I think I'm going no-till - Page 17

Cole_Robbie · July 19, 2016

I don't use a tiller. I probably should have once, honestly, but I just scoop up buckets of black dirt from my grandparent's cow field. It's mostly composted hay, where the remnants of the big bales sit and rot. I make a ridge of that dirt, put down drip tape, and cover it all with black plastic mulch.

And I just wait until everything gets soft. Some GWR will turn yellow, but not all. The one in the pic above, I ate a little soon, because I dropped it on the floor trying to take the pic, but it was still very good.

Cole_Robbie · July 20, 2016

The Sky Reacher was delicious.

De Barao Orange is a good producer, and not bad to eat, but just doesn't make the cut for me flavor-wise. They are firm and would be a good shipper.

Here's a basket of Georgia Flame: http://i.imgur.com/Z8rLwD0.jpg

tryno12 · July 20, 2016

you got it good if you have access to inexpensive organic dirt on a yearly basis. i buy topsoil and mix with packaged soil with fert etc - the other plot on old corn feild land is full of fungi, wilt, and verm - just this year realizing the need to start early with neem, cl2, bonide cu, and serenade - hopefully next year (hope i can save some at the farm plot ) i will start earlier with treatment BEFORE probs start. Wondering if i pick the cherry varieties when they blush, they won't crack - i assume the answer is yes??
thanks for all the help to a new bee............

Cole_Robbie · July 20, 2016

Picking at first blush is always a good idea if you want fruit that look marketable. Proneness to cracking is also very variety specific. And you're very welcome.

tryno12 · July 21, 2016

a lot of people here in central indiana seem to be complaining of weird plants - like a few tomatoes at the bottom, then bare areas rising up, then few new fruits with a lot of top foliage compared to the bottom(same for me in the plants that i did not treat prior to getting infected by the diseases. everyone here seems to blame the weather for the low yields and slow ripening - i'm not sure what it is IL about the same?

Cole_Robbie · July 21, 2016

It sounds weather-related. It has not been as bad here.

tryno12 · July 21, 2016

"some GWR will turn yellow" what is GWR
Thanks in advance

JRinPA · July 21, 2016

green when ripe

tryno12 · July 21, 2016

thanks!

Cole_Robbie · July 25, 2016

KBX has been excellent for me. It's my new big orange tomato. Yield is good; flavor is excellent; fruit are uniform and attractive.

I spoke too soon on the De Barao Orange. As usual, when I try something I don't like very much, I probably didn't wait for it to get ripe enough. The DBO has a very long shelf life, fairly firm, but still sweet enough when very ripe. Juan Flamme makes a nice compliment to the DBO - not as prolific, shorter shelf life, but truly sweet and juicy like an heirloom tomato is expected to be. Those two varieties will be my one-two punch to take out Sungold from my cherry mix. The Sungold fruit is too small and takes too long to pick.

I had a gentleman who worked with my grandfather at the university agronomy research center come by Saturday at market and bring me a tomato. He gave it to me for seed. He said it came from an Abraham Lincoln festival "up north," and that he had been maintaining it for twenty years. He was very fond of it, but mentioned that it did not set well in hot weather. Based upon that information, plus the looks of it: http://i.imgur.com/YyzZklG.jpg I would guess it is a strain of Brandywine. I asked him what he wanted to call it. He said "Linclon, " but there is already a tomato named Abe Lincoln. Maybe I'll call it Lincoln's Brandywine.

Flavor was good, not amazing, but good. I am going to grow it out next year and see how it does for me as a plant.

Cole_Robbie · July 26, 2016

Peppers!
http://i.imgur.com/AAPsG4p.jpg

Georgia Flame on top, Golden Treasures, Crunch Sweet Orange, and Erbil Sweet at the bottom. Cherry Moon on the sides.

I'm saving all the seed I can. I wouldn't mind growing these peppers by the acre. They are all excellent.

Aerial · July 26, 2016

Cole, re: peppers, which ones are productive? They look great!

Cole_Robbie · July 26, 2016

They all look really good as far as productivity. The Erbil Sweet made huge peppers on a tiny plant, so they got a little sun burned, but I think part of that was me getting the transplants set out late.

My step-dad has Lunch Box F1 in his garden and does not have peppers off of them yet, so the Crunch Sweet Orange beat the hybrid in earliness. (thanks for the seeds)

Cole_Robbie · July 27, 2016

I just grilled the best peppers I ever had: http://i.imgur.com/8fZRMIf.jpg

The extra sweetness of the heirloom is noticeable when eating a raw pepper, but it becomes obvious when that sugar is caramelized on the grill.

tryno12 · July 27, 2016

here in 46112 indiana, disease attacks baddly!! peppers are hit by stuff big time - just now have 2 out of 8 plants that might make it!! fighting same stuff as earlier posts about tomato.............. not easy bonide, serenade, draconil, neem, cl2, insecticidal soap, etc bad start! hope what i have left makes it! i think chipmunks might like them also ??

July 19, 2016	#241
Cole_Robbie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois, zone 6 Posts: 8,407	I don't use a tiller. I probably should have once, honestly, but I just scoop up buckets of black dirt from my grandparent's cow field. It's mostly composted hay, where the remnants of the big bales sit and rot. I make a ridge of that dirt, put down drip tape, and cover it all with black plastic mulch. And I just wait until everything gets soft. Some GWR will turn yellow, but not all. The one in the pic above, I ate a little soon, because I dropped it on the floor trying to take the pic, but it was still very good.

