molly, can you put a couple of sticks in the toms 5 gal buckets and hang something over them?

OK, I got this answer from my extension office this morning regarding the spots on my toms in the box I built last fall:
"Your leaf spot problem on your tomatoes is called Early Blight.

I have attached a fact sheet that may help you. Basically, you want to cut off the lower branches as soon as you see the blight. Yours looks to be in the beginning stages so you will still have plenty of leaves without the disease. Growing tomatoes in an un-crowded area (give them plenty of air circulation) and rotating their location every year helps to control this fungus which can survive over the winter to infect your plants the next year."

Four of the 5 cherries are affected. None of the other toms in other boxes have any spots. I've already removed most of the multiple spotted leaves and will take off the single spots today during lunch.

Also, I've been reading the Answer Book and found something of interest. Mel says that if you have plants with a fungus, to water them once a week with a cup of water with a baby aspirin dissolved in it. Sounds good to me! Maybe once the growing seasons are over I should water the whole bed with it...

CC

Was there any scientific rationale for the aspirin?

camprn wrote:Was there any scientific rationale for the aspirin?

Nope, he said it's a homespun remedy, and to use Bayer baby aspirin.  
I only have low dose generic so will try that.

My toms look like little palm trees now. And that's the ones that have more than one leaf left.  I had to remove most of the leaves above the fruits, too. :roll:This'll be very interesting...

Meanwhile, here are some photos...

The new bed with hula hoops and tulle:


The whole shebang.  It's not really curved like that, I just don't know how to take 'panorama' photos:

Strawberries need picking...again...

What's wrong with this picture?


CC

CC.....I love the color pattern of that cat.  Is it yours?  Beautiful creature and finding herself a nice spot to rest.  Your garden is looking spot on.

I picked my 2nd New Girl tomato today for my supper.   That and sugar snap peas will make a nice addition to my plate.

Now all the others are still green but I'm still hoping for a Jet Star by the Fourth from my plants protected with plastic extra early.
In the flower beds the peonies are in bloom.

I watered with the hose this morning. I didn't have the energy to water by the cup and since I had luncheon plans I had to get it done quickly.
We may have some showers off and on now thru the weekend so watering may not be a problem.

I hope it rains! I got spoiled to not having to water. 

Nice, CC! I'm trucking so many strawberries into the house that pretty soon people will start running from me. Every night it's a strawberry banana mix with whipped cream. Strawberry plants spread.

Nice tomato and peas, QB - yum!

Okay guys, I'm about to snip my garlic scapes. I've never done this before, but I notice they're curly-cuing (or however you spell that).

Think I might try to put them in a pesto over pasta, maybe add some garden peas in there?

Have to google how you cut these things. I think I read you cut them about 1/2" above the joint thing.

Edit: Most youtube vids showed the scape being cut right down to the leaf level, but Univ. of Maine's video showed maybe an inch below the flower bulb. I think I might clip lower.

CapeCoddess wrote:

camprn wrote:Was there any scientific rationale for the aspirin?

Nope, he said it's a homespun remedy, and to use Bayer baby aspirin.  
I only have low dose generic so will try that.

My toms look like little palm trees now. And that's the ones that have more than one leaf left.  I had to remove most of the leaves above the fruits, too. :roll:This'll be very interesting...

Meanwhile, here are some photos...

The new bed with hula hoops and tulle:


The whole shebang.  It's not really curved like that, I just don't know how to take 'panorama' photos:

Strawberries need picking...again...

What's wrong with this picture?


CC

ok  getting frustrated.  I've tried to write this reply 3 times and it keeps getting zapped.

There is some scientific evidence that the salicylic acid in aspirin helps boost the immune system of plants.  Can't find the link right now.  But, it only boosts not makes immune.  Once the blight has struck the only thing that will help is trimming off as much of the affected plant as you can and weekly sprayings of copper fungicide for a few weeks.  I had very good luck with that last summer.  I only had one badly affected plant and was able to save it and the others.  I did a whole thread on it, but can't find it now.  There is a mention and pictures in this thread. https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t12292-tomato-tuesday-lower-south-2012

Kay

Kay, is this the thread you meant? I remembered reading it last year. You did great!

Wow, some of you folks are having some seriously hot weather!  My peppers, squash and cucs would sure love some of that.

An organic farmer that a gf works for gave her some red lettuce seedlings, which she gave to me.  He got the seeds from a farmer in FL who said that they grow year round in the FL sun and to plant them in full sun here.  I don't have the name (long story), but planted them on the left side of this box in full sun.

If it works I'll save seeds.  Has anyone heard of this or know the name?


