I was curious how many people have planted some tomatoes yet. I plant mine at different times, I have my early ones (Early Girls) in now.
Frank, it is still freezing here, not just a light frost, but freezing.
Wilma, I plant my early Tomatoes fairly deep, put clear plastic jugs over them, my tomatoe cages are made out of concrete reinforcing wire and I wrap clear plastic around them 3 feet up, and I pull the dirt up around the bottom of the plastic. I have always planted my early ones on or close to April 1, and have never lost any yet, there is always a first.
Care to come back to Elk County and try that? Maybe in my back yard?
Wilma, it worked in Howard, Pratt and Emporia, Bartlesville and Midland, Texas for me. I will try to remember to bring you one of my first ones if they are early as usual.
Wilma, this will probably be the year I loose the first early ones, and then I will have to eat crow for sure.
Saw a Robin today with a muffler and snowboots! :laugh: :laugh:
Alice you are ornery as ever.
That's what I hear!
I'll try an early one in a week or so, but they tend to just sit there because the ground is too cold. I wrap mine up too, but I can't say it helps that much. Mostly people put them in on Memorial day weekend. Our frost free date isn't until May 15, but for Newark its May 6th.
I grow "ugly ripe". sweet 100's, and early girl. It is 70 degrees here today and we can grow tomatoes almost all year here in California. I grow some very good tomatoes, but I have never been able to replicate the tomatoes that I had in Howard that my Aunt Velda used to grow. That is my gold standard. I have only two recipes that I want for my home grown tomatoes; eating them like an apple with a little salt and a BLT with Miracle Whip on homemade bread. I have never ever had a tomato better than the ones from Kansas when I was a kid. :P
David
We had such wonderful tasty tomatoes last summer in our small garden at the Elk City State Park. The middle of October (last) Fred planted seeds and we took nice healthy tomato plants to Texas with us, and planted them on the east side of the small storage building that we had on our space. When he was in the hospital my daily duty was to make sure they were watered ( things really dry out in the sandy soil down there). Each day he worried about how they were doing, and it wasn't long before we had beautiful ripe tomatoes. They produced many, and we made our friends happy by sharing them. They were going strong when we left in March, and each day, I wish I could step outside and pick some. In my estimation there is not many things any better than a vine ripened tomato, unless of course it is fresh corn on the cob- fresh asparagus, fresh blueberries, nice green onions, fresh green peppers...Good Lord, I am starving and here it is only 10:37 AM
Now just look what you all have done ~~~~~~~~~`````Sigh guess I will just have to wait until later on. I do hope it is a good garden year.
Good Morning Jo and Fred, I think Myrna thinks I get in a hurry planting some times but it is a challenge to see how early I can have the first Tomatoe. Besides I thought Tomatoes and Gardening would be a good topic break from the worrisome political threads. Know you are both pleased to be back enjoying your family. There are times we are ready to head back to Texas to be closer to ours. I am ready for warmer weather. My guess is Fred will be planting Tomatoes and Garden before much longer, you are right there is nothing like Garden fresh fruits and vegetables.
It is still too early for me to plant tomatoes but I do have my potato, onion, lettuce and radishes panted and up. Now a question for anyone when is the correct time to pick rhubarb, this is my first time in trying to grow it, this is the second year for the plant.
Frank and David, do you start your toms from seed? I've got Early Girl and Early Girl Bush ( not a republican... ;D), Patio Princess, Ultimate Opener, Park's Whopper and Cupid doing well under the lights. Dee Gee we pick rhubarb when the leaves have just opened up fully. Pick off any flowers as they appear and don't take too many stalks until next year. It likes lots of sun and is a heavy feeder.
Dale, the outside temperature here is 46, the windchill is 40. I have a thermometer inside my tomatoe cages, the temperature is 72 , and the plants have a gallon waterjug over them inside of the cage. My guess is the temperature inside the jug and the soil under the jug is around 80 degrees.
I put a few tomatoes and peppers out about a week ago, then put more out yesterday... guess I'd better put on my mud boots & see if they survived the storm last night.
Some of the things we planted are coming up, but so far they're not "up" very far. I've got a lot more to plant... but it's not as much fun in the mud :(
Mine are setting my trays under lights, their about 1' tall right now. Guess i ought to get them in the ground soon.