July 20, 2016	#242
Cole_Robbie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois, zone 6 Posts: 8,407	The Sky Reacher was delicious. De Barao Orange is a good producer, and not bad to eat, but just doesn't make the cut for me flavor-wise. They are firm and would be a good shipper. Here's a basket of Georgia Flame: http://i.imgur.com/Z8rLwD0.jpg

July 20, 2016	#243
tryno12 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Indianapolis Area 46112 Posts: 857	you got it good if you have access to inexpensive organic dirt on a yearly basis. i buy topsoil and mix with packaged soil with fert etc - the other plot on old corn feild land is full of fungi, wilt, and verm - just this year realizing the need to start early with neem, cl2, bonide cu, and serenade - hopefully next year (hope i can save some at the farm plot ) i will start earlier with treatment BEFORE probs start. Wondering if i pick the cherry varieties when they blush, they won't crack - i assume the answer is yes?? thanks for all the help to a new bee............

July 20, 2016	#244
Cole_Robbie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois, zone 6 Posts: 8,407	Picking at first blush is always a good idea if you want fruit that look marketable. Proneness to cracking is also very variety specific. And you're very welcome.

July 21, 2016	#245
tryno12 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Indianapolis Area 46112 Posts: 857	a lot of people here in central indiana seem to be complaining of weird plants - like a few tomatoes at the bottom, then bare areas rising up, then few new fruits with a lot of top foliage compared to the bottom(same for me in the plants that i did not treat prior to getting infected by the diseases. everyone here seems to blame the weather for the low yields and slow ripening - i'm not sure what it is IL about the same?

July 21, 2016	#246
Cole_Robbie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois, zone 6 Posts: 8,407	It sounds weather-related. It has not been as bad here.

July 21, 2016	#247
tryno12 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Indianapolis Area 46112 Posts: 857	"some GWR will turn yellow" what is GWR Thanks in advance

July 21, 2016	#248
JRinPA Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: SE PA Posts: 972	green when ripe

July 21, 2016	#249
tryno12 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Indianapolis Area 46112 Posts: 857	thanks!

July 25, 2016	#250
Cole_Robbie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois, zone 6 Posts: 8,407	KBX has been excellent for me. It's my new big orange tomato. Yield is good; flavor is excellent; fruit are uniform and attractive. I spoke too soon on the De Barao Orange. As usual, when I try something I don't like very much, I probably didn't wait for it to get ripe enough. The DBO has a very long shelf life, fairly firm, but still sweet enough when very ripe. Juan Flamme makes a nice compliment to the DBO - not as prolific, shorter shelf life, but truly sweet and juicy like an heirloom tomato is expected to be. Those two varieties will be my one-two punch to take out Sungold from my cherry mix. The Sungold fruit is too small and takes too long to pick. I had a gentleman who worked with my grandfather at the university agronomy research center come by Saturday at market and bring me a tomato. He gave it to me for seed. He said it came from an Abraham Lincoln festival "up north," and that he had been maintaining it for twenty years. He was very fond of it, but mentioned that it did not set well in hot weather. Based upon that information, plus the looks of it: http://i.imgur.com/YyzZklG.jpg I would guess it is a strain of Brandywine. I asked him what he wanted to call it. He said "Linclon, " but there is already a tomato named Abe Lincoln. Maybe I'll call it Lincoln's Brandywine. Flavor was good, not amazing, but good. I am going to grow it out next year and see how it does for me as a plant.

July 26, 2016	#251
Cole_Robbie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois, zone 6 Posts: 8,407	Peppers! http://i.imgur.com/AAPsG4p.jpg Georgia Flame on top, Golden Treasures, Crunch Sweet Orange, and Erbil Sweet at the bottom. Cherry Moon on the sides. I'm saving all the seed I can. I wouldn't mind growing these peppers by the acre. They are all excellent.

July 26, 2016	#252
Aerial Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: CA Posts: 410	Cole, re: peppers, which ones are productive? They look great!

July 26, 2016	#253
Cole_Robbie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois, zone 6 Posts: 8,407	They all look really good as far as productivity. The Erbil Sweet made huge peppers on a tiny plant, so they got a little sun burned, but I think part of that was me getting the transplants set out late. My step-dad has Lunch Box F1 in his garden and does not have peppers off of them yet, so the Crunch Sweet Orange beat the hybrid in earliness. (thanks for the seeds)

July 27, 2016	#254
Cole_Robbie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois, zone 6 Posts: 8,407	I just grilled the best peppers I ever had: http://i.imgur.com/8fZRMIf.jpg The extra sweetness of the heirloom is noticeable when eating a raw pepper, but it becomes obvious when that sugar is caramelized on the grill.

July 27, 2016	#255
tryno12 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Indianapolis Area 46112 Posts: 857	here in 46112 indiana, disease attacks baddly!! peppers are hit by stuff big time - just now have 2 out of 8 plants that might make it!! fighting same stuff as earlier posts about tomato.............. not easy bonide, serenade, draconil, neem, cl2, insecticidal soap, etc bad start! hope what i have left makes it! i think chipmunks might like them also ??