I thinned the new box seedlings today (microgreen!)


and turned the monster compost pile:
Ouchie wa wa!  Then I did a couple of back exercises out of the book 'Pain Free' and no more pain.  It's as simple as lying on the floor with my legs up on a chair, etc.  geesh
Also, I read in the Answer Book that having worms in the pile means something is wrong like it's not heating up enough, and that it's either not being maintained properly or that something is off in the composting process.  Too bad, every worm in the neighborhood lives in my pile and I like it.

Meanwhile, the cherry toms have no more spots today.  But the poor little things, I think they are embarrassed at being so naked. I'm wondering if I should pull off the fruits and let them concentrate on new leaf growth.  
What would you do?

CC

Take the fruit off and top dress with a rich compost. water well. With this hot weather they will take off.

I put up my bamboo poles and the shade cloth in preparation of the heatwave coming in our area starting tomorrow.  Only should last 2 days, but who knows.

I used both cheesecloth and light-weight insect barrier when I ran out of cheesecloth.
\
above:  My early experimental Jet Star tomato should be ready by the Fourth as planned.  The other one fell off the plant so its in the house, hopefully also ripening in time for the Fourth.
I picked some strawberries and some super sugar snap peas today before the thurnderstorms arrived.  And a couple of my blueberry bushes, covered with fabric barrier, are safe from the birds so far but one, its draperies blown off in the wind, was stripped of its newly-forming berries, darn it.

This one above, is safe so far.
Cape....I haven't heard of the lettuce variety that takes the Florida heat. It would be nice to learn, tho.

CC.... can you put a Top Hat over those naked tom's and fill them with MM or compost?....that would give them a NICE root system

happy gardening
rose

So much going on in the garden!

camprn wrote:Take the fruit off and top dress with a rich compost. water well. With this hot weather they will take off.

OK, that's what I did and that's what they are doing!  I could have built a top hat, Rose, as that's a great idea, too, but I'm too lazy this late in the season.  Forutnately they already have a terrifically long root stem from being raised in Solo cups then planted using lay me down.

Here's another tip from the Answer Book that I'm trying out.  He says that beets need boron and heavy rains or watering can wash it out of the MM.  So he suggests to add 1/2 t of Borax to 1 qt of water and water the beets with that.  It doesn't say if we're to do this every time or not.  I'm thinking that after one watering, the boron is in the MM now so  I probably won't do it again unless we have another batch of heavy rain.  Don't know if it'll help my puny early spring seeded beets or if it's too late, but I also watered my new beet sprouts with it.  I'll let you know what happens.
Puny spring seeded beets in front - haven't even checked for a root yet:


Also, countdown to garlic harvest!  2nd leaves from the bottom of each are now croaking out - one more leaf to go!  I'm so excited.

Boy, that Nonna is so smart. She said it looked like mine would be ready around July 4th and I'll bet she's spot on! I"m not supposed to water them anymore, right?

Yes, QB...that was my Lilly kitty in the strawberry patch back there.  Here's my biggest tomato, SuperSonic 2nd gen...but I don't think it'll be ready when yours is:

I found out the name of that lettuce I was given that can grow in the heat - Bijou.  I see that it can be harvested June to November here as cut and come again.  Psyched! If it performs as expected I'll save seeds for trade.

This is the tippy end of my Egyptian Walking onion. Does anyone know how I would go about planting them in a separate location and when to do it?  Like would I cut off this top, divide it and plant all the little bulbs?

What about these things in the middle of the onion plant? What are they for?

I have 2 cucs growing on my bush cucumber plant but they aren't in the SFG.  Don't know if they continue to grow or shrivel up and die, which is what mostly happened last year.  Got my fingers crossed though.

How are you all doing with this heat?  Are you staying cool and safe?

CC

Finally figured out how to post a photo and wanted to share. Went out late and used the flash on the camera so the pictures are not the best. Will try more another day. Picked our first cucumber tonight and ate the first of our string beans.
Just makes me want more!

My new SFG


Rebuilt raised bed


Driveway Garden

Pretty and wonderful to look at!

Wow and Wow! Very nice looking. No eyesore here!

OH! Very nice, lyndeeloo!

I've got to get out there and take a pic of what's going in my neck of the woods...if only it would stop raining long enough...

So beautiful, lyndeeloo! I love the trellis' in the middle of the boxes. Hope I can remember to do that next year. It will be great for lettuces and such on the other side.

You ate a cuc already?! Cuc envy here! I'm hopingwishingpraying mine will produce this year. Were yours from seed or transplants?

CC