It's hotter than a...

[ginger2778]

I am right there with you Babice (literally last week!). My husband humors me, ans does the various handy things with the garden, and will even water and spray it, but I have to ask him. He's almost oblivious otherwise, but he's a good guy.
Sometimes the spouses just don't get our obsession, but I sure do get yours, because I feel it too.
I hope your gardening successes bring you lots of joy, you deserve it
-Marsha

[babice]

Christine - that's hilarious! What a great idea!

Marsha - thank you very much and same to you as well!

BTW - I remind my DH (who really just means well and doesn't want me to get worked up about anything) that he gets misty-eyed when watching old clips of Steelers games or Penguins games. And he mopes for days if either of them or the Pirates lose.

[janezee]

Babice, I know what you mean. I was invited out for a drink by a friend on the condition that I didn't talk about tomatoes!

I think I've been obsessed this year with gardening in a way I haven't been before, because I have TV to feed my frenzy.

j

[ginger2778]

Originally Posted by janezee

Babice, I know what you mean. I was invited out for a drink by a friend on the condition that I didn't talk about tomatoes!

I think I've been obsessed this year with gardening in a way I haven't been before, because I have TV to feed my frenzy.

j

Ditto!

[bughunter99]

I've stopped being interested in the records we are breaking here, we have been breaking them weekly for months and I'm ready to go back to normal. We'll hit 103-105 here today again, that's 20+ degrees above normal for us, third day plus of the triple digits. Downtown, where the heat has been building up in the concrete for days is a special kind of misery. Pavement bucking up five inches and brick fascia's falling off old buildings...

The few storms that have come through are these narrow fast ridges of 70+mph winds the just last long enough to knock power out for thousands for a few more days. No rain to speak of. Thankfully we have missed that particular misery and after today a bit of normal will occur, down to the mid eighties for a week.

I have to say, I've been very thankful to be a hockey mom this summer and not a baseball or football mom.

[babice]

Triple digits here again today and tomorrow. "Supposed" to get back into the 90's again Sunday. Here's what the Wx Channel main page says: "Torried Heat: 4000 Record Highs and Counting. Records will continue to be smashed in the Midwest and East as triple-digit heat continues". Wow!

Most of my toms still appear to be faring okay. So far I've tossed 5 due to the heat/humidity.

Here's what I've been doing thus far to help them thru these triple digit days:
*Daily watering - have been doing this in the morning so I can rinse the leaves off both to cool them and to just make sure I'm looking out for any aphids
*Monday I sprayed them with Actinovate/ExelLG/Molasses
*Wednesday I sprayed them with diluted fish emulsion and diluted aspirin in water along with 2 TBSP molasses
*Have an oscillating fan out there blowing on as many of them as possible
*moved 'em into shadier spot

[Wi-sunflower]

I hate to say this, but that FAN is exactly the wrong thing to do.

I know it makes US feel better to have a fan or breeze on us as it evaporates the sweat. But for the plants it evaporates their moisture and dries them out faster.

Shade yes, fan no.

Carol

[babice]

Originally Posted by Wi-sunflower

I hate to say this, but that FAN is exactly the wrong thing to do.

I know it makes US feel better to have a fan or breeze on us as it evaporates the sweat. But for the plants it evaporates their moisture and dries them out faster.

Shade yes, fan no.

Carol

Really? Even with 93% humidity? I can turn it off then. Thanks for the tip!

[MrsJustice]

Originally Posted by texasjack

Sorry to hear all the sad stories of failing plants and hot and humid weather. I'm in downtown Houston where 90-95 temps and 80-90% humidity are a predictable 3 to 5 month event. I've learned how to grow healthy, strong plants in my containers, but constantly battle lack of blossom set.

Any tips, suggestions, etc. would be appreciated.

Thanks

Texas Jack

Hello Texas Jack

I farmer the old fashion way with my heirloom tomatoes: So I am a going to try to explain how early American farmers dealt with blossom falure with heat problems.

First; are you getting any flowers on your tomatoes plants at all?

[MrsJustice]

Originally Posted by babice

Yes and I agree - I fear we may sound like a bunch of whiners but that's certainly not the intention. I know we all have our challenges -- some of them expected and some of them unexpected (too hot! too cold!). Helps to talk about it though and find out what others may be doing, especially when you're inexperienced (either because you're a newbie to growing toms, such as I am, or because the weather you're experiencing is unusual for you). Seems that is one of the many reasons we're here...the fellowship of like-minded individiuals and the benefit of learning from others, etc.

I really, truly don't intend to whine about any of it. It's really all in the fun of gardening. And we celebrate our success too! Yes, I will be disapopointed if I only get 1 tomato but - for real doh - I do know that's one of the challenges of gardening. I really do still love gardening. And I'm actually still thrilled that, thus far (quick - cross your fingers!) the folks that I gave the toms away to, including that homeless charity, have had no disease problems! I really am happy about that! I'd honestly be quite fine with those homeless folks having good, home grown 'maters that they grew by themselves than for me to get hundreds of them.

DH tells me not to let myself get emotional about the tomato-growing or the gardening. And I have to remind him that it's a hobby for me. I enjoy it. I get into it. So, I may get worked up, excited, disappointed, upset, scared -- whatever -- it's because I'm into it! Does this make sense to anyone? Maybe another way of putting it is that I'm somewhat of a perfectionist so I enjoy trying to do things well. I like the challenge. I share any disappointments with folks because it helps. I dunno. I'm just rambling. Anyone else understand what the heck I'm trying to type here?

