Re: Tomato Tuesday - 2018 & 2019

OhioGardener 4/8/2019, 7:53 am

countrynaturals wrote:I just watched a video that said to fertilize tomato plants with molasses to improve flavor. Just add a few spoonfuls to a gallon of water and apply or spray leaves. Anybody do this? I guess it's to add potassium.

This same video says to dissolve an aspirin into an 8 oz spray bottle of water and spray tomato plants to make them stronger. It sets off their defenses, somehow.

If I'm getting ridiculous, here, don't be afraid to call me on it. I have always been tomato-impaired, so I'm grasping at straws.

Those are urban legends that have no particular value. Molasses contains calcium, magnesium, iron and potassium, but you probably have more than enough of those in your soil already. Molasses does feed the microbes, though, which do help feed the tomatoes. But, that should not be necessary. Aspirin is supposed to proactively ward off disease(s), but who knows. If the soil is healthy the plants ward of disease on their own.

Feed the soil, not the plants. Lots of compost with some trace minerals will provide everything needed by the plants.

countrynaturals 4/8/2019, 12:01 pm

OhioGardener wrote:

Feed the soil, not the plants. Lots of compost with some trace minerals will provide everything needed by the plants.

No problem. I have good, homemade compost coming out my ears (uh, so to speak) and well-conditioned soil underneath (for the first time) so this should be my first year for a seriously successful tomato crop. I hope, I hope. bounce

countrynaturals 4/9/2019, 8:35 pm

Finally got some sunshine, today. I put these little guys out for a few hours and I swear they grew an inch. happy turtle

Tomato Tuesday - 2018 & 2019 - Page 5 2019-t10

BTW, I had them under full-spectrum LED lights and they never got leggy. They didn't grow, but they stayed healthy.

**sanderson** 4/14/2019, 4:15 pm

CN has tomatoes! And, she even labeled them. Wink

**Turan** 4/14/2019, 9:52 pm

I have finally started my spring seeding in doors. I found a bag of jiffy pellets left from when i used them years ago. So I did that. Better late than never.
10 tomatoes, 4 peppers, 4 eggplant, 4 broccoli.

Starting to feel spring here.

I also planned the garden out.

countrynaturals 4/15/2019, 12:30 am

sanderson wrote:CN has tomatoes! And, she even labeled them.

And I still know what everything is, but I'm starting to get paranoid. I just know I'll mess it up somehow before it's over. Shocked

OhioGardener 4/15/2019, 8:12 am

Turan wrote:I have finally started my spring seeding in doors. I found a bag of jiffy pellets left from when i used them years ago.

Are those the Jiffy pellets with the nylon net around them? I used those many years ago - probably the last time was about 10 years ago - and I still periodically find pieces of that nylon netting in the garden soil.

lol!

**Turan** 4/15/2019, 11:55 am

OhioGardener wrote:
Are those the Jiffy pellets with the nylon net around them? I used those many years ago - probably the last time was about 10 years ago - and I still periodically find pieces of that nylon netting in the garden soil.

Taking that netting off without damaging roots is one reason I stopping using the things. Most of these ones have what looks like fine row cover instead of netting, that should come off easier. Using them I was reminded why I quit. When fully expanded with water they were still too firm for planting. I ended up rolling them in my palm. And there is nothing but peat in them, so I have to remember to start feeding as soon as sprouts appear.

I have labeled the rows. Like Suz, for this moment I know what is what. We will see how long that lasts. Laughing

countrynaturals 4/18/2019, 12:36 pm

Somebody here sent me seeds for "4th of July Tomatoes" 2-3 years ago. I can't remember who it was and the PM is long gone. The first year, something went wrong and they didn't come up. This year I was very careful. Here's what I got:

Tomato Tuesday - 2018 & 2019 - Page 5 4thofj10

The seed was a litle, hard round thing -- red -- you can still see it in the upper right corner of the pic. (Some of them were blue.) Was this a joke and I didn't get it?

I've been having computer problems and re-did my security system. Now I can't see images in search, so I can't find out what this plant or seed should look like, but it sure doesn't look like any tomato I've seen before. HELP!

countrynaturals 5/14/2019, 4:49 pm

Mighty Sweet Hybrid is the winner for earliest blooms. Super Sweet 100 hybrid comes in 2nd. I planted 12 varieties on March 13. Those are the only 2 with blossoms so far.

