I planted some big tomato varieties (don’t know which row they ended up in) and one plant has a megabloom that set fruit. I removed the other flowers from the cluster leaving the big one. Thought I read somewhere that removing flowers could lead to a heavier fruit. My biggest worry is sun damage since it is at the end of my row. I want to grow a big tomato. Heaviest tomato from ‘23.
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Interesting observation in my veg gardens this year: mini sweet peppers are growing really well in very little sun. Due to two trees growing in more than I realized, they have only 4 hours of morning sun, and it’s not all direct given they’re partially shaded by trellises or taller plants. They’re always billed as a full sun plant, so I hope this encourages others to try even if you don’t have good sun. They are mini sweet yellow and orange peppers from the grocery store that come in a bag of organic tri colored conical peppers. The 10+ of them are doing so much better than the peppers I bought as seeds and had in full sun last year. Although, arguably not a fair comparison given we had daily rain this year and last year we had higher temps and a drought.
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When you save seeds, but don’t look up how to do it properly and find out the next year that they’re a sungold-black cherry hybrid…very large, redder, still has some sungold flavor but not my favorite. Thankfully over half of the plants look and taste more true to sungold.
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I’ve noticed this too and I always chalked it up to being at 2k elevation in dry high desert, like “full sun” here is murder on plants but what would be “part shade” here is like “full sun” elsewhere.
my peppers are slow but steady, 6 or 7 varieties are going in ground; they could have used an extra week in the greenhouse heat. one that was a start someone gave me is very tall and pumping them out already, it’s in a grow bag.
my tomatoes are a similar predicament in being short but flowering now. I am not weeding as much as I should right now and I know it. ugh
tomato row in full sun is small,
but in part sun with a shade, taller -
there’s also eggplant, patio cukes and beans mixed in there. and chard, tomatillo, corn and sorghum patches at the ends. everything is in a confusing non-pattern this year, it’s ok, it’s jungle year.
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What’s a good edible plant to grow during the summer heat? I have a packet of bunching onions. I’m thinking I might throw some in between the rows. I was going to try cilantro or basil, but I just know that it will bolt quickly.
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Malabar spinach? Edit: Or Okra? If you didn’t want something slimy, for some reason, maybe bush beans?
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If you have a long season still, you can grow roselle or seminole pumpkin. Culantro is similar to cilantro in taste, but doesn’t bolt nearly as fast. Genoese basil will bolt, but if you cut the flowers you will get new leaves, and they don’t get bitter like some herbs and leafy greens.
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Tomato trellis question: what are people doing in metal raised beds? Last year, I did a 3 post/side bamboo A frame in one and attempted strings to the top of a frame in another. Neither were sufficient, all outgrew them and the bamboo for the A frame was too dinky because I ended up having to anchor it outside the raised bed in multiple places because the weight of the tomatoes on it plus storm kept equally near disaster. This year, I did a 6’ 4 post tower with a tomato on each post and a LOT of twine as they grow. Everything has hit 6’ and is certainly only halfway through growing (sungold and blush and some sungold/black Cherry hybrids).
I’m trying to devise a better system for next year, but I can’t drill into the metal frame. I want something 8’ (taller will shade other things too much) and the. I’ve thought about 3 panel/frames with jute mesh/jute, scavenging 10’ bamboo and trying to thoroughly clean it…Maybe I just head all the plants? Does that work? I really like having tomatoes until frost and enough to give away pints daily.
Edit- I should say I see people using T posts but that’s the same probably of being way too short.
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Cattle panel arch?
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First Brad’s Atomic Grape tomatoes - always among the most photogenic of my tomatoes and delicious as well. Large for a grape tomato and the first of the season are usually the biggest.
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This is a good solution and I have a narrow section of panel leftover, but doesn’t really work where I can grow them because I can’t easily add more T posts. I would love to brace it inside the metal bed, but I’m concerned it will destroy the finish.
Does anyone know what this is on the stem of tomato?
My Better Boy tomatoes just started doing this. It came on very quickly - the less affected ones looked nearly fine yesterday. What do you all think? Blossom end rot? They are in pots and need water every day, so I can imagine that leaching of nutrients from the soil could be a problem. Am hoping it isn’t a fungus or virus. The spots are quite firm.
On a more positive note, the Cherokee Puple plants are LOADED. I counted 32 fruits on this one, and probably missed a couple.
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Those are attempted roots. They show up when it’s humid/wet. Look weird, but harmless.
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could be- calcium and keeping the water more steady for them is the solution if it’s that. it sure looks like ber
an issue for me is this spot in which my tomatoes are stunted. most others have caught up and are getting taller but these, no. it’s just this little part of my row, similar varieties in other areas are ok. water should be the same, compost the same, everything the same from a foot away from it where the other plants are.
asrakom eggplant is flowering and the peppers are beginning to show up.
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After growing open-pollinated Shishito peppers for years, I was tired of sometimes finding browning or rotting seeds in them when I bit into them after sauteing them whole. I wasn’t sure if it was something about my growing or environment or just a particular susceptibility of the strain I had.
So this year I’m growing the hybrid Mellow Star that I got from Johnny’s . They are a lot bigger than the regular Shishitos and so far nothing but healthy white seeds inside. I’m undecided on whether or not I like the larger size, since we mostly just saute them whole on high heat with a little salt for a snack. The plants are taller than regular Shishitos and are very productive.
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I’m growing those this year, I’ve also grown them for a couple previous seasons. Like you said very unique looking, and I like the tangy, and sweet flavors.
All my indoor started plants languished for some reason after I transplanted them to cups, but have done very well since I put them in the garden last month.
These plants have a wilty looking growth habit, but I guess that’s normal for these. Hasn’t stopped them from being productive.
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Galvanized 1/2” EMT conduit, Maker Pipe connections, and spooled strings that greenhouse growers use for the “lower and lean” method.
I hammered in 5ft 1/2” rebar about 2ft into the ground, slid 7ft EMT over that, and then used more EMT and the connectors from Maker Pipe to fit it all together.
No recent pictures, but the majority of my tomatoes are reaching the top bar now. So far, very solid.
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What’s everyone weather been like? July has been acting like June here: morning gloom, night temperature in the 60s.
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My peppers are still small. I can’t wait for some grilled peppers stuffed with cheese, salsa, and other dishes.
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