I was just like you as I were learning to farm Heirloom tomatoes around 2004-2006 on forum like this one. It's o.k.

I have all the knowledge i need to help my tomatoes through this heat, but it is just to hot for me to worry. My tomatoes are doing very well growing on the ground for the first time. But it's the other heirloom vegetable that are suffering, from the heat.

Even last night around 7:30, I went to water my tomatoes, and other vegetable and two of my water hoses cracked because of the heat. Water went everywhere on the grass and grandchild and not the plants.
I just laugh out loud at myself.

[Wi-sunflower]

Even with 93% humidity?

Yes.

Actually the humidity helps the plants. Sure it makes us feel awful, but it keeps them from drying out.

That's actually how some plants manage to survive in dry climates. Often they have specialized hairs that collect moisture out of the air or dew or fog.

Carol

[babice]

Mrs Justice - DO share your knowledge! Please! I've thought of a few bennies of high heat/humidity and mostly sunny, dry days:

( 1) can do Bikram yoga in my currently steamy screened-in porch instead of paying to go to a studio,
( 2) lots of Vitamin D,
( 3) plentiful opportunities to sun bathe,
( 4) it's not cold and rainy,
( 5) most weeds aren't thriving,
( 6) Hydrangea is quite happy and full of flowers (of course, I'm giving it plenty of water),
( 7) JBs aren't so bad in this high heat (been seeing predix they'll come out in droves when it cools...nothing a litte soapy water won't cure),
( 8) forces me to get some "indoor" stuff done,
( 9) reminds me how grateful I am to have plumbing and the means with which I can water regularly
(10) has forced me to search online for tips to deal with the triple digits and help tomatoes and plants thru it - have found some good tips for irrigation, etc.
(11) don't have to mow the grass!!!

[MrsJustice]

Originally Posted by babice

Mrs Justice - DO share your knowledge! Please! I've thought of a few bennies of high heat/humidity and mostly sunny, dry days:

( 1) can do Bikram yoga in my currently steamy screened-in porch instead of paying to go to a studio,
( 2) lots of Vitamin D,
( 3) plentiful opportunities to sun bathe,
( 4) it's not cold and rainy,
( 5) most weeds aren't thriving,
( 6) Hydrangea is quite happy and full of flowers (of course, I'm giving it plenty of water),
( 7) JBs aren't so bad in this high heat (been seeing predix they'll come out in droves when it cools...nothing a litte soapy water won't cure),
( 8) forces me to get some "indoor" stuff done,
( 9) reminds me how grateful I am to have plumbing and the means with which I can water regularly
(10) has forced me to search online for tips to deal with the triple digits and help tomatoes and plants thru it - have found some good tips for irrigation, etc.
(11) don't have to mow the grass!!!

Thanks for that hot days "todo list".

This hot Weather is giving me the time to visit all the tomato forums I love, than farming out-side.


It took me so many years to learn secrets of the land of farming;

But I will tell you cow to pollinate your tomatoes as farmer did 100's year ago. This is for all plants that have both male and female, mostly found in heirloom or open pollination plants in hot weather.

Farmer back than use to take small stick to hand pollinate when temperatures were over 80's to ensure productivity for market when suffering weather like this. This is very labor intensives. If you take a box of tooth picks and use a clean one for each variety, with very clean hands in between or "a change of plastic gloves. You can successfully take each tomato flower softly in your fingers and pollinate each and every flower, especially in hot weather like this. .

Farmer Joyce Beggs

[texasjack]

Originally Posted by MrsJustice

Hello Texas Jack

I farmer the old fashion way with my heirloom tomatoes: So I am a going to try to explain how early American farmers dealt with blossom falure with heat problems.

First; are you getting any flowers on your tomatoes plants at all?

Hi MrsJustice,

Any help is gladly accepted.

My little piece of Texas is considered Sub Tropic...more like Central America than So. Florida. People grow banannas in their back yards. Last "frost" i.e. 30F, was 6-7 years ago for one night. We plant petunias as outdoor winter flowers. Last year we had 34 consectutive days of 95-108F with 80+% humidity. Growing foliage and hundreds of blossoms is not the problem.

I grow 4-6 plants in largest practical SW containers on the 17th floor balcony of my hi-rise. This year it's Black Krim, San Marazano(sp?) Arkansas Traveller and Sun Gold cherries. Plants go in March 15th latest, start flowering in early May with first fruit in early June. My indeterminates are still growing and flowering ...July 6th.The Krim is 6', is ripening the last of the toms and still flowering. If I nurse them thru July, Aug and Sept. I can sometimes get a 2nd harvest in Nov.

The good news is that at my altitude there are no insects or diseases unless I introduce them. No predators....the local squirrels have not mastered technical climbing and the indigenous deer have all been mugged by street gangs and are very wary. It should be a tomato paradise, except for poor blossom set.

I 've learned that my best results come from growing in a 5-1-1 pine bark fines/ peat/ pearlite media with some dolomite and pasteurized compost. Use 9-3-6 fert in frequent very dilute solutions. Water tanks are filled daily. I accept that containers generally produce fewer and smaller fruit than the same varieties in soil.

Maybe science isn't the answer and good old homespun wisdom will increase my yields. Happy to have your input.

Texasjack

[JohnWayne]

I get a kick out of the sayings I've heard down through the years. My favorite-

Its so hot/dry I caught a catfish with a tick on its back !