Mine that were under lights are hardening off and will go out soon, with protection. My Bush Early Girl is in a big pot on my deck and I put Pixie in a hanging basket on the front porch. I've got a Cupid Grape tom. to put out soon. I have to put it in a big cage right on my property line so my neighbor to the rear can swipe some as he mows his yard. ;D
I love the roma grape tomatoes. I have also planted some bush goliath this year...can't wait to see how they turn out! :laugh:
Bush Goliath? Don't let anyone named David get near 'em. ;D
I'm not worried about it...And, by the way...Since they are a Bush, I can guarantee that any socialist agenda on its part has been duly weeded out! lol
;D ;D ;D
I have only heirloom tomatos. The hybrids don't have any flavor compared to the heirlooms. I have right now wayaheads, berkley tie dyes, and paquebot romas, and i think oxhearts.
I like Brandywine too.
Whatever happened to the Sioux that was just the right size to put whole through the mouth of a canning jar?
Quote from: Wilma on April 26, 2009, 05:45:35 PM
Whatever happened to the Sioux that was just the right size to put whole through the mouth of a canning jar?
I have them on my heirloom seed list. I haven't ever grown them. :)
Diane, I bought some brandywines to put out, got them at Triggs, just 1500 miles from you! :laugh:
Will tomatoes grow in water?
I hope so! ;D ;D
Sounds like tomato soup. ;)
Quote from: Rudy Taylor on April 27, 2009, 10:21:09 AM
Will tomatoes grow in water?
Yes but they have no flavor if you use hydroponics. Tomatos pull minerals and nutrients from soil that you cannot duplicate in hydroponics. It is relatively a simple way to grow them. You can take a 6" pvc pipe, cap the ends and drill 2" holes in them every foot or so. Then you fill with a substance like kaolin, and plant your roots of the tomato down in them and then hook up your water solution line to the end of the cap fitting. Then you have a exit line going back to your solution tank. Run your water through the pip at about a gallon per hour rate, which will move the water back into the solution tank and more o2 will enter the water to be returned to the roots.
The other added benefit of using this system is you can start them early and keep them warm with the moving water.
I figured you would know. ;) It's just not the same as good old dirt.
Moline had a great hydropontal tomato "factory"...And they tasted quite good. It was a real shame when that place went under. Another example of economic development that would make real sense in Elk County, if you could find an efficient manner of transporting the product to enough places to market the product.
I wonder what kind grows best hydroponically? Someone should try that again.
Most of your grocery store tomatos are grown hydroponically in the winter time. I suspect the lack of taste, and if set next to a dirt grown tomato you will know theres a serious lack of taste ;) is because most are a hybrid and the second reason is the lack of minerals from soil.
A hydroponic setup would run quite a bit. You can figure on 2' per plant, and each plant needs to make 10 lbs of tomatos. So to get a operation that would produce enough for transport to a market would require approximately 22,000 feet which would produce approximately 150,000 -200,000 lbs of tomatos
Thats only 1/2 truck load of tomatos. You would need at least double that to justify a shipment.
BY the time you buy 22,000 feet of pipe to build the hydroponics, you already have invested 50,000 at least in pipe cost. The operation would probably cost somewhere in the neighborhood of 250,000 by the time you got the rest of the equipment and the greenhouse to put it in.
On a small scale, your still talking around 50k and you would still need a greenhouse large enough to start enough seedlings to plant in the beds.
If you grow indoors then you have lighting costs.
Its profitable though if you can get the contracts to produce on a large scale. Small scale its tough real tough
Quote from: Diane Amberg on April 28, 2009, 08:44:57 AM
I wonder what kind grows best hydroponically? Someone should try that again.
I believe that just about any tomato would grow well. You would have to decide whether or not your looking to produce slicing tomatos or eating tomatos or sauce tomatos. It could become more profitable if you grew some of the specialty tomatos like the ones that are hollow inside. Lots of restaurants use them for their color and thick walls and no heart to stuff with different things.
Goodness Steve, I didn't mean for you to have to work that hard, but thanks. :)
Quote from: Diane Amberg on April 28, 2009, 02:57:19 PM
Goodness Steve, I didn't mean for you to have to work that hard, but thanks. :)
LOL not work :) I love working with plants. Just wish i had the money to do something like that.
Wilma, my Early Girl plants have several Tomatoes on them, anywhere from Pea size, Marble Size to Golfball size. I haven't taken the plastic down from around them yet but I think I will pretty quick. The plastic has really protected the plants from the high winds we have had this Spring.
I hate you!!! ;D ;D Mine are out, but have not started to bloom yet. I'll go talk nice to 'em and see if they'll catch up.
My garden finally dried up enough that I got my set out, they sure will have to hurry to catch up with yours. But I did pick a couple gallons of strawberries and they are sure good eating.
