When I planted these tomatoes in my raised bed I buried them up to the first limbs. I always prune my bottom limbs to keep them from being saturated. These limbs are so healthy I hate to cut them back. I assume if I do the plants will benefit later. Thoughts?
I think the plants will benefit if the limbs are cut so that none of the leaves on them are in contact with the ground. I also use a heavy mulch of grass clippings around the base of my plant to prevent rain/dirt splatter on the lower leaves. Seems to stave off blight until much later in the summer, and by then the plants are so huge it doesn't impact my harvest at all. Those are some nice looking plants.
Thanks. I’ll cut them a bit. I will also try the grass clippings. These are the healthiest plants I have ever had. The 4 beds got 6 loads of old composted horse manure for dirt just about a year ago. I am worried there is too much nitrogen in the soil and the blossoms will fall off (which I have done before). They have started to blossom so I guess I will find out soon. If I have green maters in a week hopefully all is good.
If it is well aged manure it should provide a good slow release of nitrogen, and not impact your harvest at all.
If it is an indeterminate tomato, and you are to grow them up a string or pole then cut the suckers off. Or, one stem to a string. If they are determinates/bush style tomato then you can keep them. But, you might not want too many stems becoming upright plants if you can't support the mass of growth with water, nutrients and some air flowing thru the mass of plant (from too small of a cage ?). You might want to prune the bottom leaves off if you've had problems with blights if the plant is large enough to lose the bottom leaves. Some prune to the first tomato cluster. Maybe not all at once but eventually. Some just to let air thru.
Hi Hoarders, Blue mustard is taking over. I appreciate that the doggies feet have less clods of mud on them, but yikes, the smell is awful, and if we miss a mow they get tall and almost woody. I'd like to spray them, but thought I'd ask if there was something else I could see there to choke them out instead. They need to go either way, not worth putting up with that smell during the very short summer here. bocefus78 I noticed you were going to spray herbicide today. My patch of lawn is alive and doing as well as possible (for here), thanks!! Have you dealt with blue mustard out there in landscaping?
Here's all the info you need. Don't pay attention to the application dates as they aren't in your area. Weed of the Week - Blue Mustard | University of Maryland Extension Bottom line, spray with 2,4d or another selective now before the drought time kicks in.
Thanks !! I hope to make it to town tomorrow, looks like wally world carries a Fertilome concentrate. I have a one gal pressure sprayer. Am I on the right track? Oh, one says Amine and the other does not. Does it matter?
Yep. 24d is available many places and the concentrated stuff is the best bang for buck. Lemme know whatcha buy ( pic of label) and ill translate the mixing ratios for you You need to know how many sq ft you need treated...I'll take it from there.
Finally got a break in the rain and cold. Pulled the babies out of the warm green house and into the real world. Peppers Roma tomatoes Built the trellis for the bucket tomatoes. They are coming out tomorrow. Coming together nicely. It is really nice to have the time to....go slow.... and really enjoy the process.
Gave them a haircut, gotta mow grass to get the mulch together. They have taken off and are in psycho mode at the moment. Gonna weed them now if it doesn’t rain again.
My garden is starting to motivate as well Brandon. Romain, cilantro, onions, spinach, radish, buttercrunch, red romain, kale and a few rouge mustard greens in this bed. 7th flip in progress. This compost is ready now for mulching and side dressing my plants. Garlic is standing proud. It is about 2' tall now. More garlic, wax beans, green onions and a rouge borrage plant.
Recovering red and gold raspberries in foreground that were pruned by cottontails over the winter, and flourishing black raspberry bushed in background. It is going to be bumper crop. Border of Lupine in background, kale, green onions and carrots in foreground. The open spot was just planted with spinach. One of my 15 tomato plants, a brandywine. Some of my asparagus spears going to fern after many good meals. I have more lettuce and spinach in between the asparagus. By the time it gets hot the fern will shade them enough to prevent bolting.
