Information and discussion regarding garden diseases, insects and other unwelcome critters.
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December 27, 2016 | #1 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Delaware
Posts: 234
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Oops! Novice mistakes
The Hoosier thread made me start thinking of all the novice mistakes I made last year. This was only my 3rd year growing tomatoes. Listed below are a few Mistakes I made. It got me to wondering what advice you would give to someone starting out.
We live in a very humid area, sometimes rainy, sometimes drought. We have anthracnose, septoria, and God know what else is lurking in the soil. Some of The heirloom varieties I grew were much more susceptible to disease (Amish Paste and Black Plum) than San Marzano and Sunsugar (hybrid). I'm not saying I wouldn't grow the AP again. It was delicious. But now I know I need to be proactive in fighting the diseases. Mistake #1 No Fungicide: I didn't start spraying until after the plants were infected. Then I used copper fungicide once per week and Neem oil after every rain, sometimes daily. Now I know to start spraying right away. Mistake #2 No Mulch: After picking the brains of the people at a local garden center, I put down coconut mulch and planted lemon gems as ground cover under my tomatoes. They smell incredible when the wind blows or if they get wet. They made watering my tomatoes (twice per day here) something to look forward to. Mistake #3 Overcrowding: I started out with 6 heirlooms in one 4x4 raised bed. I soon learned that they were way overcrowded. I thinned them out to 4. This year I will only put one tomato plant per 4x4 bed and grow other things around it. Mistake #4 Cages: I wasn't fast enough getting the cages in the ground. We had a sudden storm that knocked my seedling to the ground. They never fully recovered from that. |
December 27, 2016 | #2 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Hampton, Virginia
Posts: 1,356
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Quote:
I make so many written mistakes being dyslexic, Sometimes it's really funny to me, then it sometimes makes me feel like crying " why Me song.
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May God Bless you and my Garden, Amen https://www.angelfieldfarms.com MrsJustice as Farmer Joyce Beggs Last edited by MrsJustice; December 27, 2016 at 08:14 PM. |
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December 27, 2016 | #3 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Delaware
Posts: 234
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Sorry to hear about your loss of crops. Hope your 2017 is productive |
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December 28, 2016 | #4 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Hampton, Virginia
Posts: 1,356
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Quote:
Bad Matthew But a very good learning Listen
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May God Bless you and my Garden, Amen https://www.angelfieldfarms.com MrsJustice as Farmer Joyce Beggs |
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December 28, 2016 | #5 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Southeast Kansas
Posts: 878
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MuddyToes - In regards to #2 you said you were watering twice a day. If you're talking about containers I could possibly understand doing that but not in-ground. A good soaking once a week should be plenty unless it's really hot and then just twice a week should take care of it. Of course the type of soil you have would influence the frequency.
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December 28, 2016 | #6 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Delaware
Posts: 234
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Really hot
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December 29, 2016 | #7 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Southeastern Pennsylvania
Posts: 1,069
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Container plants, however, needed daily or even twice-daily watering. Are you right on the coast in very sandy soil or something? Re: #4 -- install the cages when you plant out and make sure to drive stakes deep into the ground and tie the cages to the stakes. Why at plant-out? Because adding cages later can damage the plant, especially the roots, and any time you damage roots, you create an opening for diseases like wilts to have a foothold to infect the plant. Last edited by gorbelly; December 29, 2016 at 02:37 AM. |
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December 29, 2016 | #8 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Delaware
Posts: 234
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Quote:
Got my cages ready this year. Stocked up at the end of season closeouts. Last edited by MuddyToes; December 29, 2016 at 03:10 AM. |
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December 29, 2016 | #9 | ||
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Southeastern Pennsylvania
Posts: 1,069
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December 28, 2016 | #10 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Dallas, TX
Posts: 3,825
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I agree with Patihum. Delaware gots nothing on Texas for heat (though N.TX humidity isn't ferocious). If you have to water that often in-ground then you should suspect under-developed and/or way shallow roots.
One bad thing about over-watering is that it can cause the very symptom it's supposed to relieve: loss of turgor.
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Stupidity got us into this mess. Why can't it get us out? - Will Rogers |
December 29, 2016 | #11 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Delaware
Posts: 234
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December 29, 2016 | #12 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Dallas, TX
Posts: 3,825
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Bunch of stuff. Disease/pests. Over-watering. Bad dirt. Bad karma.
But sounds to me that your plants really aren't "in-ground". The raised bed seems more like a big common pot.
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Stupidity got us into this mess. Why can't it get us out? - Will Rogers |
December 29, 2016 | #13 | ||
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Delaware
Posts: 234
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December 28, 2016 | #14 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Hampton, Virginia
Posts: 1,356
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My husband is from Texas and his family there suffered very hot conditions last summer. We suffered heat-related problems last summer too. Hopefully, 2017 will be a better year.
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May God Bless you and my Garden, Amen https://www.angelfieldfarms.com MrsJustice as Farmer Joyce Beggs |
January 1, 2017 | #15 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: New England
Posts: 661
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One of the big issues in 2016 was at a new plot. Very sandy compared to soils I have at home. ANd watering limited to a barrel filled with water. Given the hot dry summer, the plants sure didnt get enough water.
The second difficulty was planting late at t he home garden....san marzanos had one orange fruit, not ripe, and tons of green fruit. Ducks enjoyed them.... sure wish they were in my kitchen instead. Keeping tomatos home in 2017. |
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