Oh Dale, why am I not at the Elk City park this year ???---- boo hoo I could come out and sit on your front porch with my bowl, cream and spoon and look sad and hope that you would notice me and bring me some strawberries. You and your sweetie grow GOOD STUFF. WE WILL MISS DRIVING BY YOUR PRETTY PRETTY PLACE THIS SUMMER.
Jo and Fred
Jo, I wish you were at the lake because I have a couple gallons of strawberries I would give to you. So you over this way stop and pick yourself a batch.
How far apart are you two?
40 miles give or take
The main difference is Frank's garden is raised and mine is at ground level, therefore mine is too wet to get into. If it was raised I would have planted in the middle of April instead of May.
Dale, that is correct. On the other hand my garden is probably much smaller and I can't raise the varieties that you can. The raised Garden has really been great these past two years as we have had record high amounts of rainfall.
OK, all the garden experts are going to gasp in horror at me, I'm sure... I know it's a little late, but I'm still looking for more garden veggie plants to plant. I had started some from seeds, but I'm apparently not too good at that, because when I put them in the garden, most of them died (or were too wimpy to sustain the rain/wind earlier). SO... I know the gal from the greenhouse at Elk Falls was on here earlier, but can anyone tell me if they're still open and if they still have any veggie plants? Or where else I can get some? Thanks!
Tobina, I can't answer if the Elk Falls greenhouse still has plants, but do know there is one in Eureka, Sedan and Fredonia. Walmart and Lowes still have quite a lot of garden plants here. I'm sure you can find plants some place. You might have to watch them a little closer and keep them watered etc., but lots of people around Howard were planting last weekend. Your produce will just come on later.
Myrna
Good to know, thanks Myrna! Yes, I thought about Walmart and Lowes, but wanted to check locally first. Yes, my garden will be late, but I'll just "borrow" from Joanna... :-X Hee, hee!
My mouth is watering thinking of fresh garden veggies! I've been eating asparagus from my mom for the last 3 weeks... yum! She had a ton of it this year (well, every year).
I'm sure you did, but when you grow plants from seed they need to be "hardened off" before going out to stay, otherwise they may scream, grab their throats and keel over. I'm not sure how you protect them from those awful storms you have. If I know we have a big storm coming, I've tried pulling big trash bags down over the tomato cages. Eventually they get too big for that. I put my pepper plants in shorter tom cages and the bags help there too.
A little late with this, but, I called Dee Gee and he said "come on over, the berries are nearly through producing, but there are some out there and you CAN HAVE THEM" . How wonderful was that ??? We went over last Tuesday morning, he gave us ice cream pails and I hot footed it out behind the barn ( with Fred trudging along behind me ) There was a gentleman that had driven up and Dale ( Dee Gee ) was talking to him, but soon he came out and we picked wonderful red ripe berries. I came home with nearly 2 gallon. Ohhhhhh My Goodness !!! they are wonderful.
What generous people he and his wife Judy are. He has the most beautiful rose garden in the bed at the front of their home. Lovely huge yellow, red and a salmon colored roses that you can imagine. Needless to say, the morning was a delight and the evening meal was strawberry heaven. They have beautiful cats -- and one Mama had 7 new babies only 2 days old. It has been many, many years since I had seen new born kittens. So you see - the morning was a delightful time.
Thank you, Dale and Judy.....you made this country girl happy!!
Jo
Quote from: Tobina+1 on May 29, 2009, 10:14:15 AM... Yes, my garden will be late, but I'll just "borrow" from Joanna... :-X Hee, hee!...
;D I TRIED to give you stuff last year and you didn't get it. ;D ;) I think we'll have plenty to share of most things. My turnip seed got washed away, and when I tried to replant, I tore the package and scattered them all over before I realized it (they're tiny!). I'm not sure how the beets are doing either, but there will probably be plenty as I only like them canned as pickles. The garden is looking really good even though there are a couple "washes"; I'm excited every morning to get up and see how much things are growing.
Two days ago my first crop of sweet corn sprouted and I was so excited I was giddy... Doesn't take much to make me smile, I guess. I think everything except the turnips I mentioned and some Kale came up. only 3 cucumber seeds sprouted (at the place I planted them anyhow). I bought a couple extra plants and then my neighbor Don gave me some unmarked plants that someone left on his porch... He found out later who left them and that they are cucumbers, but he wasn't going to plant anything he didn't know what it was! Ha
The tomatoes didn't look too well for a while, but I got them mulched and they are starting to bulk up now. Isn't this the best time of the year?!?!
The very bestest time of the year.
Jo, I am so envious. I haven't held a newborn kitten since my Bud was born seven years ago.