From: <NOBR>Henry-the8th</NOBR>

Sent: 12/23/2007 11:00 PM

I usually do plum tomatoes.    this year I did plum & big daddy tomatoes. had lots of flowers, very few red tomatoes came out of them.    alot of green tomatoes in October.       The plum tomatoes tend to be hollow,,, not much flesh to the vegetable (I know, its actually classified as a fruit).   I realize I made 1 mistake by letting a treeling grow, which I'll relocate into the field this early spring.   But its already to the size the roots expanded into where the tomatoes were sucking up water.   other then that, they're sitting in mushroom soil thats about 8yrs old now.   Better then the clay soil my property came with but nitrate,potasium and phosate are probably not as potent as year 1.   the 1st year I got the mushroom soil, all 3 minerals were thru the roof in their testing.   the last 2 springs have been odd.   May is normally the wet month & June tends to have its down pours but periodic - not frequent.   Whats been happening is Mays are very dry and mid-June extremely wet.    I dont know if that throws the root system off or not.

Reply	Recommend  Message 19 of 32 in Discussion
From: <NOBR>Redneck_Dave</NOBR> Sent: 12/23/2007 11:08 PM What do the leaves look like? Are they curled? Green? Chlorosis?

Reply	Recommend  Message 20 of 32 in Discussion
From: <NOBR>Redneck_Dave</NOBR> Sent: 12/23/2007 11:09 PM Do you live in an area with Iron defficient soils?

Reply	Recommend Delete    Message 21 of 32 in Discussion
From: <NOBR>Henry-the8th</NOBR> Sent: 12/23/2007 11:10 PM the plants parked to close to the tree were small and brown on the edge. I think the others were fine -  regular size and green.     they certainly had that tomatoe plant smell to them.

Reply	Recommend Delete    Message 22 of 32 in Discussion
From: <NOBR>Henry-the8th</NOBR> Sent: 12/23/2007 11:11 PM Iron isnt something I ever tested for.    would iron be in mushroom soil (aka cow poop)?

Hi Henry

 

Sorry it took so long to respond

 

A few things

1. Location is very important. All vegetables need as much sun as possible without much (if any competition from trees etc). They are a "hungry" and a "thirsty" crop which means they need lotsa water and of course nutrition. I suggest using an organic based fertilizer with a higher second number (such as Scotts Starter Fertilizer) and start fertilizing early (a few weeks after the ground thaws). Don't worry about applying too early as most fertilizers are "heat release". When consulting your garden centre try to get a fertilizer with "micronutrients" and (if you can) with "iron).

 

Yeah, the tree is gonna have to be moved.........

 

2. Start early. You can start growing your tomatoes indoors early (February or March). This is especially advantageous as tomatoes have a long growing season and are often cut short because of frost, fall rains etc. Tomatoes don't usually go into "shock" (for a few weeks) as seen with corn

 

3. Amend your soil. If your soil is not yet frozen get a truck load (or two) of manure and other organic materials (leaves, grass clippings etc) and turn em into the soil (before freeze up). If your ground is now frozen wait until the thaw but only use well composted material (such as mushroom manure). Buy it by the truck load (for larger areas) as a few bags of manure from the garden centre simply won't cut it. Note: manures don't usually have much nutrition but it increases biological activity and retains mosture which helps in nutrition consumption. If your soils have a high clay content be sure to add at least 60% OM.

 

If you are willing to foregoe (sp?) your tomatoes for 2008 consider growing potatoes in your vegetable patch, digging em up in the fall and then replanting in 2009. (Potatoes do a nice job of "amending" your soil for your tomatoes the following year)

 

4. If you can shield your tomatoes from heavy rain during your rainy season it is best to do so. I am assuming you may get a few flowers during this time and it affects them for sure. You may consider a plastic cover with a wood frame?

 

5. Remember to keep up with your watering. If you are going away be sure to have someone come over and water.

 

Don't get too worked up over how much NPKor Fe is in your soil as it can be easily replenished with fertilizers.

 

Look for potential problems such as aphids or chlorosis. Here is a good page on watching for nutrition probs http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profiles0705/nutrient_deficiencies.asp (Have you seen any of these in 2007???)

 

Aphids can be taken care of if spotted early...... give me an email and I will send ya an attachment on their control.

 

Did I cover everything Henry?

Any questions?

that should cover,,, 

 

you the man.   you the lawn & garden man.

Thank You

Dave,,,

 

got the tree out.     I figured it was just the right weather; 35degrees & wet!

and I found  a new home for it, of course. 

That is awesome!