Meanwhile in Wisconsin:
Balance in all things, Grasshopper. ;)
Posted on 01/27/2023 2:43:21 PM PST by Diana in Wisconsin
The Weekly Gardening Thread is a weekly gathering of folks that love soil, seeds and plants of all kinds. From complete newbies that are looking to start that first potted plant, to gardeners with some acreage, to Master Gardener level and beyond, we would love to hear from you.
If you have specific question about a plant/problem you are having, please remember to state the Growing Zone where you are located.
This thread is a non-political respite. No matter what, you won’t be flamed, and the only dumb question is the one that isn’t asked.
It is impossible to hijack the Weekly Gardening Thread. Planting, Harvest to Table Recipes, Preserving, Good Living - there is no telling where it will go - and that is part of the fun and interest. Jump in and join us! Send a Private Message to Diana in Wisconsin if you'd like to be added to our New & Improved Ping List.
NOTE: This is a once a week Ping List. We do post to the thread during the week. Links to related articles and discussions which might be of interest to Gardeners are welcomed any time!
I have huge piles of wood chips from trees we’ve had taken down the last 1-3 years. If I put them down thick enough (like 6 inches), they will retard weeds for a while, but as they break down, the weeds are back. That’s what I did some years ago when we had chip piles from another bunch of trees taken down & the chips gave up the ghost last year & garden walkways are now a mess.
I intend to put a thin(ner) layer of chips over the shingles so they don’t show - an inch should do it. My garden will still look great, a couple of loads of chips should do the covering job ( instead of dozens of loads), & the shingles will keep the weeds down for years.
Now I can’t wait to get the golf cart tire back so I can use it/trailer for hauling.
Question: How can I manage whatever seems to be in our garden soil that kills our tomato plants?
I don’t know if it is fungus or blight or what it is, but the last 4 years, our tomato plants have been consumed by something that turns the leaves brown and kills them. We get tomatos, but its a race to see if the plant will die before the fruit ripens.
Meanwhile in Wisconsin:
Balance in all things, Grasshopper. ;)
What are you using for fertilizer? And when you originally made the planters, what did you use for soil?
We do use additives.
I got a little pump this summer to get bad gas out of an old riding mower that’s been sitting. It works great - prime with 2-3 strokes & the gas starts flowing.
My dad insisted on keeping our generator full all the time (largest portable you can get, 17,500 watts, 15 gal tank). Since we weren’t running it enough to use what was in it in a reasonable amount of time, the gas separated & the generator wouldn’t start/run. I found someone to come work on it - he drained the tank, changed spark plugs, etc. All was well until ...
This summer when Ian hit FL, dad was afraid we would get some remnants, so he filled the tank. No Ian remnants & here the generator sits, full again. So, after yesterday, not so full.
In general, we fill 5 gallon cans to keep on hand if we need gas for the generator, but after about a month, we recycle by putting it in a vehicle, then getting fresh gas (& we put additive in the cans).
Where do you get ethanol-free gas in sealed cans? I know you can get ethanol-free gas at marinas, but we don’t have any within at least an hour’s drive.
What you have is called Blight. There are two kinds: Early Blight and Late Blight.
What you have is Early Blight, and just about every gardener I know battles it, including me!
Late Blight is the REAL killer - we’re talking Potato Famine magnitude. We rarely see it. It has to be ‘introduced’ to an area via bad plant material. It is not in the soil all the time as is Early Blight.
So, a few things you can do to slow it down.
Grow tomato varieties that are blight-resistant
http://www.tomatodirt.com/blight-resistant-tomato-varieties.html
When you plant your tomatoes, mulch them well. The spores in the soil splash onto the lower leaves via watering and rain. The more SOIL you keep covered, the less that will happen.
Which leads me to watering. Water your tomatoes right at the BASE; no overhead watering! Put that sprinkler away!
Prune the bottom leaves and stems from your plants as they grow. They don’t produce fruit anyway, and are a pathway for the spores to work their way UP the plant as it grows.
Plant your tomatoes with enough ‘air’ around them for good circulation. This also helps. Crowded plants will spread disease quickly to themselves and to the neighboring plants.
