For those near a Menards, OUR Menard’s had a big surplus of 6-pack starter plants yesterday. Mostly tomatoes, but some peppers, etc., too. All on “unadvertised sale”. I’ll say - they are in many cases outgrowing their 6-packs anyway, and at this time of the season, I’m not sure how Menards will sell them all! In our area, people replacing drowned plants may help with that. I nearly bought some really strong looking Celebrity toms, but, I don’t really have a place for everything. Heck, I still have some plants in small containers.
The one 6-pack tomato variety I noticed Menards was out of was Mortgage Lifters. Apparently buyers really scarfed them up. Some 4” pots were out too, including the Golden Jubilees.
Mortgage Lifters - at least the ones from the 6-pack I bought, are interesting. If cramped (very small starter pot) they just sit there and don’t grow, but do not look unhealthy, get spindly, etc. Given a large pot and lots of sunlight and nutrients, they grow well, tho’ seemingly not as fast as some other varieties. Granted that even the latter have had that long, cool rainy spell to deal with. I’ll be curious to see if they really “take off” in these very warm, generally sunny conditions.
Also curiously, the Ichiban Eggplant I kept in a large pot on the “north” side / mostly shaded side of the house is doing great - in fact, I’ve never had an eggplant grow so well. I’m guessing that in the past they were getting too much sun and heat, as I planted them in the “best sun” portion of the garden. ???
I have a second Ichiban Eggplant that was doing almost as well in that same location, now in a “2/3 sun” spot in my secondary garden area. So far, so good, tho’ IIRC it’s only been there 5 days. It will be interesting to see how it compares. I hit both with bloom booster this morning - time for these puppies to produce.
I moved all the “Black Beauty” eggplants to the 2/3” location after looking sad and yellowish in the main (sunnier) garden area. That was about 2 weeks ago. They are greening up and looking better, contrary to “instructions” to have them in full sun. Go figure.
Lastly, my one “doing well” Opo (it is the only one I potted - my bad - the others evidently drowned) is already producing female flowers. Apparently, an early start with the Bloom Booster and a little extra Super Phosphate did the trick. Last year IIRC I was near the end of July before I got female flowers — but, I only added Bloom Booster in early June (I think) and didn’t start the Super Phosphate until early July or so, after the Bloom Booster produced many male flowers, but no girls.
I remember your Opo troubles from last season. Score on the plants at Menard’s. I’ll have to think of a reason to go there this week! ;)
Good on the Eggplant, too!
If it ever stops RAINING I’ll be fertilizing all my ‘stuff.’
I had to break off a few errant tomato limbs this past week while pruning and weeding. I’ve got one Cherry-type and one red slicer slips in water right now to root. I am going to Go For The Gold again this season and see how long I can keep tomatoes producing into the Fall/Winter in the unheated greenhouse.
My Best Season Ever was FRESH tomatoes at Christmastime. :)