Tomato Tuesday - 2018 & 2019 - Page 5 Tomblo10

**sanderson** 5/18/2019, 3:50 am

The tomatoes were late going in but they are doing great so far. Many have flowers. Fingers crossed.

countrynaturals 5/18/2019, 9:11 am

sanderson wrote:The tomatoes were late going in but they are doing great so far. Many have flowers. Fingers crossed.

Same here. Tomato Tuesday - 2018 & 2019 - Page 5 3170584802

**sanderson** 5/21/2019, 2:16 am

VJ72584 5/21/2019, 9:38 pm

I planted some Fourth of July tomatoes. They grow smaller tomatoes in a cluster. The smaller ones work for me because I easily eat the whole thing at one time.

countrynaturals 5/21/2019, 10:29 pm

VJ72584 wrote:I planted some Fourth of July tomatoes. They grow smaller tomatoes in a cluster. The smaller ones work for me because I easily eat the whole thing at one time.

Do they have tiny little round pink and blue seeds? Do the plants look more like brandywines than normal tomatoes? I'm trying to identify a 4th of July and could use a little help. I'll take a pic of mine, tomorrow. It's pretty beat up from the weather, but still looks like a tomato plant of some kind. Rolling Eyes

**sanderson** 5/22/2019, 1:13 am

Through all the rain and storm and wind, I only lost one sucker I was wanting to keep. Not bad. Everything was planted the end of April.

Three precious Snow Fairy tomatoes - the last of my seeds. Sad

Tomato Tuesday - 2018 & 2019 - Page 5 Garden33

BTE - overflow tomato row of 8 plants.

Tomato Tuesday - 2018 & 2019 - Page 5 Garden34

VJ72584 5/22/2019, 6:30 pm

countrynaturals wrote:
VJ72584 wrote:I planted some Fourth of July tomatoes. They grow smaller tomatoes in a cluster. The smaller ones work for me because I easily eat the whole thing at one time.
Do they have tiny little round pink and blue seeds? Do the plants look more like brandywines than normal tomatoes? I'm trying to identify a 4th of July and could use a little help. I'll take a pic of mine, tomorrow. It's pretty beat up from the weather, but still looks like a tomato plant of some kind.

I don't think I have grown brandywine. Here is a photo. I actually have these and early girl planted together in one bed. the 4th of July grow in a cluster. The seeds look normal and the package says 4 oz fruit. I take tomatoes to the nursing home when I can and this small size is just enough.

Tomato Tuesday - 2018 & 2019 - Page 5 20190512

countrynaturals 5/22/2019, 9:09 pm

Interesting. My seeds looked strange, and so did the sprout, but now it has grown into a normal looking tomato plant. I'm just getting buds now, so we'll see what happens with blossoms and fruit. geek

Thanks for the info.

**sanderson** 5/25/2019, 3:07 am

Had to share this meme. My tomatoes are flowering and there are little green tomatoes on the Snow Fairy and Cherokee purple. The rain didn't seem to affect the pollination so I have my hopes up for canning this year.

Tomato Tuesday - 2018 & 2019 - Page 5 Tomato17

**sanderson** 5/25/2019, 3:11 am

Tomato row in the BTE strip. I'm getting greedy and allowing mamma stems and 3 daughter suckers to grow.

Tomato Tuesday - 2018 & 2019 - Page 5 Garden35

Compact Snow Fairies:

Tomato Tuesday - 2018 & 2019 - Page 5 Garden36

yolos 5/25/2019, 2:46 pm

Tomatoes are starting to ripen.

Tomato Tuesday - 2018 & 2019 - Page 5 Tomato27

Tomato Tuesday - 2018 & 2019 - Page 5 Tomato28

Tomato Tuesday - 2018 & 2019 - Page 5 Tomato29

countrynaturals 5/25/2019, 3:00 pm

WAAAA! All I have is blossoms -- and not a whole lot of those yet, either. Sad

**sanderson** 5/25/2019, 3:16 pm

I'm just getting blossoms in the last couple weeks. I could count the number of green babies without taking my shoes off. As I scrolled up the above pics of tomatoes, I just knew they would be Yolos'.

**Turan** 5/26/2019, 10:24 pm

I planted mine in the greenhouse a couple days ago. They are still alive. Going for the WIN! Laughing

countrynaturals 5/27/2019, 9:42 am

I have a tomato! It's almost as big as my thumb nail, but it's a start. Rolling Eyes

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