Replies

Are your plants in pots or in the ground?

I have a small raised garden. The plants are in the ground.
Our soil is so poor that I treat my garden like a compost pile. Everything goes into it...kitchen stuff, I brought grass clippings from our previous residence, a bail of alfalfa, ashes, sand, potting soil, manure, tomatoe fertilizer... The plants improved this spring...90+ degrees in March...when I mulched with straw.
Again, it’s shaded with camoflage netting.
When I pulled out my dead tomatoe the ground was moist.
I guess it’s just too blooming hot!
Hopefully, these two plants will survive until cooler weather, and get a late crop.
So much for living off the land...
I read that tumble weed is edible...
Frustrating to see everything get a good start and then just go into survival mode!

I grow my tomatoes auqaponically. They are planted in aquatic pots in small rocks in my water garden filter. Since my filter is a homemade combination mechanical/veggie filter this works really well. As long as they are not in soil and the water is constantly moving they don't rot. I plant Rutgers this way since they don't get as heavy. That is important since there is no good way to stake them up. Mine are covered with beautiful tomatoes. The heat doesn't upset them since the flowing water keeps them cool and there is no weeding. :-) There is no better fertilizer than fish poop and the fish poop filled water flows around the roots 24/7.

Here is how they start out. Sorry about all the pictures but I explain the setup better that way.

Here is how they look with the lattice support.

They are sprawling all over the place now and are covered up with good tomatoes. Here they are today. My Jack Russell Terriers have been swimming in the pond so some of my rocks have been moved. Frogs under them don't you know? The pond normally looks much better than this but with 105 degree days I don't have the heart to keep the JRT's out. LOL