Copper Spray. It’s organic. When my plants are pruned from the bottom, I also apply a good spray to the bottom 1/3 of the plant, and continue to do so throughout the growing season...until I’m tired of it and the season is almost over and I no longer CARE if I see another tomato...until NEXT season, LOL!
This is all off the top of my head, so here’s a link to the basics for you, in case I missed something.
https://gardenerspath.com/how-to/disease-and-pests/early-blight-tomato/
Some premium gas is ethanol free. Ask your small implement dealer, like a John Deere or Stihl dealer. They will know where to get ethanol free gas. I have a gas station that has one pump for it.
Additionally if you fill the tank, just add stabilizer to the tank first so it mixes well. That will prevent phase split. Run such tanks for two hours twice a year.
Lowes, Ace Hardware and Tractor Supply (in my area) carry TruFuel by the gallon.
Thank you SO much! I am going to print your answer and get it ready for spring.
That was my favorite too.
Yes that is the one. Got and leftover haint blue paint???
“Got and leftover haint blue paint???”
That’s the color I love so much! I only bought a quart, and that got used up painting the ceiling of the porch.
But I can buy more! :)
I do have a Buffet from 1921. It was the very first ‘antique’ I ever bought for myself, instead of being given. It’s really a piece of junk, but it’s sturdy and would look GORGEOUS painted Haint Blue!
Ok just post some before and after pix. Lucky you have a roofed porch. The weather, especially rain would not affect it. I know you say you don’t sew much but cushions would be easy, upholstery fabric is strong and remnants would work.
Thanks to you both for the info!
I’ve fallen in love with the mini soaker hose line they sell for drip irrigation at Walmart, set up rings of it around the bases of tomato plants, little risk of spreading blight and awesome for getting deep concentrated soak and widening the root ball. Then again, we grow our tomato bushes tall, usually 2.5’ diameter and 5-6’ tall. Neighbors love and hate us during the harvest time as we’ll generally have about 8 pints per plant harvest every few days. Means for a lot of tomato salads in the neighborhood.
Mom informed me she wants RED cherry/grape tomatoes this year. That’s ok with me because the Sungolds wear me out trying to keep them picked and they sprawl well beyond whatever raised bed I have them planted in (just one plant).
Any suggestions for a good red cherry or grape tomato that’s tasty, but doesn’t go bonkers & tries to take over the garden?
“Any suggestions for a good red cherry or grape tomato that’s tasty, but doesn’t go bonkers & tries to take over the garden?”
I grew a variety in a 5-gallon pot last season called ‘Valentine’ and we really liked it. I will most likely grow it again this year.
https://www.totallytomato.com/product/T00798/9
Hanging baskets of cherry tomatoes are always pretty, easy to pick and won’t hog garden space. I’ve grown ‘Red Robin’ and ‘Tumbler’ (red) and ‘Tumbling Tom’ (yellow) before with good results.
Here’s a good guide from Better Homes & Gardens on growing cherry-types in hanging baskets. Fertilization is the key, as with anything in a pot.
https://www.bhg.com/gardening/vegetable/hanging-tomato-plants/
I’m not sure there’s such a thing as, ‘too many tomatoes!’
But - ask me again next late Summer/Fall when I’m canning, LOL!
Thank you!
I hate to admit that I’m smiling at the thought of no berserk Sungold climbing all over the fencing & trying to get across the walkway into the neighboring raised bed! The little tomatoes are so sweet - we kept a bowl on the counter top & dad would grab a handful every time he walked by, sort of like a candy dish. I gave away gallon bags to the fire station up the road. I pretty much had to pick tomatoes every day or every other day. Great tomatoes, but it wore me out. The year before (2021) I had two plants - this last spring I had baby Sungold plants popping up everywhere! If I don’t get shingles down first, I am sure I will have baby Sungolds from last year’s plant, too.
“The Tomato is a filthy weed, from the Devil it doth proceed.”
Oh, wait. That’s ‘Tobacco.’ LOL! ;)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.