Tomatoes

[Durgan]

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?OFIDJ 2 June 2012 Tomato Growth
Tomatoes are forming quite well. All plants have fruit in Zone 5 on the second of June. This is the earliest that I have had many healthy tomatoes at this time of the season. They is a bit of lower leaf curl on some plants but not considered important. There was adequate rain yesterday and much sunshine is forecast, so the plants are expected to continue to thrive.The plants are free growing with no suckers removed. Today is cool the temperature is 12C.

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?SQEVK 19 May 2012 Mulching Tomatoes
Over the last few years mulching has been practised with no adverse effects, and many benefits. My primary purpose is moisture retention to inhibit evaporation from the hot Sun. All my moisture comes from overhead, since I have no available ground water table. I seldom water and if deemed necessary use rainwater from my four 45 gallon collection barrels.Weed control is of little importance, since I have few weeds due to appropriate cultivation practices.This video mentioned by one poster sort of states all about the benefits of mulching. http://backtoedenfilm.com/index.html#movie

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?YGHIH 14 May 2012 Tomatoes Planted in Outdoor Garden
All my tomato plants were placed in the outdoor garden. Weather forecast for the immediate future signifies warm weather, with no immanent danger of frost. Thirty six plants were placed outdoors. Thirty two are in the main garden area and three small fruit red currant type along the deck, plus one Lemon Boy was separated for testing as to productivity. The cultivars were planted so the top of the plant was at ground level. The lower leaves were removed so not to touch the ground. Support is by ropes tied to an overhead structure. There were insufficient individual supports, do I jury rigged a rebar support structure. Each tomato is free with no support obstructions. No suckers will be removed and additional rope support will be added as deemed appropriate as the season progresses.

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?QNJSE 13 May 2012 Tomatoes Support and Planting.
Beautiful warm, sunny day, so it was decided to place five tomatoes plants in the outdoor garden. There are about thirty available, but the possibility of frost is always present for the next ten days. The plants are beginning to be stressed due to out-growing their pots.
Planting is exactly like they are in the pots, there is no attempt to plant deeper to the lower leaves, since the ground down deep is too cool, and I have reservations about the efficacy of planting deep. The lower leaves are removed so none touch the ground. Type planted is two Black Krim, one Big Beef and two Better Boy.
The support system is via ropes to an overhead structure. The structure is a mesh which is supported by half inch rebar.The tomato plant is tied via 3/16 clothesline rope which is soft and will not bite into the plants. Ropes are tied to the plant as required during the season. This system is practical in my case, since I have only about 35 tomato plants and have the time to administer.Few suckers will be removed during the season, and the plant is free growing with no obstacles.

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?SPCMA 3 May 2012 Tomato Growth
Tomato plants were placed out doors to harden off. Clement weather is forecast for the next few days. They cannot be planted out for about three more weeks due to the possibility of frost.They are a bit bigger than I would like, but should still thrive when placed in the outdoor garden.

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?YABGO 14 April 2012 Tomato Plants
All plants are thriving in the greenhouse. There are about 30 for the garden, and I have many extra, but there are so few gardeners that they are difficult to give away.

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?HEHER 31 March 2012 Tomato Growth
Tomatoes are placed into larger pots as they become large enough. All are growing well.

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?BLMTL 12 March 2012 Tomatoes Germination and Growth. The greenhouse has been cool so germination has been slow, but the plants are healthy and strong. At least one seed germinated in all containers.At this stage maximum light is beneficial.

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?PXSKR 13 February 2012 Tomato Seed Planting
Tomato seeds planted for placing outdoors about 24 May 2012. Pots are plastic cups with holes burned in the sides to make a small water reservoir and to supply drainage.A coffee filter was placed in each pot to prevent soil escaping from the drainage holes and the filter tends to make transplanting easier since it encompasses the soil somewhat. Three seeds were planted per pot.The pot was covered with a gusseted clear plastic bag, which keeps humidity high. The gusseted bag allows the pots to sit level on a flat surface. The bag will be opened as soon as the seedlings show growth.

Seeds chosen were Bonny Best(5), Celebrity(5), Big Beef(5), Better Boy(5), Black Krim (10) (Purple fruit), and a grape type called Red Currant (2). I will plant five Lemon Boy when the seeds are obtained. Total plants are 37. I avoid the heirlooms. My favourites are the black types which are essentially all the same.

[The Riff-Raff Element]

Now, I grow mostly heirloom varieties with a handful of F1s as an appreciation of the plant breeders' art Out of 129 plants in the ground, 32 are hybrids.

I do pinch out, but, to be honest, this is mostly so that I can have a neat plant to work around rather than anything to do with a belief that it is somehow "better".

I am intrigued with the woodchip mulch: clearly this works for you, but do you have any problems with the decaying mulch robbing the soil of nitrogen.?

I very much enjoy your pictures, Durgan; I'm not much of a photographer myself - my wife has never known me to own a camera and we have been together 19 years.

[Durgan]

Now, I grow mostly heirloom varieties with a handful of F1s as an appreciation of the plant breeders' art Out of 129 plants in the ground, 32 are hybrids.

I do pinch out, but, to be honest, this is mostly so that I can have a neat plant to work around rather than anything to do with a belief that it is somehow "better".

I am intrigued with the woodchip mulch: clearly this works for you, but do you have any problems with the decaying mulch robbing the soil of nitrogen.?

I very much enjoy your pictures, Durgan; I'm not much of a photographer myself - my wife has never known me to own a camera and we have been together 19 years.

I add some Urea (nitrogen) crystals when the rototilling the chips under in the Fall as a precaution. I muse about this nitrogen depletion being a significant issue. Fresh wood chips are not used. The chips used are composted somewhat for about as year in a large pile.Without the mulch my soil top would be bone dry and hard,basically dead ground.

Look at this video. It is long but probably worth looking at, since it will stimulate some thought. I concur with the general theme. http://backtoedenfilm.com/index.html#movie